Barefoot Christian Assaulted, Arrested in Pakistan

Dennis Albert, a 35-year-old Catholic rickshaw driver in Lahore, Punjab Province, Pakistan, was arrested April 27 on charges of stepping out of his rickshaw onto some papers said to be pages of the Quran. His accuser, Muslim passerby Mubeen Ilyas, assaulted him, even as Dennis explained he didn’t know what the papers were; he merely sought to protect his bare feet from the hot pavement. Such defiling of the Islamic holy book can mean life in prison, but by law, proof of intent must be shown for conviction. Imran Albert, Dennis’ brother, sent his family to Karachi to protect them from further assaults by Muslim neighbors, while Dennis is in jail awaiting a decision on his case. (Christian Daily International-Morning Star News, June 18)

Nearly 98% Muslim, Pakistan ranks seventh on Open Doors’ World Watchlist of most dangerous countries for Christians. Blasphemy cases (like the one above) against believers are on the rise, as are murders, abductions, abuse and forced marriages of Christian girls to Muslim men, like yesterday’s story.

Punjab province has especially been hit hard since August with mobs of thousands burning churches and homes and torturing and murdering Christians.

With 828 unreached people groups comprising 99% of the population, most Pakistanis have never heard the Good News about Christ.

Lord, please have mercy. Give Dennis’ lawyer and family wisdom in how to proceed, and give him favor with police and everyone involved in the case. Make his lack of intent clear and release him quickly. Be a Shield around Dennis and let him feel You near. Calm his fears with Your perfect love. Show him Your grace. Hide him and his family from those who seek him harm. Appoint Your angel armies to surround him and all Christians in Pakistan, protecting them from harm. Make those angels visible to every persecutor that even thinks of coming against them. Bring those bent on evil to their knees in repentance and fear of the Lord. Grow Dennis and every Christian strong in faith, love, courage and knowledge of Your Word. Empower them by Your Spirit to stand in the face of so much persecution. Where there has been no justice, Lord, where Your people have been falsely accused, tortured, forced to make claims that are not truth, step in now and let them feel Your presence with them. You see them. You know them. You love them. There are no words they speak which You have not already heard and provided grace for. Let them feel Your mercy and grace now, Your kindness and forgiveness. Draw them up into Your arms and hold them. You know what they are going through, and what they have suffered for Your name in the midst of so much darkness and evil. Please, Lord, open the way for them to be built back up in You all the stronger, with love and all the more passion for You. Father God, so many of the Christians in Pakistan who have been falsely accused are young people not yet mature in their faith. Make a way for every youth to quickly hold fast You, for their roots to go deep in Your love and faithfulness and in the nourishment of Your Word, so they can grow up fast and strong and ready to withstand every terrible storm that seeks to bring them down. In Your name, Jesus. Amen.

Don’t miss a day of prayer. Be an integral part of seeing the nations come to Christ. Enter your email address below to get free daily prayer guides delivered to your inbox in time for your morning quiet times with the Lord:

Mikaela Vincent and her husband are missionaries who live by faith, trusting in God to provide for their needs as they pray for and share Christ with the nations. If you would like to help their ministry through a donation, or by shopping at Mikaela’s online bookstore, click the buttons below:

For a free guide to knowing God’s voice, as well as Dare to be a Mighty Warrior and other powerful devotional Bible studies for all ages on walking as one with Christ and defeating the enemy, visit MoreThanAConquerorBooks.com.

Any proceeds this author receives from the sale of the deep devotional Bible studies and other MoreThanAConquerorBooks.com books mentioned in this post go to shining Christ’s light in the darkness and seeing the nations come to Him.

Thank you for your support! If you have any questions or want to help with this ministry, please contact Mikaela.