Written by Friends of Forman Board Member, Heather Wright
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines pilgrim as “one who journeys in foreign lands, a wayfarer, but also as one who travels to a shrine or holy place as a devotee.” On my trip, I knew I was traveling to a foreign land, but I was surprised to discover that I was also going to a holy place.
“When you go on this trip, it will be life transforming.” Another member of the board I am on told me this. At the time, I thought to myself, “how could that happen in 10 days?” I recently returned from a trip to Pakistan. I was there with five others from the American board that supports a Christian university in Lahore, the capital of the Punjab region. The Board is Friends of Forman and the school, Forman Christian College and University. I’ve been on the board for 2 1/2 years. When I started, I was told that every board member goes to visit the school. Given my heart for educating persecuted women and the minority Christians in an Islamic country, I knew I could be a committed board member. But, I thought, “there was no way I’m go to Pakistan.” Fear and a desire to avoid taking unnecessary risks were driving motives. However, as I heard more students’ stories, the impact of the school on the culture and even military in that country, I sensed a longing and desire to meet the people that I was serving.
In February, a week after a contested election and protests that led to loss of life, I flew alone to Qatar and waited 13 hours in the Dubai airport for the rest of the group to arrive. We flew into the airport in Lahore at 2:30 in the morning and it was a start of entering a whole New World and finding God there.
The music, food, modes of transportation, including tuk tuks, or whole families on motorcycles, carts pulled by water buffalo, pollution, traditional dance and clothing, the language, bazaar, architecture, were all so foreign to me. I wondered what it must have been like for Charles Forman, a Presbyterian missionary from Kentucky 160 years ago, who got off a 5-month boat ride to serve the people of India (before the partition with Pakistan). He realized the need for education so started teaching under a tree and now the University bearing his name has almost 9,000 students.
As much as it was foreign, I was overwhelmed by the gracious and formal hospitality everyone showed us. We were served tea and cookies at every meeting we attended and given many gifts. They have a high value of family, faith, and traditional ways, evident in their dress, arranged marriages and members of the opposite sex not touching for a handshake or embrace. The college and university students reflect the culture with a majority Sunni Muslim, but also some Ahmadi, Sikh, and a large percentage of Christians (10%) for a country that is only 1.5% Christians. Beyond students, there are many Christian faculty and staff along with the Rector and Vice-Rector. Muslim students not only meet Christians and other religious students and staff but grow in tolerance and respect for those who believe as they do.
Everyone’s kindness despite their economic and political challenges surprised me. In Pakistan, having an education changes not only the life and prospects of a student, but it can also elevate their entire family and even their village. We spent a day in a remote village with one of the Christian college students and their family. They took us to where the entire family worked in the nearby brick kiln. They work 6 days a week from sunup to sundown, both parents and their children. Three of them demonstrated for us how the bricks are made. They were all working to help their son get an education. Our American board raises money to scholarship students like Shafiq.
We heard a great deal of pain about the persecution and difficulty being a persecuted minority with the ever-present fear of being falsely accused of the charge of blasphemy, for which the punishment is the death penalty. But my greater takeaway was what I witnessed in the Presbyterian church service we attended in Urdu. The words, “Jesu – Hushi” were repeated over and over. Afterwards, I asked the Pakistani minister at our tea what they meant “Jesus – Joy.” I had a sense in their music of celebration, despite what they were going through, they knew a lot about hushi – joy. I was humbled by their joy and gratitude to God for all their blessings despite their challenges.
I was humbled by the deep faith that I discovered there, the kindness of strangers, the interfaith respect and understanding on this campus in a region of war, violence, and intolerance, and the ability to flourish even under the harshest conditions. I was grateful for Charles Forman who planted seeds 160 years ago that have grown and given generations, especially of minorities and women, hope and a future. I am a grateful pilgrim for all those I met and grateful God gave me the courage to step out in faith and find him there.
I am a grateful pilgrim for all those I met and for the gift of courage to step out in faith and find God there.