By N. Akhtar
CFI Staff Member
November 4, 2016 — I went to meet a Pakistani Christian family who are living in hiding in the outskirts of Bangkok, Phra Phae Daeng.
This Pakistani Christian family represents one of the hundreds of Christian families who have fled from religious persecution in Pakistan, and are currently seeking refuge close to Bangkok in hope that they will be granted asylum in one of the UN member nations.
While they await their interview and final word from UNHCR office in Bangkok, these families face severe challenges pertaining to the law of land, an unfamiliar language, and even prison threats.
The purpose of my visit today was to discover how the CFI monthly financial and food aid program has been helping them; and also to learn new challenges and needs.
My finding: this vital CFI ministry is literally saving lives; helping persecuted Christian families survive, day by day.
As a Pakistani myself, I have unique insight on the trials and tribulations faced by these families.
The following is a summary of my interview.
Naeem Aslam and his Christian family fled Pakistan to save themselves from becoming one of the many casualties of religious persecution. Naeem ran a Prayer Center by the name of “Hannah Prayer Centre” in Lahore. The Center was visited by a Muslim family who wanted to know more about Christianity, had heard of power of Prayer, and wished to be prayed for.
After a couple of visits, their Muslim relatives came to learn about this and grew hatred towards both families and sought to murder them.
Learning of the plot to murder them, Naeem and his family of 5 members fled to Thailand on February 8th, 2014. They hoped for a safe-haven when they landed, but after three months their tourist visas expired, and they found it quite contrary to what they had imagined.
Housed in a small one room apartment, with an attached toilet, and no kitchen, they are forced to stay inside for fear of detention.
A view of the apartments in the slums of Bangkok where the Pakistani refugees are forced to spend their days
In their words, “returning back to Pakistan would mean absolute death…. going out here means detention.”
The Christian family who once ran a Prayer center and remembers Sundays to be the most exciting days, feels isolated and trapped because they do not speak or understand the English and Thai sermons they can find in the area.
Their drive and motivation is expressed through the father’s statement, “We are thankful that our kids get to learn about Christianity… The church teaches them and exposes them to Christian values, for which we are thankful.”
Although language barriers haven’t discouraged them from going to church every Sunday, they plead for English classes and schooling for their kids. “The biggest problem is education. If somehow CFI can arrange and provide education to our kids, that will the greatest blessing…. English is very important. My wife and I are not well educated; we realize that and we don’t want our kids to lack the ability to communicate well.”
Though life is not easy, they whole-heartedly thank Christian Freedom International for providing food, medicine, rent, and financial support every month. It keeps the rents paid, and the stove lit.
“CFI started helping us from the beginning of 2015…CFI, has been kind enough to constantly and regularly support us each month. They provide us the food and the money, which helps us a lot.”
Further, when asked about the hopes and aspirations which keep them grounded during these difficult times, the mother shares her aspiration for freedom and a normal childhood for her kids. “I just want my family to be settled anywhere, where we have freedom. Where we don’t fear the immigration. Even though my kids are very young, yet they fear police and authorities… I want my kids to have to freedom to go out to schools and make friends and live a normal childhood.”
We all can learn about faith and diligence through Naeem’s family, who has shared with us to always thank God for each new day; to always trust in God’s will through thick and thin; not to lose faith in Him and never doubt the Lord because He is mighty.
Please remember Naeem and other Christian families seeking asylum in Bangkok, Thailand. They all are a part of the body of Christ and they need us.
Christian Freedom International sponsors dozens of Pakistan Christian refugee families in Thailand while they await resettlement through the UN. CFI also distributes scores of care packs each month to needy Christian families.