The tragic story of Pakistani Christian Asia Bibi is only one of many that highlight the grim plight of Christian minorities in some countries, especially in Asia and the Indian subcontinent.
Even just last week, it looked as though Asia Bibi, a mother of five, would be executed for her alleged crime of blasphemy against Mohammad. This accusation landed her in prison – in solitary confinement – for eight years. Finally, on October 31, Pakistan’s highest court acquitted Asia of all charges and freed her.
BACKGROUND
The “blasphemy” charge was the result of an incident at her job as a field worker. Asia’s “crime” was that she drank from a water bucket out of which her Muslim coworkers wanted to drink. Her enraged coworkers, now considering the water to be defiled, started coercing her to convert to Islam, which she refused to do.
REAL-LIFE IMPACTS
On a human scale, one cannot begin to imagine what it has been like for this wife and mother, who was 39 years old at the time of her arrest. This was eight years of days of longing for companionship as she languished in solitary confinement. It was eight years of longing to hold her children and embrace her husband, to worship with her small church, and just live the life she had known before she became the target of extreme persecution. These were eight years of days knowing that all she needed to do was whisper, “I submit”, and she would have been cleared of the charges, but she deemed a clear conscious to be of far greater worth.
Our sister Asia Bibi is an inspiration.
THE BATTLE NOT OVER
But the battle rages on. For months the judges involved in the case have been threatened with death should they rule in favor of Asia Bibi. When the news of Asia Bibi being cleared of charges was broadcast, radical leaders immediately made good on their threats to incite riots in the street throughout the 95% Muslim country.
The result is that now, as a result of this verdict, while Asia Bibi will not be hung, every Christian in Pakistan is now in danger.
International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (iDOP)
With this high profile case occurring on the eve of the iDOP (this Sunday, November 4, 2018), there is hope that this high profile case will draw in prayers of many more Christians around the world during this powerful prayer event. Find out more about iDOP and view a video highlighting the plight of Pakistan’s 5 million Christians.
