Lost Hope in One of The Most Dangerous Countries for Women Restored
Dear Friend,
Shazia was enjoying her visit at her in-laws home, a welcome break from looking after her 6 children. Her life was so busy that she welcomed these rare moments away from her responsibilities. She was surprised when her husband suddenly showed up and asked her to follow him into another room so they could talk privately. Little did she know what awaited her.
Closing the door behind her he locked the door. At that moment he turned and grabbed her, shoving her roughly against the wall and began kicking and hitting her repeatedly.
MOTHER TO 6 CHILDREN ATTACKED
Shazia describes what happened next, “Then he picked up a metal pipe and started hitting me mercilessly”. Shazia’s husband suspected that his wife was having an extramarital relationship. “He kept asking about it while hitting me and wouldn’t listen to me even though I stressed that I wasn’t having any extramarital affair,” she said.
Then he pulled out a knife and threatened to kill her. Stunned at seeing the knife and what he was threatening to do Shazia lost all her strength. He grabbed her neck with his arm pulling her close and with one quick stroke cut off her nose before he stabbed her body. Her screams for help went unnoticed. Falling to the ground stunned at what at happened… Shazia’s husband fled the scene.
“He left me bleeding and crying for help,” she recalled. Taken to a local hospital doctors told her there was little they could do to fix her nose.
Shazia then shared that the police failed to arrest her husband and that “he came back to our area just the other day and told one of our neighbours that he chopped off my nose to teach me a lesson and save his honor, because he suspected me of meeting another man.” Shazia now lives with her mother and fears for her life.
ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS COUNTRIES FOR WOMEN
According to the Thomson Reuters Foundation 90% of Pakistani women experience domestic violence in their lifetime making Pakistan the 6th most dangerous country in the world to be a women. In Pakistan, the nose is considered a symbol of family honor, which is why women’s faces are often the target of assault when they’re perceived to have “shamed” the family in some way.
Yet in the midst of this negative environment of fear where there is little justice, there is a small and thriving AsiaLink ministry to women that is seeing lives changed, hope restored and healing experienced!
In just over a week’s time (November 8th -9th) AsiaLink’s Women’s Empowerment Conference will take place in the Muslim country of Pakistan bringing 300 to 400 women – whether Muslim, Hindu or nominal Christian – from across the region to a safe place where they will hear messages of hope and purpose for their lives. Already, countless numbers of woman have seen their lives radically changed and transformed by God’s grace at previous conferences.
We URGENTLY need your financial support to cover the cost for this upcoming conference. We have already raised 60% of the budget but still need to raise $2,000 to cover all the expenses needed to treat each woman in a caring and loving way. Your gift will help empower a woman’s life with the message of Christ who has lost all hope.
Will you help? If 20 people gave $100 we would cover all expenses. You can be a part of this miracle! We need your prayers and financial investment in this empowering ministry to women! Thank you!
Rev. Dale R. Hiscock
Executive Director