Pakistan (MNN) — Aid workers in Pakistan are still dealing with the aftermath of the detrimental flooding that hit the country hard a few months ago. Immediate aid is still being delivered to suffering victims.
Recently Operation Mobilization teams have been distributing food and aid in some more remote areas of Pakistan. Many of the people in these areas have never seen a motorized vehicle, know nothing of the city, and live humble lives in the countryside. It's perhaps unsurprising, then, that their perceptions of religion were slightly skewed as well.
Most of the people in these regions are either Muslim or Hindu, not Christian. In fact, as the OM team talked more and more with these villagers, they discovered that there was a common misconception that Christianity was actually just a sect of Hinduism.
The OM team members gladly took the time to set the people straight in their thinking and explain to them what Christianity is really about. They shared various accounts in the Bible of God's grace and love throughout history.
Throughout their stay in the remote areas, the team was invited to join in a celebration with a Hindu community. When they arrived, however, it seemed that no festival had actually been planned. The team decided that there would still be a festival, and that they in fact would be the ones to throw it. They took the opportunity to share the love of Christ and to explain what true Christianity really is. They also showed the "JESUS" film and shared their own testimonies.
After watching these Christians provide aid, share their stories, and truly love on them all, many villagers were clearly moved. They began to ask the OM team if they too could know Christ, noting that they had seen the true compassion these believers exhibited and wanted the same for their lives.
The OM team members are still praising God for His goodness in this situation. The Pakistan flood was an awful ordeal which has caused much grieving in the country, but it provided opportunities for believers that may not have arisen otherwise. OM teams may never have even ventured into these villages any time soon, but in the name of sharing Christ's love through physical aid, they were able to make a significant spiritual impact.
Praise God for the opportunities the OM team was given to share the truth of the Gospel. Pray that as the villagers continue to reflect on what they've heard, the Holy Spirit would work in their hearts and bring them to faith in Christ. Pray that the OM team may have other such opportunities to spread the Gospel as they continue to help still-struggling flood victims.
