What we hope is the final update on this situation:
Pakistan has simmered for the last two days under a ‘state of mourning’. Frankly, I preferred the State of Emergency! Stores that dare to open to sell niceties like food have to shield their windows, ready to roll down metal shutters in case roving mobs of PPP supporters come by to ‘enforce’ grief on their bazaar. Gas stations are nearly all closed for the same reason, and even the largest ambulance service has temporarily suspended operations due to a lack of petrol.
A story on one of the Pakistani news channels last night gave the final totals of grief on Thursday: something like 50 killed, hundreds seriously injured, more than 300 shops looted and then burned, an undetermined number of houses burned, 110 banks burned, 75 train cars burned, 15 petrol pumps, etc. The Pak rupee has lost value, the business stoppage is costing the economy billions, and most plane flights in and out have been stopped by fear of retribution or the simple inability of crews to reach the airport. Oh, and those ‘spontaneous outpourings’ of violent grief have usually had someone pointing out the places and people to make grieve more than they were.
The State Department has warned US citizens to lay low until tomorrow, and we will. In fact, every foreign government has warned their citizens in country to do the same. But now, the next test will be whether or not elections will be held, and what kind of reaction there will be to their (likely) cancellation.
What does all of this mean to you, as citizens of the US, and Christians? Well, it could mean nothing, except to ‘tsk-tsk’ before you turn the page, or navigate to the next Web site. What I hope you will remember is this – every Christian is your brother or sister. In fact, they are (according to the Scriptures) a part of your own Body: the Body of Christ. Many of you are praying for us, and we thank you. But, do not forget that five million members of the body live here, and are the poorest, and most vulnerable to disruptions in the society. So, may I ask you to do us this favor? However much time you spend in reading about Pakistan (or Kenya. Or Iraq), will you spend an equivalent amount of time in prayer for these places? We certainly want you to be informed; that’s why we write. But we need you to pray – pray for peace, pray for mutual understanding, pray for people to develop some type of refection on their actions. Pakistan needs all of you to pour out your hearts to God. And while the Muslim majority here may not be of our faith community, they are still human beings, and are suffering terribly. Pray – and give – and pray some more. It is how you can be positively involved in shaping the news that comes from this place.
Marianne Vermeer and Robert Johnson are Presbyterian mission co-workers, serving at Forman Christian College in Lahore, Pakistan.
