Beverly Joseph shares her thanks for the funds raised thus far for Christian families in need in Pakistan, and outlines how the money raised is alleviating the suffering brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tomorrow marks two weeks since the GoFundMe page was setup and we have been so amazed and overwhelmed by the kindness of church family and friends who have showed their support and care by donating so generously to this cause. Thank you so much to everyone who has contributed, it means so much to us!

I wanted to let you know of the wonderful difference your kindness is making in the lives of families in rural Pakistan who are currently out of work and had no means of getting groceries to feed their families for another week let alone make ends meet. You became that means to them! In these past weeks if by being constrained inside you have not felt too constructive, may I just tell you that by contributing here you have been the hands and feet of love, hope and help to someone thousands of miles away. Perhaps you may never meet them in this lifetime but what a beacon of life you’ve been to them when they needed it the most. Thank you!

“…For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me” (Matthew 25:35).

Our efforts started back in the first week of this month when a small group of family and friends noticed the desperation faced by Christians in our ancestral village of Alomahar and that they were in dire straits and facing starvation.

Most of the adults work in nearby factories on subsistence wages. However due to the COVID-19 Pandemic the factories have closed down. Pakistan does not have a social security system so the concept of no work, no money is a sad reality for the Christians in the village of Alomahar (North of Lahore) as well as all over Pakistan.

Some food aid is delivered by the Pakistani Government in the big cities but is diverted for use by Muslims. Christians are heavily discriminated against and food aid is no exemption. So everyone decided to chip in what we could and friends and family based in Alomahar took on the role of putting together food packages and delivering them to families in need.

We were not too sure at this point of how huge the task was and how incessant the need. However, we soon found out! It was very apparent that we would need back up and need it quickly, and that’s when the GoFund Me page was created.

And in this short time, 50 families (yes, you did read that correctly – not 50 people, but 50 families; traditional Pakistani families are often joint family systems with between five and ten members, so it really does add up to a lot) have had essential food supplies delivered to them not just once, but twice. We were hoping and praying that we could get another lot of supplies to them so they wouldn’t find themselves in dire straits again when the first lot finished. Incredibly, that is exactly what happened. Just in time, before the first lot of supplies finished, they were met by another.

There is an old saying that “when the going gets tough, the tough get going”. Everyone coming together and stepping up to the challenge has been overwhelming. It has truly been awesome to witness how our heavenly Father – your heavenly Father, my heavenly Father and their heavenly Father – has been faithful in providing for His children in this desperate time of need.

“…And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

He really is the same, yesterday, today and forever and the same Lord who feed the 5,000 through a little boy who was willing to share his lunch is doing the same today! He feeds others through whatever we bring to the table, we just have to be willing and place the task in His hands.

So thank you so much for stepping up! We’ve reached over half of our original fundraising goal in just under two weeks. At this stage, we don’t know how long the need will last so please do share the page with friends and family and anyone you think may want to contribute. Any contributions towards the cause will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your continued support.

God bless you,
Beverly Joseph.