Few can understand the desperation and fear of absolute poverty who have not experienced
its grip at first hand. Many in the Christian community in Pakistan have no back-up or
resources other than their own families. Despair haunts the wife who loses her husband for
whatever reason, cannot get a job and is faced with a house full of children to feed. Or the
family that faces sickness -- all too common when poverty deprives them of an adequate diet
-- and there is no money for medical bills.
It is easy to understand why families send their children out to work rather than spending
money on giving them an education. But we can help make a difference!
Perveen became blind as a child. Unable to afford treatment or care she was married off to a
local man. He then fell sick and was no longer able to work. Perveen had no option but to take her
small daughter to the streets to beg. A Starfish Asia fund Compassion grant helped her with food
and clothing.
A poor believer from Sargodha struggled to pay the costs of his mother's recovery from a stroke.
A gift for £10 / $20 made all the difference in a moment of crisis.
The Fellowship of Christ arranges a distribution of food and clothing each Christmas and
Easter, mostly to poor women in the community, for whom this provision is a lifeline.
Lavish, a teenager from a poor family, fell from the roof of his house.
His skull was broken and he needed urgent medical care which his family
could not afford. A Starfish Asia Compassion grant covered the cost.
The Miracle School arranged a Christmas party for the families
whose children attend their school. This was an opportunity to show love
to the poor and also to share the message of Hope at Christmas.
Most Compassion Fund grants are for small sums of money and are used to meet pressing
medical, accommodation, food, debt relief, or other compassionate needs. We know that we
can't help everyone - but this a way we can help some! And it takes such a little to make such
a big difference.
We received this email from a partner in Lahore:
I bought medicines for the girl who has TB and sent it to give to
the girl. Yes, we need money for the Compassion Fund as we
also have to help Perveen for her operation. It may cost up to
Rs.20,000 (£200) with medicines. The girl who needed an
operation on her leg left as her parents do not agree to cut her
leg as the leg contains gangrene.
The school for the disabled has 8 permanent students. I have
bought them chairs, blackboard, carpet, round table, and fixed
a new door towards the road. The couple is working very hard
to teach and keep the disabled children, but they both have no
other job and they have nothing for Christmas. They need to
have actually Rs.12,000 monthly (£120) for their salaries,
electricity bills, and care towards the children, some soap,
some eatables, etc.
We can't help everyone -- but we must help some!
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