Our Sisters … are caught in the crossfire

The biryani was so spicy that tears were pouring from my eyes, so I was relieved to be eating alone in my room, where no one could see me as I dissolved! I spent much more time eating on my own than I expected during my March visit to Lahore. I was there during Ramadan, and although the hotel kindly provided lunch for me during the middle of their day-long fasts, I had to eat out of sight in my hotel room. Similarly, at sundown, the hotel restaurant was filled with boisterous families breaking fast together and sharing high-calorie iftar meals. The restaurant had no space then, so I was confined to my hotel room again.

As I ate alone, I flicked through the TV channels. Frustratingly, there was little choice in English: only BBC World News or Bloomberg. Consequently, I resorted to watching a Pakistani Tourism channel hosted by a mix of Western and native presenters. While watching their programmes, I was introduced to the stunning scenery and sights in Kashmir, which they encouraged people to visit. Lofty mountains and highland fortresses looked incredible, and I mentally added Kashmir to my wish list of places to visit.

Sadly, Kashmir has been a disputed region since Partition in 1947 and has been the site of far too much violence. Last month, terrorists attacked Indian tourists there, killing 26 Hindus, mostly men, whom they asked to self-identify at gunpoint. In response, earlier this week, India launched overnight attacks on what they said were terrorist sites in Pakistan. Most of their targets were in Kashmir, but for the first time since 1971, missiles were directed into heavily populated Punjab. Pakistan has since struck positions in Indian-controlled Kashmir. The tit-for-tat fight continues.

When I woke on Tuesday morning, there were messages from my friends in Lahore waiting for me. They were scared and asked me to pray for them. The attacks had begun at around 12.30 am, so they’d had a sleepless night fretting over what was happening. Although they couldn’t hear the explosions (the closest target to Lahore was 20 miles away), they had been aware of the news and didn’t know who or where would be under fire next.

Another friend had attended a peace rally in Lahore just the day before the attacks took place. She messaged me to ask that I pray for her country’s leaders to act sanely and wisely and described Pakistan as unable to afford a war.

Can I please ask you to pray for India and Pakistan too? For peace to prevail and tensions to immediately dissipate. In any conflict, the poorest are always the most vulnerable, and the brick kiln communities I visited, which are already so impoverished, are right by the border. They have no means of escape.

Although in my book I tell the stories of Christian victims of persecution, many Hindu girls in Muslim-dominated Pakistan are similarly abused. In light of the increased hostilities between Muslim-majority Pakistan and predominantly Hindu India, they and their families will face even more stigma and abuse. They need our prayers, too. Christians from within and without Pakistan are required to be peacemakers at this critical time. Can you pray for boldness and opportunity?.

I pray that the Lord, who gives peace, will always bless you with peace. May the Lord be with all of you..

– 2 Thes 3:16,

Anna

The publication date for Our Sisters is creeping closer; it will be released on Friday, 12th September. Currently, a draft copy is with several endorsers so they can (kindly and hopefully) say why they like it. I am enormously grateful to the few who have responded already with such caring praise. I’ve been rather overwhelmed by their words.

Thank you to everyone who helped me by voting for their favourite front cover. The winner was design B, and Authentic Media, my publisher, is tweaking it a little, but broadly speaking, that will be the cover design.

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