Introduction
(YHWH Education Centre)
Pakistan is situated in
south Asia with 160 million populations. Christians are 1.5% percent of the total population of the country. Vast majority
belongs to Islam. Christians and other religious minorities face prejudices, threats and discriminations for their faith by
Muslim extremists. Christians are the hot target of the Muslim extremists as they think Christians are against Islam. Most
of the Christians are living in a very difficult situation. They are not given jobs; false cases are made against them. They
are forced to become Muslims. They are harassed and deprived of their basic necessities of life. Their young kids are forced
to study Islamic education in public schools where education promotes stimulation for wars, glorification of Islam, stereotypes
about women and religious minorities. Islamic education is teaching in such a way that makes them to become Muslims even Christian
children are forced to learn Quran, therefore, Christian children and young people remained
unaware of their faith. Islamic education in schools stressed on Islam that it’s the only faith that is the best choice
for one who lives in world. Day to day life discriminations and prejudices make them vulnerable and Christians feel them inferior.
Muslims consider them untouchables. The effects of the discriminations and closing doors for jobs and livelihood make their
lives hard. They remain poor and most of the time of the poor Christians is spent on getting daily bread for their families.
Adults get hardly get time to go to for pray daily in the families. (I am not generalizing) Most of the poor families give
least priority to educate their children)
There
are different Groups & ministries working to spread the word of YHWH among Pakistani Christians. Different ministries/denominations
are serving to fulfill the spiritual needs of the people. Some of them painted the minds of the people to get more offerings
and tithe; therefore, the spiritual needs of the people are not met. Some of them have opened schools for formal and faith
based organizations. Some of them have social institutes for health services etc.
(YEC)
realized the need of the people and has studied some of the areas in the city of Toba Tek Singh and its adjoining areas. It
has been seen that illiterate, poor people in villages and remote areas are misled by the so-called pastors and Muslim extremists.
The sso called pastors held responsible poor people for their miseries and poverty while Muslim preachers or evangelists try
to convince the poor Christians if they shall become Muslim their economic problems shall be solved and they shall be accepted
socially. But even then large numbers of Christians are strong in their faith despite the day to day discrimination and hate
based attitude they proclaim their faith among the vast Muslim majority in the country which has so many clauses in the state
constitution & laws. But the draw back of the situation is that poor people are forced to spend their most of the time
in earning their livelihood and they cannot pay their attention towards faith based basic education. Most of the people
are tenant, daily wage workers with no basic human rights, women work in the fields and they are paid less than men and their
working hours are longer than men.
YEC has
a call to respond in this situation. YEC has developed relationship with Christians in the areas where the there is much
need to share the word of God. Ten areas have been identified where YEC can start work with children (age 5-15) through BIBLE
Schools.
Proposed
Program
In
ten identified areas Bible school shall be started involving local community. The community shall be responsible to give
place for the BIBLE Schools. It could be a room where 35 to 40 children can be adjusted for few hours every Sunday. They
shall be taught basics of their faith through Child Friendly Methods, games, songs, simulations, picture stories, role play
etc.
Who
shall be helping children in BIBLE Schools?
It
has been observed in each area there are poor young boys and girls who have completed their schooling but do not have enough
resources to get college or any other professional education. The committed and envisioned volunteers shall be invited to
help the children. They shall be given opportunity to get training to work in Sunday Schools.YEC shall make a commitment to
work in BIBLE Schools and YEC shall help them in their college education. There are two kinds of college education one
regular and the other one is distance learning. Regular education is expensive.
YEC would
be more interested in taking people prefer distance learning as the second phase of BIBLE Schools would be having classes
twice a week later thrice a week and then at least 5 days a week followed by targeting families and the whole community. The
community’s involvement shall be ensured in BIBLE Schools.
The
illiteracy rate is high among village people and among Christian higher than Muslims. Therefore, young kids shall be trained
to go door to door to share the word of God. Poor people shall be able listen the word of God. The visits shall be made regularly
to these areas and an interaction of these communities of the areas shall be enhanced.
BIBLE School
Teaching team shall be asked to make their plan for the week and shall prepare weekly reports. Once a month they shall be
called in YES centre for the meeting in which their reports shall discussed/ sharing of experiences etc and they
shall refresh their plans, sharing new ideas and developing resource material etc .
Budget
for BIBLE Schools
Funds
are needed for BIBLE School Teachers for their college/professional education. Purchasing of stationary, transportation,
logistics support etc are needed. USA 650-700 $s are needed each month.
YEC ,
USA and brothers and sisters are requested to help us out to start BIBLE Schools in the areas we have identified.
A camera is also a need to send up dates along with pictures. (This does not mean that we need a brand new camera but if a
brother or a sister would like to donate would be great help)
I
am sure there are some questions. Please feel free to ask. BIBLE Schools shall start work soon. Contacts have already
been made in different areas.
