The Education Challenge

Reach the Nations' work in Pakistan is primarily evangelism, discipleship, church planting, humanitarian support, and leadership training in villages in Punjab and in Sindh and in various areas of Islamabad.

Some of the people we reach are already Christians and are eager to be taught and to have support in their spiritual lives. Others are new converts coming out of Hindu or distant Christian pasts. But nearly all of them, in part because of their minority religion status, are living in poverty.

We are realizing that we must not only teach the Word, but we must do what we can to equip them with tools to improve their ability to compete for jobs, to have a voice in their communities, and to engage with Scripture to enable the raising up of Christian families and strengthening the church in Pakistan.

Education is key to all of that. Literacy rates in Pakistan are very low and are even lower among minority religions. In some areas only about 1/3 of the Christian population have basic literacy skills.

That's why we are very excited to be able to begin conversations with Lifeline, a Christian nonprofit organization based in Germany, that is already providing free medical clinics in our building near Khairpur and Kumb.

A couple of weeks ago, Shakeel sat down with representatives from Lifeline at Brother Iqbal's office in Sukkur to discuss the possibilities of providing educational opportunities for children with whom Reach the Nations is working in the area of Kumb. Lifeline has experience with these educational ventures and is willing to continue the conversations about the feasibility of these ideas.

Please pray for these discussions and wisdom as we seek God's direction and doors that he may open for at least some of these children to be able to receive a basic education.

"Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be

still wiser; teach a righteous man,

and he will increase in learning."

- Proverbs 9:9