Revival Pakistan!

Lahore, Pakistan--Culture Shock

“It’s ‘culture shock’ you’re suffering from, Mom. I know from the sociology course I took. It messes with your mind.” my son, Joey, informed me, “Ok? Gotta go.”
Not exactly a warm and fuzzy consultation, but with those few words of teen wisdom I don’t think Joey realizes just how accurately he assessed how I felt the first couple of days here. He had asked if I was just blown away by everything the Lord was doing, as I had been confident I would be. And I told him that in fact, no, I had not really had a particularly spiritual “blowing away” experience at all yet, though it would not be long in arriving. I was feeling weepy and homesick, (definitely “TMI“--too much information-- for me to share with my teenage son, even though he did seem genuinely sympathetic). I’d been consistently jet-lagged, my body telling me I should be in bed asleep when I need to be the most alert and energetic, my stomach has been queasy on and off, even though the food is outstanding, and things have not gone necessarily according to schedule, and I’m big on schedules.
But God has answered with amazing definition every prayer request I’ve offered up. For instance, one of my biggest concerns was what to expect upon first arriving at the Lahore Airport. How would we find our way around? But when we stepped out of the plane we were immediately approached by an official looking airport employee who somehow knew that we were guests of Pastor Anwar Fazal. He graciously escorted us through customs and security, (one of many security checks we are becoming quite accustomed to by now), and finally to meet our host team who warmly welcomed us with flowered wreaths and warm familial hugs as if it were not almost three in the morning. I was amazed at how the airport was bustling. It would seem that everyone here was on the same time clock I was on and it truly was only 2 o’clock yesterday afternoon, US time.
Another prayer was that God would make possible what is not possible for me to do in any human capacity--communicate to these people, Christian and Muslim alike, His truth, through the Holy Spirit, and in so doing bring some to the knowledge of Christ’s saving grace. Some of you who know me have heard how the Lord has been refraining from allowing me to overly prepare for my events of late. Again, I am a woman of schedules and intense preparation. Any variation from my way of doing things always leaves me in a dither. And “dithering” is not a comfortable experience for me. But my heavenly Father has made it abundantly clear that He will supply all my need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus! (I.e. Too many chefs in the kitchen tend to spoil the soup…) And He has!!!
The first night I spoke was in Greentown, Lahore. We were invited to help inaugurate a new church building. I have to reiterate that it was just so out of the ordinary for us to be escorted in a caravan of armed guards to go speak at church! I can’t tell you how deeply I was impacted by the beautiful Middle Eastern Christian music blaring from loudspeakers when we arrived at this outdoor event in a densely populated neighborhood. I loved the brightly colored salwar kameezes worn by the men and women, and the flat out adoration of the worshippers before their God and King whose presence I could feel before even exiting the vehicle. We walked through a lighted archway, very ceremoniously, and were cascaded with rose petals, thrown by the brothers and sisters, until we reached the stage. It was like being in another world!
All of our team worked together in perfect unity, though only having known each other a few hours, to bring hope to this church in Pakistan. I gave an evangelistic message and prayed for many to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior, as well as for healings of all kinds. And I believe with all my heart that the Lord did heal many, although I may never be privy to the results this side of heaven. Immediately following the prayer we were hastily ushered away by our heavily armed security crew before the crowd dispersed. I found this to be the usual and safest way we exited all venues.
The next day I wore loose jeans and a long top to go to the market to buy salwar kameezes for Joe and myself. It didn’t take long, though, to feel the obvious truth that I’m far away from home. The men in the market glared at me as if to say, “How dare you go out in public so scantily clad!” I had this overwhelming sense of guilt and I still don’t know why! In the US I would have been considered very modestly clothed.
Afterward we went to a Hardees restaurant , an American franchise, to buy, in the words of Nida, our host and guide, “junk food”. It was music to my ears. Again the culture shock stung as we drove up to the gate, yes gate, of the fast food chain and a security guard scanned underneath the car with a mirror and in the trunk and bags before allowing us entrance. Walking into the restaurant we had to pass under a medal detecting arch manned by yet another security guard. I greatly appreciate the security everywhere, this is par for the course at our hotel as well, but it did tend to add to the symptom list of my son’s diagnosis.
I couldn’t wait to dress in one of the elegant salwar kameezes, (elegant and good quality but not expensive!) for the first of the two outdoor meetings. They are not only very comfortable and refreshing in the hot weather, but also caused me particularly to more adequately assimilate into the culture.
When we were first contacted by one of our hosts, Pastor Rizwan Fazal, we were intrigued by his invitation to come to Lahore and win many to Christ in this Muslim nation. The weekly meetings, we were told, are faithfully attended by up to 15-20,000 people and growing. I didn’t leave my good ’ol American skepticism at the door, however, until the moment I stepped out into the colorful sea of thousands upon thousands of worshipping Pakistani’s, hands reaching to the sky, at the FGA Ground Lahore, and allowed myself to melt into the revival that is definitely afoot in Lahore, Pakistan.
We worked as a team with brother Dave Connell, from New Zealand, preaching. His wife and I sang a couple of numbers and Anwar, Nida, and Rizwan presided. Dave and his wife and nine month old daughter, India Rose have been, along with the brothers and sisters we have met from here, one of the greatest blessings of this trip. It never ceases to amaze me how you can meet someone of the family of God from any part of the world and feel the connection that only the Holy Spirit can provide. The next day was another meeting, just like Wednesday, but this time I was the featured evangelist. The support by the rest of the team was again essential. One never does something on this level alone! Joe was invited by Pastor Fazal at the end of the meeting to share his thoughts and, true to His nature, God provided just the right words. Then we all prayed for the people, laying hands on many. Again, as in the night before, hundreds gave their lives to Christ! It is a miracle too rich to dwell upon, but one from whose energy this minister will thrive in spirit for some time.
When I stood on the stage staring at the immense crowd before me, hanging on every word, worshipping with every bit of their persons, it seemed to me to be a heavenly visage. Were it not for the Muslim call to prayer that could be heard alongside my voice, the guards pacing around the wall of the circumference, and the helicopter that flew for a time directly over of the gathering, seeming to check us out, I might have thought myself transported before His throne in that moment.
As has been the case every night since we’ve been here, the Fazal’s have hosted, after these late nights, a gathering afterwards at their home to break bread--incredibly delectable Pakistani cuisine. In typical American fashion I feel that I don’t want to be an imposition, but I sense that it’s more an insult not to partake of the generous hospitality of these lovely people. And, as I said, the food is spectacular! (Another prayer answered!) Nida admonished me last night saying, “You stay! You’re my sister!”
And that is the one thing that has snapped my back to reality and out of my culture shock. I came to the realization that despite the armed guards at the church and meeting grounds and the security brigades everywhere we go, the women covered from head to foot, and the occasional feel of disdain for the “ugly American” , the love of Christ is universal. And now I understand at least one facet of what Paul was trying to communicate when he wrote Roman 8:35-39, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?…For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” He was a missionary as well. Yet, every where he went he was accompanied by the love of Christ. Sometimes manifest in his spirit, no doubt at times of solitary imprisonment, and sometimes manifest in Christ’s church. And so, given those parameters, we are always surrounded by a culture of love wherever the church resides. It is the cord that binds us all together.
I think the thing that has struck me the most is how the Christians here in Pakistan lay it all down on the line every day to do what we in America have for so long taken for granted. Joe said that the church in America seems almost, by comparison, like a laboratory, controlled environment compared to the first century feel of this place. My greatest hope is to bring some of this back home so I don’t have to go through yet another culture shock, this time in my spirit. And I will fervently pray that whatever has brought the church in Pakistan to a place of desperate need for Jesus--a need that He is daily meeting--will come to America. Even if that “thing” is the persecution and life threatening ministry these brothers and sisters pour themselves into on a daily basis.