'We celebrate every Christmas like it is our last,' says Pakistani Christian

 A 140-ft cross stands at the entrance to a Christian cemetery in Karachi, Pakistan. (Photo: Getty/iStock)

This Christmas, some Christian families are making plans to avoid attending the same church service together in case of terrorist attacks.

Waseem Khokhar, a partner of Release International, said that some have made the decision to go to different Christmas services for the grim reason that, in the case of an attack, some family members will survive.

"Half the family will go to the midnight service, and the other half will go to the main service, because they don't all want to die," he said.

"If, God forbid, something happened, then at least one person would be left to look after their children."

Christians in Pakistan have good reason to be afraid as suicide bombers have targeted church services in the past, killing scores of people. 

Khokhar said that security is "a big, big issue" for Christians in Pakistan, who experience severe persecution for their faith.  

Many Pakistani Christians are poor, especially those in rural areas. Some are enslaved as bonded labourers in brick kilns.

For this reason, a large part of the Christmas outreach for churches is providing food and other basic necessities.

"Many don't have proper clothes to wear," said Khokhar.

"Some say they have never eaten good food in their lives. So in this Christmas season, we always talk to them and share a Christmas meal.

"We take the whole month from the 1st of December until the 25th to look after them and visit them and try to meet their basic needs.

"If we are not sharing Christian love at Christmas, it is not really Christmas."

Despite the threat to their life, Khokhar said that many Christians are determined to stay in the country.

"There are some Islamist groups who believe that the Christian minority has no right to live in Pakistan. But we believe that despite the discrimination, persecution and difficulties, God has put us here to be his witness, and we are ready to die for him," he said. 

"We celebrate every Christmas like it is our last, because there is so much uncertainty – but we always do celebrate Christmas."

He is asking Christians in the UK to pray for believers in Asia who are facing the risk of attack this Christmas.

"We trust in the Lord. We believe He is our protector, our stronghold and our fortress, but we ask you to pray for our security while we hold our carol services and our public meetings. We commit these into God's hands. Thank you," he said. 

News
Russian courts ban more Baptist churches in continued crackdown
Russian courts ban more Baptist churches in continued crackdown

Russian courts have banned three more Baptist churches affiliated with the Council of Churches Baptists in the southern region of Krasnodar amid an ongoing crackdown on unregistered congregations across the country.

Evangelicals offer praise for Armenia PM after he recites Bible at prayer breakfast amid church tensions
Evangelicals offer praise for Armenia PM after he recites Bible at prayer breakfast amid church tensions

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, under criticism from rights groups over his government's treatment of senior clergy from Armenia's national church, received strong praise from American and British Evangelical leaders after highlighting his record at the country's first national prayer breakfast on Saturday. 

Hollywood stars Cate Blanchett and Spike Lee meet Pope
Hollywood stars Cate Blanchett and Spike Lee meet Pope

Pope Leo XIV welcomed a group of Hollywood luminaries to the Vatican on Saturday, including Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett and director Spike Lee. 

The gift of fellowship in building one body in Christ
The gift of fellowship in building one body in Christ

There’s a saying that a lone coal grows dim, but coals heaped together glow red-hot. The same could be said of the Church.