Dear brothers and sisters,
Recently, Fr. John contacted us with tragic news. Two of his parishioners, a mother and her adult son, were killed by a neighbor who accused them of blasphemy after a dispute. And earlier this month, a 13-year old Christian girl was forced to marry a Muslim boy.
As shocking as these stories may seem, sadly, they are not shocking to Fr. John. It is not uncommon for Christians in Pakistan to be the victims of crimes and persecution such as these. In addition to the challenges brought on by the pandemic this year, Fr. John and his parishioners continue to confront the daily struggles and injustices that come with being poor and Christian in Pakistan.
Fr. John writes:
“While we are so helpless, we should pray, we should cry. To be poor is painful. Lord have mercy!”
As we enter the Advent season, we ask you to consider giving a gift to Fr. John and the Orthodox Christians of Pakistan. As Fr. John has no income, your gift will help support him and his family, and enable Fr. John to provide basic assistance to his parishioners, including food and medicine. 100% of all donations go directly to Fr. John in Pakistan and there is never any overhead or administrative fees.
“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.” Proverbs 19:17
May God bless you richly for your generosity.