Small Christian enclave attacked by Muslim mob of 300 after water from church mop ritually-impurified a Muslim man
Published: Fri, 06/11/21
As the UK's COVID-19 lockdown ebbs closer to a final end we rejoice in the love of God that has seen us through such a tumltuous time. Many of us have now been vaccinated and much of our pre-COVID freedoms have already resumed. There remains a threat of new strains but we are all reaching a point of improved confidence and now let us thank God for his mercy.
"Shout for joy, O heavens! And rejoice, O earth!
"Break forth into joyful shouting, O mountains!
"For the Lord has comforted His people
"And will have compassion on His afflicted."
Isaiah 49:13
We remember those of us who have departed for heaven and thank God for the gift of eternal life for them. We celebrate their entering into God's presence where there is an abundance of joy.
At the end of April we relinquished the tenancy of our community centre and had aimed to terminate our meals for the homeless project. However, to our surprise a local mosque, several churches and local restaurants impelled us to continue our work. We now have completely free use of the same community centre without any costs for the hours of our distribution and almost all the hot meals are being provided by those who coerced us to continue. It sometimes feels like we were forced to continue but to tell the truth, Juliet Chowdhry and Hannah Chowdhry who have been leading the Meals for the Homeless project were saddened when they almost closed the project due to a lack of volunteers. We are now serving over 50 people over three days and have become the lateral flow testing point for homeless in the community as we have the largest number of visitors. The NHS are also still undertaking Hepatology medical examinations on the homless community at our centre. Read more (here)
After a Rabbi was attacked by two young men in an incident described as antisemitic hate by local police, Hannah Chowdhry visited the wife of the Rabbi to deliver flowers of solidarity and wishes of a speedy recovery. Read more (here)
In Pakistan, we are nearing success in the murder trial for Saleeem Masih killed for using the same well to bathe as Muslims, due to the ritual impurity he brought to other users. Though the courts too easily adopted court hearing postponements and local police attempted to fudge their investigation our solicitor has bravely brought us to a position of confidence. Read more (here)
Sadly the issue of ritual impurity and water emerged again in a violent mob attack on Christians, but this time a man lost his thumb which was cut off by a sickle and several women and men ended up in hospital. The incident in Okara was sparked by the splashing of drops of water from a mop used to clean a church floor onto a young Muslim man's trouser. Read more (here)
Nabeel Masih the young man who was incarcerated for blasphemy at only 16 years of age, has had a succesful operation to remove his painful lipomas developed while in prison. Moreover, it seems that none of them are cancerous. Even better, Nabeel is very quickly nearing the end of his trial and should soon be fully exonerated from the charges of blasphemy that have seen him incarcerated despite no conviction for 4 years. Read more (here)
The 72 year old wife of blasphemy victim Zafar Bhatti is praying for his release and is pleading to Christians to support her and Zafar in prayer as her health worsens. She would love to see Zafar set free in her lifetime and for their marriage of over 30 years to be rekindled before they meet with our Lord. After her landlord evicted her she is saddened that her marriage home will not be available to Zafar on his hoped release and seeks help for a relocation. Read more (here)
Death of another Pak-Christian asylum seeker in Thailand reesults in mourning throughout the community and a mother supporting 5 children including one with a severe mental impairment by herself. BACA would like to provide longer term support with your help. Please read more (here)
You can donate towards any of the appeals above (here).
We thank you for your suport and prayers for British asian Christian Associaton, which has enabled us to continue our work for almost 12 years. At this current time we are looking for new trustees especially those skilled in a secreterial role and safeguarding role. We are also seeking volunteers who would be willing to write for our blog and to help with our community centre. If you are interested in any of the above please get in contact.
Blessings
Hannah Chowdhry
Below we list all of the current stories listed above in date order. Please feel free to peruse only the accounts that are interesting for you.
Succour for the Homeless
Image: Volunteer Rajeshri Chouhan with officer from Westminster Drug Project who regularly undertakes Lateral Flow Tests for COVID-19 with our visitors.
British Asian Christian Association announced the termination of our 'Meals for the Homeless' Project for the end of April and we came very close to terminating due to a lack of volunteers.
However after Al Bayan Welfare Centre (a local mosque), local churches and food businesses compelled us to continue and committed to providing food and free use of Clementswood Community Centre, we agreed to continue the work.
Read full article (here)
Flowers of Solidarity presented to Rabbi who was attacked in Chigwell
By Hannah Chowdhry
After a Rabbi was attacked on Sunday 16th May at around 13:15 it made international news. Police who investigated the attack have listed the crime as a hate crime but have said that the attack "is not based on attacks happening overseas or anywhere else in the country." You can read a fuller account of the attack (here). A 15 year old and 18 year old have been arrested and charged with racially motivated assault (GBH with intent) and are still in custody.
Redbridge Council's leaders Jas Athwal also sent out a message via his Twitter:
The crime seems to be one linked to antisemitism and that for me was a reason to be visibly united against intolerance. So I made a call to the synagogue over a week ago and a date was set for a meeting with leaders of the Chigwell and Hainault Synagogue for the sharing of flowers and a card of speedy recovery for Rabbi Goodwin.
Read full article (here)
Small Christian village attacked by irate Muslim mob of over 300 after villager spilt water on clothes of young Muslim man
Image: At the home of Mungtah Masih who lost a thumb in the attack BACA officers heard frightening accounts of the attack.
A small Christian village were subjected to a violent mob attack by over 300 Muslim villagers on 14th May 2021, creating fear and anxiety and leaving a trail of injured victims. People from the christian community of Chak 5, Okara are still in fear of a further attack and little help or support is being provided by police who are claiming that they are powerless to defend the innocent people in the community.
Read full article (here)
Teenage blasphemy victim set free by BACA when 20 yrs old, has successful operation to remove large painful lipomas developed during incarceration
Nabeel Masih a Christian Teenager of only 16 years old when convicted of blasphemy had been released from prison on bail on 18th March, after a two year long campaign and legal battle led by British Asian Christian Association. Read more and watch video (here)
The young man now 20 years of age was smuggled to a place of secrecy and is now hoping to restart his life abroad, free from the threats of death that he faces in Pakistan.
BACA hope to soon get Nabeel Masih a swift exit to a country of safety, but first we must ensure he is acquitted from the blasphemy trial that has stolen 4 of the most important years of his young life.
Read full account (here)
Ailing health sparks fear of never seeing blasphemy convict husband free in her lifetime for loyal praying Christian wife now 72 years old
As a committed and loyal wife, Nawab has been visiting her husband weekly and has been providing home cooked food and companionship, despite her ailing health.
Nawab Bibi prays with and for her husband and believes strongly that he will one day be exonarated like the many Christians before him but fears such a release may be too late for her to see the day come to fruition.
Last month (30th April 2021) Nawab fell down the external stairs of her building just as she was about to travel to buy the food stuffs required to cook for Zafar Bhatti. Fortunately for her as she lay sprawling on the floor in pain screaming her neighbours and landlord came to her rescue and helped her to her flat. At this point Nawab contacted the BACA operations manager who traveled to Rawalpindi with his team the same night.
Read full account (here)
BACA financially support Pak-Christian asylum family with mentally impaired child after father was killed after fall from ladder while working illegally for pittance
After the patriarch of a family with 5 children died, British Asian Christian Association stepped in to provide some financial support. Babar Ishaq was the first ever Pak-Christian asylum seeker met by BACA when we first undertook a reconnaisance back in 2012.
After our representative visited Christchurch in Bangkok on a hunch that Pakistani Christians would attend an English speaking church, Babar then introduced our group to the many of thousands of other Christians.
There are thousands of Pak-Christian asylum seekers in Thailand trapped in limbo as they await resettlement in a country that has signed UN conventions for asylum. Many spend several years seeking a way out of Thailand where they are repersecuted by the Royal Thai Government who deny them asylum seeker status despite genuine fear for their safety. Brutal Immigration Detention Centres leave the community beleaugured and prone to disease a worry during these times of COVID-19 pandemic. You can learn more and watch a BBC Documentary (here).
Read full account (here)