We can philosophise about our faith or live it

And we can even suffer for our faith

On the morning of 15th March 2015 something unbelievable happens in front of two churches in Youhanabad (Pakistan), a district of Lahore: almost simultaneously two bombs explode – a double explosive bombing.  While the bombs go off almost 2,000 visitors are in the two churches that lie 500m apart.  20 people die immediately, others die later in hospital and more than 100 are severely injured.  Baseema was in one of the churches when it bombing occured.  For eleven years now she has been working as the sole Christian teacher at a State School and had heard a lot about the attack in Paschawar that took place in September 2013 in which 80 Christians were killed and hundreds injured.

“But it is something totally different, if you experience something like that yourself,” she wrote a while after that day in March.  The rifle shots, the massive bang, all the different sounds, the screams, the blood, the smells, the confusion, the panic thoughts: What happened? Where can I flee to? What will happen next? “This day changed my life completely.”

Book cover Asia Bibi.

Through the attack Baseema loses good friends and relatives among which is a young couple.  She was 8 months pregnant and was just coming from her nightshift into the church when the bomb exploded.  Her husband who was coming towards her died on his way to hospital.  They leave their 2-year-old daughter Maria behind.  The young girl who was in the church when the attack happened, still has not understood that her parents will never come and pick her up.  Baseema now looks after her.

The young woman was born into a respected family of teachers.  “But now I regard my former life as worthless,” says Baseema. “Formerly riches and recognition were important for me and my life’s goals were material wealth, influence and good fortune.  But then Jesus touched my life and gave me my life a second time, as though I were born again. Since that day God and his Kingdom are the most important things in my life, everything else simply does not count.  Only God counts.  I want to do what he wants me to do.  When I fathomed what had happened I asked myself whether God had protected my life so that I could live it fully for him.  That means: following Jesus’ example, taking up my cross daily – one day perhaps even offering my life for my brothers and sisters in Christ.  But, be that as it may, I now speak more openly about my Christian lifestyle to my Muslim colleagues.”

In this point Baseema thinks about Asim, a friend of hers.  The young man was only allowed to attend school until the 8th grade because his parents were then no longer able to pay his school fees.  He became a butcher’s apprentice.  On that aforementioned Sunday he was part of the voluntary security team that protects the church from the outside during each service.  When several armed young men head straight for the church door at the end of the service, he stands in their way.  The terrorists then start shooting.

“Get out of my way.  I want to get into the church, I have a bomb with me.  Otherwise I will blow you up”, calls one of the young men to Asim. Asim stops him, holds him and even embraces him and calls: “I won’t let you through even if I have to die with you!”  And then the bomb explodes.

Through Asim’s daring the roughly 500 people in the congregation inside the church remained unharmed.  Only the Christians who were standing outside the church were affected by the explosion.

His mother tells the staff of a Christian aid organisation: “We are heartbroken that we have lost a son, but our joy is even greater that he was so daring and through his sacrifice could save so many others.”  Now his younger brother has taken his place at the church’s entrance…

Baseema will never forget what Asim did for her and countless others and will never forget her own resolution.  Insistently she says: “Yes, that day changed my life, but I am also thankful for it.”

For the attack’s masterminds that day was a failure; to this day hatred is their driving force…

… the Christians in Pakistan have to live with this constant threat.  On the outside of their houses one can see pictures of those who have been killed.  Their grief is great, but they are not put off: on the 22nd March twice as many people attend the church service as did on that fateful Sunday a week earlier.  They stand together – despite the hate, despite the danger.  (Excerpt from the book: “Asia Bibi – a young woman believes for her life! – Brunnen Publishing House)

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