Life for Christian Tariq Aziz was going very well in his city of Peshawar, Pakistan; as a mechanical engineer and businessman he was both successful and happy, leading a life free of worries. However the time came when Tariq’s carefree existence was thrown into peril during a serious religious conflict in Peshawar. He was forced to flee to Lahore in fear of his life. Here we must ask if this fate was God’s plan for him all along? Was Tariq a victim of circumstance or did God set the path for him to walk?
Tariq fervently believes that this change of circumstances was part of God’s plan for him, and thus should use his new start to do good in Christ’s name. He has founded an orphanage in Lahore with the aim to provide both accommodation and education for the impoverished and abandoned Christian children in the area who have lost their parents. He strongly adheres to the belief that education will lead them to a better future.
Tariq and his family treat the orphans under their care as though they were their very own family members. As a result these vulnerable children now have a place to consider their home; they are no longer unwanted, forgotten beings. In the orphanage they can grow up with a strong faith in Christ, celebrate special occasions such as Easter and Christmas, and live through happy and sad times as part of a unique family unit instead of all alone.
Unfortunately local funding is scarce and inconsistent in Lahore, and Tariq is currently in dire financial need if he wants to continue his orphanage. We urgently require your support to help him maintain these children in a happy and safe home environment. Their alternative fates include slavery, potential physical and emotional abuse, and inhumane living conditions, which as Christians we want to avoid at all costs.
Matthew chapter 19 verse 14: “Let the children come to me and do not stop them, because the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these.”
Our Lord Jesus Christ loves all children and sets an example for us to follow in His footsteps. The poor children in Tariq’s care desperately need our help. Please keep them in your prayers, and, if you can, offer some much needed financial support to help secure a prosperous future for them; a future that includes a roof over their heads, education, and sufficient food. May God bless you all. Amen.
