Pakistan Community Development
RESOURCE:
In the Sindh province in Pakistan, there is a marginalized people group among the poorest of the poor. Though they work hard, they lack stable income, material necessities, and education. Because most of them are illiterate, they are easily taken advantage of, have little ability to improve their situation, and are vulnerable to natural disasters and economic instability.
Fellowship International missionaries Mark and Karen Naylor have been mentoring Papu, a man from this people group, who loves Jesus and has been seeking to share the Gospel with his friends and neighbours for many years. When extensive flooding hit the Sindh province in 2022, Papu was instrumental in bringing relief aid, funded by FAIR’s Pakistan Flooding emergency relief appeal, to the remote villages of his people. The villagers of this people group live integrated spiritual and physical lives, so it is natural for them to view the material support they received as evidence of God’s presence. As a result, there has been a breakthrough for the Gospel.
As a natural next step to the 2022 flood relief delivered through Papu, he has already been providing vocational skills training in informal settings which has been well received. This people group has a saying: “If a girl studies, the whole family learns,” which is a recognition that girls grow into women who marry and then have influence over their future family.
FAIR’s Pakistan Community Development project seeks to raise $25,000 to establish simple primary schools, especially for village girls. Funds raised will help purchase the material resources needed to establish village schools which will emphasize reading, financial literacy, training villagers to run small businesses, and the development of disciple-making disciples.
Pray for courage for those who have committed their lives to follow Christ as a result of the care they have been shown. Pray that as they continue to grow in faith, the changes in their lives would be evident and draw others to Christ.