Senior Correspondent, ASSIST News Service
TOBA TEK SINGH, PAKISTAN (ANS) -- A solidarity prayer meeting was held at the Peace House in Toba Tek Singh, Pakistan, to remember the 9/11 tragedy.
The program was organized to convey a message to friends in US that Christian youth in Toba Tek Singh strongly condemn the violence and destruction that occurred ten years ago today.
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Pakistani youth show solidarity with their US friends (Photo by Ahsan Sadaqat). |
Ashfaq Fateh, who organized the program, shared a brief history of the Twin Towers attack, its effects in US and all around the world, and how Father Bonnie Mendes guided the youth to respond with friends in US.
He said, “Ten years back, after the attacks, Christian youth in Toba Tek Singh got together and sent message of peace to US friends through emails and made phone calls. The youth decided to organize online prayer meetings with Churches, Christian groups in different states of US."
“Two such big meetings were organized in a Church in Tempe, Arizona and Central Christian Church Hilo, Hawaii. The pastor and priest in US and Pakistan prayed for peace in US and around the world. Rev. Fr. Aftab James Paul, the then co-priest with Rev. Fr. Bonnie in Toba Tek Singh, gave special online sermons which were listened in Pakistan and US simultaneously.
Ashfaq Fateh remembered how the US brothers and sisters kept on helping the Pakistanis in various projects through their generous funding.
“Despite Security threats, economic recession, and war the American brothers and sisters donated funds to carry on education of poor of the poorest,” he said.
“Pakistani Christian ministries, Churches, NGOs and other groups have been supported. During the earthquake in Pakistan 2005 and the floods here in 2010, US people donated billions of US dollars to help the victims in relief and rehabilitation. Even the animals in crisis were fed by the US with huge funding.”
Youth leader Ahsan Sadaqat said, “The Americans have proved all through these years that they are a great nation. They faced variety of challenges, but they never forgot to support the hungry, and provide health care, shelter, and education and many more things.”
Student Simle Ajal said, “I am thankful to my American benefactors for their generous help in my education.”
The young people lit candles in memory of the 9/11 victims and also sang peace songs.
To view a short video message in English, click here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsz2Cl9mxxQ
| ** Michael Ireland is Senior Correspondent for ANS. He is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB UK, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649, at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can make a donation online under 'Donate' tab, then look for 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' under 'Donation Category' to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.' Michael is a member in good standing of the National Writers Union, Society of Professional Journalists, Religion Newswriters Association, Evangelical Press Association and International Press Association. If you have a news or feature story idea for Michael, please contact him at: ANS Senior Reporter |  |
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