HE SAID,“CAN YOU HELP US?

There are many people who have been driven from theirhomes in the SWAT valley as the Pakistani Military fightsagainst the Taliban?”He asked if we could help provide tents, food, cookingutensils and a generator to help 355 Christians who havebeen driven from their homes. How do we ignore such aplea? I have been working in my yard at home planting aflower and vegetable garden. It is so peaceful and it is hard toimagine these people who have been driven from their homesand are living out in the open with intense heat, no shelter,and no basic necessities! I thought to myself, what would Jesus do? I stepped out in faith, pledging support for ourbrothers and sisters half-way around the world.“The Pakistan government has set up three relief camps forthe people displaced from Swat and Dir, fearing a large scalehumanitarian crisis. Six more camps are being set up toaccommodate an expected influx of refugees…And yet as thebattle intensifies the bewildered and frightened residents of Swat have no choice but to flee. A local resident said, ‘There’scurfew outside, then there’s a traffic problem, but there aren’tmany houses for so many people. People are demanding theytake back this decision, but this operation (against theTaliban) should continue.’More than 834,000 civilians have fled recent fightingbetween Pakistani government forces and the Taliban in thenorthwest of the country, the UN refugee chief said onThursday. The figure leaped as more than 163,000 peopleregistered… as desperate families pile onto trucks andtractors, or stream on foot out of the three worst-affecteddistricts to hastily set up camps.”Pakistan is a country of over 100 million; the majority of these people are Moslems. The streets are teeming withpeople, mostly men as women do not often go out in public.To be a Christian in this Islamic country with Islamic Law isextremely difficult. The government says that in a court of law a woman is half a person. I heard one Moslem womanrecently say that in Islam most women are just firewood, andthat most of them will burn in hell.Both men and women face many difficulties as believers inPakistan. In many cases false accusations are fabricatedagainst Christians who refuse to renounce their faith in JesusChrist. They are falsely accused of speaking against Islam orthe prophets which carries serious consequences and in manycases death. In the midst of the dark oppression theChristians joyfully serve God and the light of Jesus Christshines brightly out of them.“One of the Christian refugees told our representative thatwhen they left Swat, they haven’t provided any transportation

The other day we received a call from a friend who hasbeen working for many years in Pakistan,trying to helpstrengthen the Church and reach out to the Moslems.

DEAR FRIENDS,IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT HUNDREDSOF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE BEINGDISPLACED FROM THEIR HOMES INWAR-TORN AREAS OF THE WORLD.

(for Christians), whereas Muslims wereprovided with transportation.Christians walked from Swat and ittook two days to reach Mardan. Theyhaven’t had any food these two days.When they reached Mardan, nobodytook care of them. When they contactedthe Church of Pakistan the churchadministration opened their gates forthe Christians. Although it is difficultfor them to host so many people, theyare helping with what they have.

AMONG THE TRIALSAND SUFFERINGGOD IS AT WORK INPAKISTAN ANDMOSLEMS ARESLOWLY COMING TOFAITH IN JESUS CHRIST.

We have heard marvelous testimony of Moslems approachingChristians and requesting Bibles. As they see the joy in theChristians they realize the lack in their own hearts and realizetheir religion does not offer hope of salvation or abundantlife. I‘ve personally seen how Islam brings oppression anddeath. The scripture teaches us that where the Spirit of theLord is there is freedom. While I was in Iran I was prayingand I saw how when the Holy Spirit was poured out on theDay of Pentecost that God empowered His people to carrythe Gospel to the whole known world. We know that wherethe Holy Spirit is at work people come to repentance andfaith in Jesus Christ. When people receive the life of God, theHoly Spirit not only dwells but empowers and changes thelife of the true Christian.In stark contrast, when Mohammad, the founder of Islam,started preaching Islam he was having a difficult time gettingpeople to believe his message, so he enlisted the help of 70 Jinn, or demonic spirits. These demonic spirits carried themessage of Islam to many people. I believe this was acounterfeit for the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit. WeChristians do not need to be afraid of the Moslems but ratherwe are free to share Jesus with them knowing that Greater isHe that is in us than the spirit at work in the world.

THE WHOLE PURPOSE BEHINDTERRORISM IS TO CAUSEPEOPLE TO LIVE IN FEAR;

to paralyze people and cause them to live in panic andtrepidation. Scripture tells us that God has not given us aSpirit of fear but of power, of love, and of a sound mind.Terrorism seeks to oppress and intimidate people, hopingthey will eventually give in to their demands-which ultimatelyare to yield to their (Satan’s) power, renounce Jesus Christ andlive under their domination and tyranny. They want to changethe laws based on the Ten Commandments and replace it withIslamic Law. They force people, under threat of death, toconvert to Islam. But as God’s people we need to stand up tothe spirit of intimidation and resist those who seek to oppressus and try to force us to follow their agendas which ultimatelyare against God and His established authority. They don’twant to bow down to Jesus Christ and repent of their sins butrather try to force their wicked ways on others.I believe that we Christians should pray for the Moslems andevangelize them wherever possible and support ministries thatare actively sharing the Gospel with the Moslems. We alsoneed to stand with our brothers and sisters in the Moslemcountries and pray for them that they would stand strong inthe face of opposition. The Apostle Paul asked that Christianswould pray for him that he would be able to boldly proclaimthe Gospel. We see Christians, in the midst of threats, able toboldly proclaim the Gospel by the power of the Living God.We have heard reports that God is saving terrorists, and Ibelieve we will see many more come to repentance and faith.I believe we will see many of them lay down their guns andbombs and take up their Bibles and boldly proclaim theGospel to other terrorists. It is important that we work toshare the truth with these people and offer them the samehope that has been offered to us in Jesus Christ.We have been working to provide Bibles in Islamic countriesand God is using this not only to encourage our Christianbrothers and sisters, but also to assist them in their ministriesto reach Moslems with the Gospel. I have found that Godoften uses His Word to break through the deception of Islam

Five Muslim families were very happy for the generous help.After the distribution our contact had an interview with a Muslim youngman.The angry young man said,“We don’t like Taliban because they are butchers.They chopped many human beings.We accept Shariahlaws if it is according to this Islam but if it is from the Taliban we don’t accept it.He was told Jesus Christ said forgive your enemies. Would you forgive the Taliban? He replied,“No”they don’t deserve it.