Pakistan ChristianEvangelical Services

“ For I am not ashamed of the Gospel,for it is the power of God for salvation. . .”

(Romans 1:16)July-September 2017

Foundation Laid for OPC on Palm Sunday

Dear friends of Pakistan Christian Evangelical Services,

Praise the Lord, on April 9, 2017 (Palm Sunday), thefoundation of the Good Shepherd Hospital OutpatientClinic was laid by children carrying palm branches, holdingcandles and shouting the Psalms 23 & 24, along with PCESchurches, foreign guests, a Member of Punjab Assemblyand Senator Kamran Michael, minister for human rights,and the team from Zor Engineers Ltd. More than 700people attended that ceremony! Food was distributed,and at that time, medical and eye camps were conductedwith the cooperation of IDES.

Below: Saleem & Colin Gibson (Zor Engineers Ltd.)

Progress on the Foundation

Laborer with Jochen Brand (Germany) & Donald Lund (Chicago)

Boundary Wall Progress

Dr. Saleem Massey & Mrs. Naylah Saleem

Report from Matthias Allgaier (Germany)In March, my wife Eva and I visited Pakistan, on outreach. Most of the time we spent in Lahore, but also in the Faisalabad area as well as in Kasur. It is always a great experience to see how open the different churches are to foreigners. No one hesitated to welcome us in their church. Again and again we experienced the power of our Lord God Almighty. People have been saved and a good number gave testimonies of their healing. Sometimes I preached only and did not pray for the sick, but people gave testimony of their healing during the preaching. Glory be to God! The hunger and thirst is great, especially in the villages around the countryside.

On April 9th we attended the foundation laying ceremonyfor the Good Shepherd Christian Hospital outpatient clinicin the Kasur area. What a great day and ceremony!Children and teenagers offered an interesting and diverseprogram; special speakers expressed their thanks andappreciation for this helpful project for the poor in thisplace; and a wonderful meal was provided for all of the700 guests. This project deserves to be supported byprayer, encouragement and also the needed finances. Maythe Lord be glorified and all donors blessed and granted agreat reward by the Grace of our Lord and Saviour.

Bomb Blast Victims We also met some of the bomb blast victims of last year´sterror attack at a park in Lahore City. To meet these peoplein the home of Dr. Saleem Massey was a great honor, butalso a challenge. They allowed us to ask questions and wewere really amazed at how they deal with the topicforgiveness, exactly according to the word of the Lordwhen he was talking about love for our enemies. Therewas no hatred nor bitterness in their words concerning thesuicide terrorist. The young people, 2 girls and a boy, evenshared their dreams of life with us. They are focused onthe future and don´t look back to the past. Some are stillsuffering physically and also financially. Finally, we tried tocomfort them and prayed for them. They helped us realizethe great pressure on the church of Christ in Pakistan.

Dr. Bruce Camp, Jochen Brand, Matthias & Eva Allgaier,ministering to bomb blast victims

Impressions from Dr. Bruce CampProverbs 13:12 states, “Hope deferred makes the heartsick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.” In other words,when we see a dream come to fruition, it revives andstrengthens a person. This verse aptly describes what isoccurring with the Outpatient Department of the GoodShepherd Christian Hospital. On Palm Sunday, I attendedthe laying of the foundation for the Outpatient Dept. Itwas encouraging to see the progress since my last visit inOctober 2016. Boundary walls are higher, trees and grasshave been planted. And now the foundation has been laid.

Imagine the excitement of 700 people attending this eventfrom numerous churches and nations. Governmentofficials like Senator Kamran Michael and SahahzadMunshi spoke words of appreciation for the hospital. Thehighlight for me was watching little children lead theprocession that led to the laying of the foundation. Theinnocence and love of children is a wonderful reminder ofwhat the Good Shepherd Christian Hospital values – thelove, mercy and compassion of Christ.

A dream is being fulfilled in Pakistan. Soon there will be anOutpatient Department that can treat hundreds of poorpeople on a daily basis. The good news is that $200,000has already been given to construct the building. Now weare waiting on God to provide the other $300,000. Willyou be one of the people God uses to see this medicalfacility quickly constructed? Ask the LORD what He wouldhave you do to meet this need.

Brick Kiln and Sewing Machine CenterConsider what type of life you would have as a 16-year-oldfemale who only knows what it is like to work in a brickkiln: 5-6 days/wk, you must get up early and mix the waterand mud so that your family can meet the 1,000-brickdaily quota. It doesn’t matter if it is 100* + that day, or youdon’t feel well. Your family must meet the brick quota. Ifthey don’t, they become like slaves to the brick kiln owner.

Recently, I met a girl who hasworked in a brick kiln since shewas a small child. She never wentto school. It was a financialnecessity for her to join hermother and father in makingbricks to support the family. Oneof her family members had to goto the hospital. But to do that,they had to borrow money fromtheir employer. He charged theminterest which ensured they wouldnever manage to finish paying himback. They now owe him over$1,200. Thousands of Pakistani

Christian families are thus trapped financially. Some oftheir debts were originally incurred 2 or 3 generations ago.Often called “bonded laborers,” they live in a situation thatis a kind of paid slavery. Fortunately, there is hope for

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some of the youth. PCES has started several sewing machine centers. For two years, at night, girls are taught ata local church how to sew cloths and other items. At the end of the two years, they are equipped with a new skill that will allow them to leave the work of the brick kilns.

Each sewing machine centerhas a start-up cost of $700. Thisfigure allows for several sewingmachines, fabric and string to bepurchase. An additional $100 isneeded monthly to keep thecenter going.

Just as God used Moses to freethe Israelites in Egypt, will youask Him to use you to help freePakistani Christians from theirbondage? Perhaps your smallgroup or church could providethe resources necessary to starta sewing machine center andkeep it operating for two years.

Jochen Brand's Impressions

“Am I dreaming?” This was my latest impression of thechurch at Nasheman-Town, Lahore in April 2017, one yearafter my last visit. Then, there was only a simple churchconstruction with naked brick walls and clay floor. But thistime, everything was so beautifully completed that I hadno words to explain my feelings except, “Hallelujah! Praisethe Lord!” The prayers and financial gifts from supportersaround the globe make really a big difference in thisIslamic Republic of Pakistan: it’s outstanding how the Loveof God has already changed those places and people here,who were ready to accept the gospel of salvation, healingand deliverance.

Palm Sunday was one important step forward to reach thegoal of completing the Outpatient Clinic project. On thisoccasion, we really celebrated the resurrection of Christ aswell as laying the foundation within the compound. WithDr. Saleem as my interpreter, I shared a biblical mini-message on the topic of “God’s language of LOVE”. Maythe Good Shepherd Hospital in Kasur be a place whereGod’s language of LOVE may be understood andexperienced through the committed service of Christiandoctors, nurses, and generous donors around the globe!

Free Medical and Eye Camps

Praise the Lord, with the cooperation of I.D.E.S., in April,we also conducted 4 medical and eye camps at differentvillages in the District of Kasur where we are constructingthe outpatient clinic. All 1735 poor patients, children,women, and men were treated with the compassion, love,and mercy of Christ.

Foresight CommendedForesight characterizes the planning of a block of shopswithin the hospital compound, which will provide thenecessary medications and other provisions for thepatients. The rental income from these shops will alsoprovide additional financial support for the hospital. Ispent 16 years working in Christian hospitals in India andPakistan. Medical centers in wealthy suburbs have nodifficulty making money, but the vast majority of the poorare excluded, particularly the rural poor. A hospital thataims to serve poorer members of the communityfunctions on a financial knife-edge most of the time.Patient fees will cover most running costs, but capitalexpenses are too great a burden for them.

Attracting doctors to work in rural areas is also achallenge. However, Saleem has a head start, as his elderdaughter, Dr. Samreena, is completing her internship inthe USA and is planning to return to be the first doctor atthe hospital. His elder son, Samson, is currently studyingfor a Master’s degree in health administration in Australia.

A study by the Bible Correspondence School in Pakistanshowed that there is a more ready acceptance of theGospel in those areas that were being served by Christianschools and hospitals. In Pakistan, the selfless work ofthousands of God’s people through medical andeducational service over many years has generated a storeof good will and sown the seed for a later harvest.

I never fail to be impressed by Saleem’s ability to completewhat he sets out to do; not many people have the driveand vision that he has. I warmly commend this new workin our Lord’s Name, encouraging your generous support.

Keith & Sally Bender praying over new land and planting a tree

Note: Dr. Keith Bender is a psychiatrist who worked with Interserve for 18 years in Nur Manzil Psychiatric Centre in Lucknow, India, and at Memorial Christian Hospital in Sialkot, Pakistan. For the last 18 years he has worked in public sector psychiatry in Perth, Western Australia. He and his wife stayed with Saleem in April, and Saleem's son,Samson, is currently residing with them in Perth.

Brother Donald Lund from Chicagovisited June 9 -18. He worked atthe outpatient clinic project andvisited with bomb blast victims. Hevisited almost all PCES-plantedchurches in Lahore and Kasurwhere he preached the Gospel,and also met with two young boysfrom our Kaliq Nagar church, whowere attacked and badly woundedby terrorists.

BaptismsPraise the Lord, 72 individuals were baptized, includingchildren, men, and women from our Christian EvangelicalChurches in the Lahore Canal on May 20, 2017. After thebaptisms, brother Saleem delivered a message fromRomans 6:3-5. More than one hundred people ate foodand then returned happily to their homes.

You can help in Pakistan by praying for:

>Veer Kay Nau: The Lord to give wisdom to the Civil Judge to make a final decision in favor of Veer Kay Nau church property in Kasur. In this case, fanatic Muslims oppose the building of the church. But, we will win the court case and exalt the Victorious Cross of Jesus!>Nash e-Mann Town: Pray may the Lord provide funds for the construction of the parsonage.

>Anti-Christian Blasphemy Laws: Very harsh and strict blasphemy laws are used against innocent Christians and other marginalized religious minorities in Pakistan. They are falsely accused because of personal vengeance. Fanatics burn their homes and threaten them to accept Islam or be ready to die. For instance, Assia Bibi has been suffering behind bars since 2010 with no fair trial. Please continue to pray for our sister, Assia. Please pray may the Lord protect religious minorities from the Blasphemy Law, like "a roaring lion, seeking whom to devour" (1 Peter 5:8).

>LAHORE (Dunya TV News, April 15, 2017) - A major terrorist attack planned for Easter in Lahore on Sunday was successfully foiled by intelligence agencies in Lahore city, Pakistan. Security forces conducted a special intelligence-based operation (IBO) near Punjab Housing Society Lahore. One terrorist was killed, one lady arrested while 4 soldiers including 2 officers got injured during the clash. Security forces in recent months have stepped up operations against militants but Friday's raid and shootout came as Christians prepared to celebrate the Easter day. Last year on Easter day, more than 70 people were killed ina 2016 suicide bombing at Gulshan Iqbal Park in Lahore, which was crowded then with Christians and Muslims.

Contact Details:

Saleem Massey, saleemmassey@gmail.com420-Q BlockModel Town, Lahore 54700PAKISTAN

In the USA, if you wish to support the work of PCES,please make checks payable to “Christian Church ofLitchfield”, with “for PCES” in the memo line. Mail to:

PCES c/o Christian Church of LitchfieldAttn: Lowell Chandler, TreasurerP.O. Box 45Litchfield, IL 62056 USA

Newsletter Editor: Karen Hunter, 513-521-1474,huntus.k@gmail.co m