OM restarted its work in a city in northern Pakistan after a break of several years. During the 10 previous years of ministry in the city, the team faced numerous challenges in their efforts to reach the Pashtun people. According to the Joshua Project, the Pashtun people are one of the most unreached people groups in the world. As the OM team lived among the people and sought to share about Jesus, they faced warnings and threats by groups to stop all gospel activities. After this, ministry stopped. Now with a new vision, the OM team has formed small discipleship groups in local churches and is training believers to be disciples of Christ and engage in prayer for the least reached.
Around 70 young men and women are part of the discipleship groups. One of these is Adil*, an 18-year-old young man who works at a motor workshop as a mechanic. His highest level of education was middle school. Other students in the Bible study group completed higher levels of education. Because of this, Adil was very shy and afraid to read the Bible in front of the others. The OM team encouraged him to read the Bible at home and said that God would help him gain confidence. They also told him that it did not matter if he could read the Bible in front of other students or not.
After that, he relaxed and was encouraged. Now he is a regular member of the Bible study group and even arrives before the others. He thanked the team for their motivation. Adil said, “Now I am comfortable during the study and conscious about what I study. I started to read the Bible at home and very soon I will be able to read the Bible in front of others.”
In another area there are 75 men and women gathering weekly to learn from the word of God. The team meets for prayer at a local church. Irum*, a nurse, requested the team to pray for her colleague and friend. She said that doctors had diagnosed her friend with cancer and she was worried, but had faith that if Christians prayed for her she could be healed.
The team prayed with Irum regularly for her friend. Two weeks later, Irum excitedly entered the church and updated the team saying that after medical examination her friend is free from cancer. She said, “My friend is glad that God gave answer to our prayers and her faith has increased.” The team praised God and encouraged Irum to share God’s salvation plan with her friend too. The team members are now equipping Irum to share her faith.
Praise God for the team that is serving passionately in this region and for opportunities to share the gospel among the least reached Pashtuns. Pray for the Bible study class and prayer movement participants to encounter God and have close relationships with Him for a big change in this region.
*Name changed
