Reverend Ben Cooper  0:01  
Hello and welcome to our podcast here at alien church in Swanley. You are joining myself, Reverend Ben Cooper and Sandra this morning. As we are gathered in this lockdown mode is the first day of the 30 days of lockdown. We are in our little podcasting room and we have song with us and we're discussing the persecuted church. We're looking at Pakistan today. Just a quick recap. Regarding India where we got to last week. Good morning, Sandra.

Sandra Robson  0:27  
Good morning.

Reverend Ben Cooper  0:28  
How you feeling about the next 30 days that lie ahead of

Sandra Robson  0:31  
taking them one day at a time with the Lord. Oh, I see more he wants to do That's it. That's it. For open doors.

Reverend Ben Cooper  0:40  
Yeah. Yeah, he

Sandra Robson  0:41  
wants them to be precise that what Scott opens, no man can shut hallelujah. And so yeah, we pray we were together with our brothers and sisters across the world.

Reverend Ben Cooper  0:53  
So we're ready for 30 days or 30 days of locked down here in the UK, you know, but we're just keep praying. And Sandra says, but we're just looking at the world of the persecuted church. And we thank God for this information that Sandra gathers together, it's really, really important that we understand this. So we can have a quick recap, Sandra, yeah, going back into India last week, you know, just Hindu extremism, violence discrimination, the COVID or bits and pieces. So where do we get to last week? How do we how do we wrap that up? What was we looking at last week, which will launch us into Pakistan this morning.

Sandra Robson  1:30  
And while we did look at forgiveness, didn't we because, you know, there have been those and things that had happened and how we we prayed that people wouldn't try to fight back, you know, and, and escalate things. And so and for the Christians to be able to, you know, praise God, and also that in this COVID situation, that the food would get through to them. And we were thanking the Lord that that has happened through different organizations through Barnabas, through open doors, and that the CSW the work that they do, and in bringing things before the UN and different bodies that that would continue and you know, so that policymakers would know what's going on. So yeah, we just were praying that, you know, we remember that it's in pockets. It's not all over India, there are a lot of Christians. But we do need to uphold our brothers and sisters, as they find other ways to tell people about Jesus. And that's what we need to be God has made us creative people. And I certainly am seeing a lot of creativity within the Christian community through everything that's happened. And I thank the Lord for that.

Reverend Ben Cooper  2:51  
Yeah, praise God. So we keep praying, we keep praying for India. We keep pressing our prayers across that way, you know, and we can find all the information that we need to for open doors and the other ministries that we mentioned. So all we can do is just keep praying. When I say all we can do that, that that's more than that's more than anything anyone could ever do is to keep praying because we know the power of prayer. So thank you, Sandra. Now, we're coming into Pakistan.

Sandra Robson  3:14  
Yes.

Reverend Ben Cooper  3:15  
So what have you for us? That's our seven Listen, Sandra's got so much information. And she does so much studying and research. So thank you, Sandra. What What have you got for us today?

Sandra Robson  3:25  
Well, I thought, you know, I thought oh, I

don't know what if I've, you know, you start off with this and you think Lord, is this the one and again, you know what happens? I then after I prayed I don't I don't do it before after I prayed. I then go and have a look at is there anything any prayer needs in my different prayer journal things and leaflets and pamphlets? And you know art prayer for Pakistan for CSW was a just finished and 31st of October and released international are doing prayer for Pakistan from November the first. And Barnabas also guess what they're talking about? I wonder Pakistan? Yeah. So so that was sort of again, a confirmation that this is where God wants us to focus today. And just to see what's going on get an idea. This is Yeah, sort of a neighbor of India. Yeah, Pakistan. And the issue the big issue there is the blasphemy law. And so that if you say anything about the Prophet Muhammad or a thought to have said anything, and you can find yourself in prison and on death row, and even if that doesn't happen, and even if you know they don't get round to actually they will arrest you, but if they don't actually have a trial or anything, there are particular Islamic group who will take it into their own hands. And, you know, unfortunately, I've found out that in the last bit of time 62, and people have been killed, because they are thought to have, you know, said something against the Prophet Mohammed. And we can see that that does happen because of what's happened in France. Yes. So this is happening and has been happening for a long time.

Reverend Ben Cooper  5:25  
This is a bit more hidden away, a bit more hidden away, but,

Sandra Robson  5:29  
and there is a deep route to it. And it starts in the schools and what they're told in the schools about Christians and other minorities, you know, they really give them you know, this demonstrating and background. So children are told not to mix with Christians that are dirty that they defile, you know, the the water, you know, anybody who isn't a Muslim, because this is a Muslim society, a very strong Islamic Society. And so they have a particular slant on other religions, and particularly Christianity. So that's, that's the issues so strong,

Reverend Ben Cooper  6:15  
isn't it? Yeah, very, very strong. We got

Sandra Robson  6:19  
4 million Christians, but that's only 2% of that population.

Reverend Ben Cooper  6:22  
2% for that sermon, gosh, wow. So the children are taught from a very early young age to

Sandra Robson  6:29  
ostracize ice away

Reverend Ben Cooper  6:32  
everything, you know, what we can imagine? And Christians and believers,

Sandra Robson  6:36  
yeah. And so the, you know, they, they don't get any good jobs. And, you know, they, they, if there are is any trouble, and the police, you know, tend to turn a blind eye about it, because they're told that they, you know, need to, and always think of, you know, the the person who brought that brought the case, the Christians are not seen to be trustworthy, and all these things. So, yeah, that's, that's the situation for them. And the main things they're on and open doors, they're number five on their list. And they say the main issues are anti christian violence. And if we cast our minds back to a few Easter's there was that terrible bomb attack in the hall, which killed lots of Christians and maimed many Christians. Forced abduction is increasing. Yes, and I've got lots of prayer points about that. Okay. And in all the all the different organizations are seeming to highlight that, for girls forced marriage with girls and abductions. And, as we said, finally, the harsh blasphemy laws, but we do have that a wonderful testimony about a see a BB on that front, who spent eight years on death row. So I will, and

yes,

Reverend Ben Cooper  8:09  
so basically, I see a BB, the believer in Christ. It's just wonderful testimony of our God and grace. And how that's affected, obviously, eight years she was on death row. Yes, she was. That must be an absolutely horrific for her experiences that she went for went through, but we thank God for the greatness of His grace and His mercy and His love, and the freedom that that has brought. And I just want to backtrack a little bit there Sandra, talking about abduction, and forced marriage. You know, we looked at that before then we did in Egypt, in Egypt. So it takes the same pattern. So wherever you are in the persecuted church in the world, it seems to be that there is a set way that the enemy works, you know, force marriage violence, burning churches, stopping worship, stopping prayer. So in these hard areas that we're looking at, you can see that there is a pattern that they go into the village or destroy the village, they break families out. They destroy communities. Yeah. So it doesn't seem to matter if you're in Pakistan or India, you could be in any of these villages. You can be in any province, you can be, you know, Nigeria, it all these places that you look at there is a set pattern wherever you are. Violence, rape, murder, you know, we look to China and other places Didn't we were those going in the village taking the cross off the of your house and swapping over for the image of the leader? Yeah, so this is really heavy. It's really strong. But the big bucks over this, that God is in this. Yeah. And prayers are needed. Yes. The pattern that Enemy uses is the same violence, murder, threat intimidation, and and just violence at such a high level

Sandra Robson  10:09  
and discrimination discrimination very beginning. So trying to trying to mean Oh, for the children to think look, you know, Mom and Dad, this isn't worth me being a Christian. Yeah, I want to play my friend and also my friends

Reverend Ben Cooper  10:24  
and friends. And I

Sandra Robson  10:25  
think I'll just, you know,

Reverend Ben Cooper  10:27  
I'll just leave it.

Sandra Robson  10:28  
Yeah. And I'll just I'll just follow, you know, what is the country's religion and forget it.

Reverend Ben Cooper  10:38  
And the blasphemy laws that is very strong, isn't it?

Sandra Robson  10:41  
And shocking, the people who have ended up on death row, such as you know, this one that we're going to pray for? This is a guy he is disabled, and are illiterate, and they've been accused of writing a text message. Really? Yeah, that's, that's why. So yeah, he's, he's disabled, and his wife, both of them are illiterate. And they've been accused of and sending ad inflammatory text message.

Reverend Ben Cooper  11:19  
outs prayer, prayer recovery, has to be prayer. And have you got that there?

Sandra Robson  11:26  
Yeah,

Reverend Ben Cooper  11:26  
we got that in front of us. We're just finding that fro. So what can we do as believers we pray here in the UK or wherever we are, and whatnot, as well. There we are like we got our Well, let me have a quick look, Sandra. So we got picture here, of this gentleman and his wife, disabled. There. Look at that, Oh, wow. Our Lord help us. Disabled gentleman with his wife been accused of sending a text message when they can't even read and write and they struggle to do anything like that. And severely disabled. And this is in the Barnabas prayer, prayer monthly booklet that goes out for for everyone that wants to read, I'm just having a quick read through there. Please, Lord, we just pray, you know, this is really, really important that we, that we cover this in prayer, you know, cover Pakistan, in prayer, and these families, these, you look at these pictures, and you realize how comfortable We are here in the West. But really, we're not comfortable. Now we got we got all these trappings of nice sofas and chairs and technology and warmth and heating and lighting. But we have things to contend with that they don't have to contend with them. And vice versa as well. It's really important that we pray for our sisters and our brothers in the world of the persecuted church, it's imperative that we would cover this in prayer. And the more sessions that we do this week after week, it starts to show us a very clear pattern across the table of persecution. That it is it's right it's violence. It's segregation. It's all this sort of stuff you know, losing your life for Christ, would you would you die for Jesus Christ? We were talking about that earlier. Yeah, we just had a quick conversation about that. Would you die for Jesus that that's that's where they are? Would you die for what you believe in? And here in the UK were with the church as an even guys self angry really about the worship situation hasn't got itself angry. We still you know, we just comply and we just comply. We'll go along

and so right sit on the sofa and do zoo. Yeah. And we can Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah,

we can just goodness gracious. It's just we're just talking and what's really important is the in the UK, we've just literally today got into 30 days of lockdown. In Daniel chapter six verses one through 223 talks about well, where Daniel had 120 say traps coming against him, his two administrators, they went to the king we all pretty, pretty familiar with the Old Testament story we got thrown in the lion's den. The simple thing was they wanted to stop him preying on them thousands of years ago. So this is nothing new under the sun to God. It is just disguised in a completely different way. Christianity had been attacked from day one, you know, our prayer life is is coming under real attack, our worship is coming under attack. So that's a really interesting text Daniel chapter six, verses one through 23. And when we're looking at what we're looking at today, you know, what we're going through. We're just we're just we're I'm actually bewildered what to say about the church in the UK myself, to be honest with you. I really am I really am I know there's a few Christians out there that are really radical and for Christ and all that but literally the mass. The masses, were just sitting on the sofa with Netflix and that's it. You know, there's with no with no, we're no spiritual punch. We got no spiritual punch, but when you Look at these guys here. They're losing their life. The pastor's we was talking about when was affair this morning that they're willing to die for Jesus Yeah. willing to die for Jesus

for that costly Pearl of Great Price

great price that's what that's where we on and we just keep praying for for our friends in the in Pakistan but also they are praying for us.

Sandra Robson  15:25  
Yes they are. They are praying

Reverend Ben Cooper  15:26  
for us.

Sandra Robson  15:28  
Yes.

Reverend Ben Cooper  15:28  
We don't see any violence though we don't see any anything coming towards us in any way. No violence. No, no gun threat or no, there's a there's a bit of the high terror is up a bit within things in France and outside the UK, but, but we have nothing like what we're looking at here. Absolutely nothing, and we thank God for that. But we do need to wake up in the UK, we do need to spiritually wake up? We do.

Yes, cuz we do have that call to pray for, you know, we've been given freedom for a reason, you know, God gives to some, you know, that, that treasure, yeah. And, and to others, so that we, you know, it is I mean, we talk about, you know, the, the giving side of things I was thinking about this, that, you know that some people are given more so that they can give it to the kingdom and support those

who fought for Yes.

But this works with with everything with prayer that you know that the Lord, you know, there is some that are chosen, he chooses, we all we all suffering, all of us are suffering in one way or another. But some suffer physically more and with persecution. And and he very graciously allows others to support them. So that many, many years ago, as we were talking about, we Christians in this country were under hundred threat. There have been times in our history, when we there has been persecution and people have died for their faith it here. But now it's elsewhere. And, and but based on what happened. Our faith rose Yeah, yeah. And things happened to develop things and make a foundation for us to be a strength and support for others. And so now that is the thing that we had to do, while we have that freedom that was so costly, bought by the artist is, and this is what others are saying now we are standing because of the the martyrs years on before it's passed. And now they are the martyrs and others are going are coming. And when we think about revelation, and that thing of, you know, the those roads in white and and you know those crying under the altar? Yeah, you know, and it just, you know, we have to have that larger perspective. And that's what I asked the Lord for all the time, that larger perspective on on all of this. And I give him thanks for the amazing things that are happening behind the scenes that we don't we don't always see no, such as a C or BB. She was in prison on death row for eight years. The guy that tried to supporter and as legally, he was assassinated. Yes. So, you know, like, well know what has happened in the last that. And and then many appeals went by? And no, you know, nothing happened. Everyone's too scared to even go near it after that. Because that was the idea. You know, that was why they did that, you know, sort of sending out that warning. If you try to, you know, represent this woman, that's what will happen to you,

I happen to you.

And so it's taken years. And eight years down the line was two years ago, wasn't it?

I think about two years ago,

two years ago. And then there was a possibility of coming to court again. And many, many people were praying. And we thought Yes, Lord this time. It's gonna happen. Yeah, it's gonna happen. She's gonna be released, praise God. And it didn't. It didn't. It didn't. And we were like, What's going on here? And then there was all the thing about which country could she go to? Yeah, and the doors were closed. And we didn't understand that either. And in between all this, it had to go To the highest authority. Yeah. And that sometimes is, is God's plan? Yes. You know, like for us there's, there's a higher that, you know, he was saying, you know, yes, we could do this at this level, but I want to take it to this level. explain more Yes. And to help more brothers and sisters, and it's amazing her to her testimony which I'm going to read to you. And but i have i've been thinking, Lord, your plans are much bigger, much bigger. And obviously we know, you know, in the end that, you know, whatever people where people sit with the rapture, and with Jesus coming again. But that's where he's heading, you know, we're getting closer and closer. And so we need to, to remember that as well. But in this time, we need to remember the persecuted church, we need to stand up, you know, because it will help us It will strengthen us as much as it is we're helping helping them. Amen. So, and this is C a BB, and the reason Do you know why she was in prison?

Now, remember, remind the song.

It was because she apparently drank from a water cup. And then she offered it to a Muslim lady in the fields. And that's where I said about the fact that they believe that to take anything from a Christian, it's defiled. Yes. And so this was a great affront, and an argument broke out. And then she said, What is your prophet done for you? And that was seen as an affront. Yeah, to, you know, the Muslim lady. And then it went further. And that's what it started off with a cup of water, an

act of kindness,

act of kindness. And she said, my, my Prophet Jesus. Yeah. You know, he gave me water of life. That's right. Yeah. So she testified,

now started this big, eight year journey.

But what I didn't know and I so got glad as you know, thank you for this sort of this opportunity to do this, because I learned and God shows me things. And I just, I just thank him for what I find out that I didn't I didn't know. And when she was finally released, and I was given asylum, and this year, March, yeah. 2020, open doors got speak to her. And she, she said, she asked these things, how did your time in prison affect your faith or change your faith? My faith has always been strong, because my family had a lot of devotion. But it did get stronger because now I know God is with me. And God doesn't leave you alone. He is always with us. Whoa, next question. How is it possible to enjoy such difficulties in prison and not doubt God's existence? I never doubted because when I was born, this is the interesting priests told my mother This girl is going to be tested by God. Whoa. Now that's we didn't we didn't know about that. Didn't know about that one. And you see this is happening to lots of Christians. And we're not hearing about them. I'm hearing there's a lot of there's there's there's quite a few in prison at the moment. Yeah. But this came to prominence. Okay. For such a time as this. Does it sound like a bit Esther? Yeah, maybe? I didn't know for such a time. Yes, this girl is going to be tested by God. And my parents kept telling me this story. And I knew this was going to happen someday. Did you realize you are a symbol of hope and faith while you were in prison? I had a lot of patience and hope in my heart hope. And it's interesting. This is what I'm going to finish with this is this hopeful about the Barnabas is it's their week of prayer for the suffering church. And it's all based on hope. And so did you realize you were a symbol of hope? I had patience and hope in my heart when I was in prison, and I was certain I would be released one day, because I was innocent. I knew that someday I was going to be free. When my father came to visit me. He said that I'd been accused in the name of Jesus. And I told him I would be released in Jesus name, price,

God, strong faith.

How did you feel when you heard that extremists assassinated the government official who supported your case? I had very deep pain. I really cried because he was innocent. Whenever I think of him, I have tears in my eyes. But I know that he is alive because of Christ. Because of because anyone who dies in his faith is always alive. He never dies. Do you think? Do you have a message for those who've prayed for you while you were in prison? Yes, I have a message for them. God is with you in the exact way he was with me. You are in God's hands and you are vital. After the interview, concluded the open doors team then gave her a Bible in her own language, and assure made by the women from the persecuted church and a card have you and they've been waiting five years to give it to her. And she said for me, she said, Well, that is so lovely. I'm very happy.

How wonderful. What What a great, what a great testimony. This young woman is for Christ, you know, and we thank God for her life. And we keep praying. This is what we need. And very interesting that she was prophesied over as a young baby. Yes, as a young

Sandra Robson  26:11  
didn't come out today. That came from

Reverend Ben Cooper  26:16  
Wow, is some really interesting stuff. What else we got some data to round up to round up to get

Sandra Robson  26:24  
time is

Reverend Ben Cooper  26:25  
so quick,

wow. Um, well, you know, there's other people who prayer is being answered, and we pray for the relocation of one girl here who was in a forced marriage. And thankfully, you know, that, that's been, let's see. And she was asked to pray she fled from this, that was happening to her. And she is now being told she can relocate in another country. And but we're praying that said, flights wouldn't be blocked. But this is a while ago. So hopefully, that did go ahead. And there's also the strength to stand strong. So this little magazine I'm looking at is to do with women and women, particularly praying for women. And that is embrace and that's by release international cover look shandra

lovely, lovely. cated bit of literature here, you know, and look at that, you know, I'm gonna probably say it, Sandra, they're smiling. Yeah, week after week after week, looking at fried, fried from Zhao. Wow, was storage, you know, it's really important that we can get online and have a look at all this stuff and maybe subscribe or maybe do whatever we got to do to get this information. It's really great stuff is a lovely booklet, a little booklet, they have a lot of information and prayer points, prayer points. And on the back, pray, pray for Hannah, Nigeria, the Sisters of Nigeria and Pakistan, Egypt and Eritrea. This is really great stuff. You know, we keep praying we never give up in prayer shrine never give up.

Sandra Robson  28:02  
And, you know, it's about being proactive, and like Barnabas, and now looking at different schemes to help women particularly in Pakistan, and it's amazing, you know, they're coming up with them some food and things that businesses and there's a lot of things here because of COVID they've they've people have lost their jobs. And the Lord is showing other ways you know, go through Yes. And with the support of other brothers and sisters who who can give financially they've been able to set up businesses Wow, small businesses 20 women have set up their own small food business in Islamabad. And there's other people who've had their businesses you know taken away or they've been forced out they've been harassed they've been you know them and again, you know, God's sent them somewhere else and they're now able to get a live in a different way

Reverend Ben Cooper  29:12  
they're setting up their setting up a business in Islamabad.

Sandra Robson  29:16  
Yes

Reverend Ben Cooper  29:17  
yes 20 women have set this business up in this form of crusher so yes what what applies to set a business up wow very powerful.

Sandra Robson  29:26  
really does move maybe we'll have to continue

Reverend Ben Cooper  29:31  
off with later found out

Sandra Robson  29:34  
yeah, this because there's all the stuff about the brick kiln workers you know, I just want to give people an idea of what's going on in Pakistan is quite a lot of different areas and issues and, and things you know, to think about, and we'll, if we need to, we are needing to

Reverend Ben Cooper  29:53  
wrap up now. Okay, sounder we got 10 minutes. Okay, we're going we're going Right, yes. Plenty of time. All right.

Sandra Robson  30:03  
So I wanted to just, you know, put in about this hope that we've got all these different situations like, particularly as we said, and the prayer needs this, this week for release international assigned to pray for Muslim background believers who've been hit by the pandemic, and they've been denied food aid again. And yeah, and then there's the 14 year old girls, who've been forcibly converted to Islam, and married to their kidnappers. And, and some of them have become pregnant, and the parents are taking legal action. And but you know, not often these things are being ignored, and just pray for their release. And that, you know, that while they're there, that God will look carefully at, you know, protection. And, and another, yeah, there's quite a few, where they're saying that they're older than the parents are saying. So in another case, the husband insists that she's 18, and married willingly. And but the family say otherwise. And she's been kidnapped and abused. And another one, another 14 year old, again.

Reverend Ben Cooper  31:35  
Prayer is needed. There's a lot of information out there, yes, there's a lot of stuff to read through. Release international Barnabas, you know, lots of information for open doors, we can find it all online, it's really important that we, we really get some form of understanding here in the West, especially if we've been furloughed at the moment in lockdown, maybe God maybe given us time to, to get into the world of the persecuted church to do some more study research, to pray to give to, to support it in some way, some form and some shape. But I do believe that this is a time where God is opening our eyes in the west to the persecuted church, our sisters and our brothers, whether that might be India, Pakistan, Nigeria career, or ever all these places are China, you know, even even here in the West, where we're being persecuted on on our faith. So it's really important that we will use our time wisely, we'll use our time very, very wisely at these moments.

Sandra Robson  32:41  
And looking at this hope in suffering, that is the daily devotion that's Barnabas brought out for this week, and is saying about hope and saying about hope is also is used subjectively to mean the feeling of confidence assurance, and shore expectation that these things which God has promised surely will be asked one day, and they are looking at Romans five, okay, and verses one to five. So I don't know whether we can get hold of that. And

Reverend Ben Cooper  33:17  
let's have a look. So we're just quickly going to jump on the iPad we want. What is that Sandra?

Sandra Robson  33:22  
Romans five, verses one to five is what they're looking looking at. And about. So it says Paul explains how as Christians we can rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God, for we are justified by faith and have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Yeah, and he then moves straight into rejoicing in our hope, of glory, to rejoicing in our sufferings, and um, and then he unpacks that about how and persevere and send all the fruits. Yeah, that will come and through persecute persecution, and, you know, pushing on in Christ.

Reverend Ben Cooper  34:07  
Character hope, hope character is very, very important that we pushed her and it's all done through the power of the Holy Spirit and we never give up and we, we press in. So for those that want that Bible reference, it's Romans chapter five verses one through to five read it. It's a great text. Obviously, God's word is great. They've talked about having peace to God in Christ Jesus, through all have gained access by faith into his grace in which we now stand we stand. By faith we stand with our sisters and our brothers and hope is very powerful. And we pray over these nations, we pray over our sisters, we pray over our brothers we, we pray through them with the Word of God and when we listen to what Sandra has to say, we take this information in. We find it for ourselves. We look at it we we analyze it, we pray over it when As the scripture says, meditate on the word day and night it's really important that we meditate on God's words God opens our hearts so we got some understanding and so we're not looking just procure where we are in our small, tiny area of life just a few miles radius that we have, but God opens our eyes to the world that is out there. In in the world of the persecuted church and the suffering church. You know, this this over these last few weeks has really spoken to me really, really spoken to me the last few weeks, the number of weeks we've been doing these podcasts with Sandra is really open my eyes. So it's really important that we pray we pray we pray and that's one thing that we keep saying, keep praying, keep praying, keep praying, never give up sounder, what are we going to finish on today?

Sandra Robson  35:46  
Um, well, I mean, you know, going back to the supporting of the food businesses that remembering that the Lord is my shepherd, and he says he prepares a table in the presence of my enemies. But those enemies are our people. So God is is doing a beautiful thing, and that they may bless their neighbors, whoever they are, whatever they believe. They're, you know, they will share the the good food that they have. And just always remembering there's so much misinformation we talk about misinformation on other subjects, but there is so much misinformation about who Christians are, what they what they stand for, that there's a Western thing. And he known just praying for the truth, you know, that, you know, that, that those who are coming against them are often misinformed. There are those who are, as we've said, radical, but not everybody. And that's what we have to remember that there are many are just born into, like, where we, you know, blacks are blessed. Yeah, you know, Christianity was the first thing in this in this country, for many they haven't had that they they've been born into in a country where that is not the the main religion. That is not how the country is run. And so they have to go countercultural, and counter everything. Yeah, and to Christ. And when we think of, you know, how things started, you know, that was it that the Romans were in charge, right? Yeah.

Reverend Ben Cooper  37:25  
Were saying there as well is really interesting, actually, that, that these nations that we look at, that is the only religion they will have in there. But here in the UK, we've got a sweet shop of everything. And it's all mixed, it's all blended into one. So no wonder we are weak at the moment spiritually, because we've got everything. But when you look at these nations, whether on whatever that nation may be pressing as their religion, that is their religion. And that is that is the mainstream, and you will not waive a fee waiver from this. You You will be there, you'll face death, you're what we're saying. But here in the West, anything goes? There's a mixture of everything. And yes,

Sandra Robson  38:08  
it is that the thing that for many that their faith and religion, their religion is their life is their well, beings, that whole of everything, everything, you know, and but yeah, we do, we do need to stand up our brothers and sisters, we do need to see that they are treated fairly. I mean, there's also the Hindus as well, that are coming under attack, and they are there as well. And so we know what, what we really pray for is that these people are seen as beautiful individuals and you know, not sort of just stereotype. Yeah, you know, and but yeah, so I hope I've opened your eyes a bit more about Pakistan and about the misuse of the blasphemy law, and the environments that our brothers and sisters are living in. And I hope maybe I will do another one, to give you a little bit more of an insight into what life is like for Christians there. So thank you for your time.

Reverend Ben Cooper  39:19  
Thank you, Sandra, we really, really appreciate that. I'll try and be a little bit more quieter, when when we're doing this one because there is a lot of information and Sandra is really gifted, got us really cold or into this area is a calling. You do need to understand what your calling is in your life. And it's very clear to see that Sandra has a calling to the suffering church and we thank God for her life and we pray that God will strengthen her as she studies as she reads that she picks all this information up all this literature and she brings it together. And you know for these 3545 minutes that we gather in this on this podcast. It's just so much information. Then it Sandra is laying it back to us. She's laying it out to us to go to read to listen and to whatever we've picked up on whatever we've heard today or on these back podcast, it's important that we that we take that and we find it for ourselves that we, we dig a bit deeper we pray and we lift our brothers and sisters up. So Sandra, we just want to say thank you for your life. Thank you for your your commitment to following Christ and that God has gifted you in the area of this ministry. May God bless you and strengthen you and we will see you next week. Thank you everybody for listening. You've been listening to Sondra and myself, Reverend Ben Cooper, have a great week and remember, do not allow the pressures of lockdown to get to you. Keep praying, keep praying, you know and keep praying. Stay safe. every blessing in Jesus name. God bless

Transcribed by https://otter.ai