Recently, I had the privilege to host a native missionary from Pakistan in my church. A native missionary is a person who serves as a missionary in their own homeland. I visitied with the missionary for over a week and heard his testimony several times, learned about his culture and his ministry, and his calling from God. Because life and ministry for Christians in Pakistan is very dangerous, I have concealed his identity. I invite you to read his testimony, pray for him, and consider supporting his ministry in whatever ways God leads you. You may follow and support his ministry through the 501c3 nonprofit Children's Development Mission at https://childrens-development-mission.startsites.org/
The following is this "Paul's" testimony:
Greetings in Jesus’ name. I am from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, a South Asian country with a population of over 241.5 million people. In my country, Christians make up less than 2% of the population, making them a small minority. Today, I want to share my journey of faith, ministry, and the calling that led me to serve through education.
My grandfather came to Christ through early Methodist missionaries who preached the Gospel during British rule in India. He embraced Christianity in 1942, and my family has remained devoted to our faith ever since. I grew up in a Christian home, where my father worked as a laboratory technician. In the early 1960s, a Methodist missionary nurse came to our region for medical evangelism and invited my father to assist her. When she returned to her country in 1972, my father took over the medical mission work. He served faithfully until he passed away six months before my grandfather’s death in 1999.
It was during my grandfather’s funeral that I first became aware of the discrimination Christian children faced in my native village. I was heartbroken to learn that they were mistreated by their Muslim peers simply because of their faith. Though we shared the same land and the same culture, we were still set apart. At the same time, I realized something important—Muslim children needed to experience the unconditional love of Jesus.
At that time, I was raising three small children, and my wife, a homemaker, and I were focused on providing for their education. However, when God calls, He asks us to leave behind personal interests to follow Him, just as Jesus called Simon Peter to leave his nets and follow Him. After returning to the city, I shared the burden on my heart with my wife. In Pakistan, women do not have the freedom to move alone, and even seeking medical care requires the accompaniment of a male relative. Despite these challenges, my wife—my life and ministry partner—supported my calling. My mother also joined me in this mission.
With my mother’s help, we started a small school under a tree in the village. We had no financial resources, but we bought a few candies to attract children to come and learn. With no cash in hand, I decided to sell small portions of the land I inherited from my father to fund the construction of a school for underprivileged children. As I worked with these children, I realized that girls, both Christian and Muslim, were the most vulnerable. In rural Pakistan, girls face many dangers—sexual harassment, poverty, and cultural restrictions that prevent them from receiving an education. Parents often cannot afford to educate their daughters, but I believed God had a divine plan for them.
Education became the tool through which we could demonstrate Christ’s love. The ministry began humbly in 2001 with only a kindergarten class. Slowly, we expanded grade by grade. My mother, a role model of faith, worked tirelessly to visit Muslim families and convince them to send their daughters for free education. She served until June 2013, when she passed away from cancer. Her legacy remains, as she showed that Jesus' love is free for all, without discrimination.
Despite the persecution we face as a Christian minority, our calling is to show Christ-like love. The Bible teaches us in Luke 6:27 to love our enemies. Jesus also commands us in Matthew 22:39 to love our neighbors as ourselves. This is the foundation of interfaith harmony—we are called to be the salt and light in the darkness. While we cannot openly evangelize or distribute Bibles, we can demonstrate love through our actions.
Jesus described Himself as the Good Shepherd (John 10:1), always watching over His flock. I am grateful that my grandfather found the Good Shepherd and brought our family into His fold. Jesus also taught in parables, such as the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:33), reminding us that ordinary people can be used for extraordinary ministry. In Matthew 4:19, He says, "Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of people." In the same way, Jesus called me to serve, making me a fisherman—not of fish, but of children.
Today, our school continues to welcome both Christian and Muslim students. When young Muslim girls enter our school, they form friendships with Christian students. As these friendships grow, barriers break down, and they experience Christ’s love in ways their families never taught them. Many of them share their meals with Christian classmates, demonstrating the very essence of Christ-like behavior. A Good Samaritan can be Christian or Muslim—what matters is love and compassion, which can transform hearts.
For the past 24 years, I have remained obedient to this call. My wife stays in the city to care for our children while I travel to the village every Monday morning, staying until Friday afternoon. Each weekend, I return home for a brief reunion with my family before heading back to serve the children of our school. Currently, we have 263 students, and I love each of them as my own, though I have three biological children.
This journey has not been easy, but God has been faithful. He provides, He transforms, and He calls us to serve. The Gospel is not just about words—it is about love and action. I am grateful to be part of this mission, and I trust that He will continue to work through us to bring His light into the darkness.
Thanks be to the Lord for this wonderful ministry.
