Source: www.csw.org.uk
Date: March 20, 2021
‘God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.’ – Matthew 5:5 NLT
These words of Jesus, from the Sermon on the Mount, have brought peace and comfort to countless people over the centuries. This week, pray this verse over Pakistan’s Christian community.
On Easter Sunday 2016, a suicide bomb attack targeting the Christian community in Pakistan killed over 72 people and injured around 300.
The devastating attack took place in the Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park in Lahore on 27 March, where families from Lahore’s Christian community were celebrating the Easter holiday. One bomb was detonated near the entrance to the park close to the children’s swing area, killing many women and children.
Michelle Chaudhry, one of our key partners in Pakistan, said at the time, ‘We are not only hurt and grieving but also very angry over the loss of so many innocent lives.’
Violent attacks against all religious minorities have increased in recent years, and the Christian community has been the deliberate target of several major attacks.
In summary, please pray:
- For healing of physical, emotional and mental trauma for the survivors of the Easter Sunday bombing in 2016, as well as those who lost loved ones that day.
- For true justice to be done regarding the perpetrators of the attack.
- That this Easter will be marked by peace and joy as Pakistan’s Christians celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord.