This morning we gathered as a community to meet a Pakistani-born woman whose family moved to England in the 1960s. She and one of her sisters became Christians and today she works with Frontiers, a Christian mission dedicated to helping Muslims know Christ’s love. We often have times where we hear from missionaries from all around the world and they never fail to be inspiring messages of God’s great love and faithfulness.
She shared her story, how, when she and her sister became Christians, her father decided they must return to their village in Pakistan. So, after living much of their youth in England they suddenly found themselves in a small village is Kashmir with no electricity or running water. Once, their father invited a Muslim “missionary” to their home to reverse the “brainwashing” of their Christian faith. He began talking with them at 7 a.m. and continued until 4 a.m. the next day, trying to break down their minds and hearts.
In the midst of such darkness they prayed. Although their father had taken their bibles, she had managed to hide a copy of Corrie Ten Boom’s The Hiding Place and in it she remembered clinging to the words “No pit is so deep that He is not deeper still.” 
She began praying for a bible, something she knew would be impossible. One night she dreamed that she walked to one of her neighbor’s homes, knocked on the door, the daughter answered the door and let them in, and then, in the dream, she saw a bookcase and on it was one book lit up – a copy of the New Testament. Shortly thereafter, the dream came true, down to the last detail. And, to her joy she was able to borrow the bible and maintain it without her father’s knowledge.
Today, her life passion is to share Jesus with the Muslim world. We spent the last 30 minutes of our time together praying together for the Muslim unreached people groups (there are about 250 with populations over 100,000), for Muslim women, for fundamentalist Muslims, for the Church to be convicted to reach out to the Muslim world (only 2% of all funds given to missions goes to work in the Muslim world), and for her family as only she and her sister are believers. She noted that Muslims pay a very high price for leaving Islam, often rejected by everyone they’ve ever been close to, and can be subject to honor killings (a practice of killing a member of the family who has brought dishonor upon the family).
She shared a great many verses that encouraged her during her time in Pakistan (and now) and I thought it worth reprinting some of those here.
1 Peter 4:12-14. Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
Philippians 3:10-11. [T]hat I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Isaiah 43:1-3. But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
Psalm 40:1-3. I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.
It was simply marvelous to hear her share her story. She has suffered much, but in that suffering she rejoices because it has made her more like Jesus and given her a passion to see others know Jesus as well. Praise God for His excellent goodness and faithfulness!