Lahore, 18 November. This first day in Pakistan marks the start of several visits as part of the JC2033 initiative. Between a flower-filled evening welcome, meditations, church meetings and celebrations, it already reveals the main themes of this trip.
Our arrival in Lahore, after a long journey and a stopover in Doha, is in the middle of the night. It is half past two in the morning when we (Olivier Fleury, founder of JC2033, and myself, Martin Hoegger) walk through the airport doors. To our great surprise, five men are still waiting for us: among them, Obeid Khokhar, General Secretary of the Council of Churches of Pakistan, and Reuben Qamar, President of the Presbyterian Church. Both are also JC2033 ambassadors.
Their fraternal welcome with large bouquets of roses and gladioli shows a kindness that touches us. We immediately feel the warmth of this relationship, which began at the gathering of JC2033 in Geneva a few months earlier. They take us to the headquarters of the Council of Churches, where we are staying.
Joy and perseverance
In the morning, we begin the day with a meditation on Luke 15. The parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin reveal a joy that spans heaven and earth. Humble and sincere conversion is presented as the source of this joy. To journey towards 2033 and celebrate 2000 years of the Resurrection, this celebration must be carried by renewed lives.
We also talk about perseverance. The shepherd and the woman do not give up. Their patience paves the way for joy. We link this attitude to the welcome we received the day before: a generous presence manifested in the middle of the night. This attention becomes for us a call to walk steadily towards 2033, without letting ourselves be discouraged by the length of the journey, which is as important as the goal.
Meeting with the Council of Churches: realities and challenges
We then meet Victor Azariah and Obaid Khokhar, the former and current general secretaries of the Council of Churches of Pakistan. They present the Christian situation in Pakistan. Thanks to long-standing educational work, many Christians have improved their situation, but the contrasts remain stark.
In the villages, where most Christians live, families are poor, poorly educated and relegated to the outskirts, in underserved areas. A form of implicit social hierarchy, like the caste system in India (which is only a few kilometres from Lahore), still exists. Education appears to be a major issue. Many pastors have not received theological training, and the Council of Churches is developing accessible discipleship training.
In the city, the situation is different: Christians are better educated, more aware of their rights and more integrated. The Council collaborates with all Christian traditions and runs a popular retreat centre.
An ecumenical commission for justice and service
We then meet James Hammond, director of the Ecumenical Commission for Human Development. He presents an organisation committed to justice, education, humanitarian aid and human dignity. Their work focuses on young people, children and orphans.
The Commission favours family support over institutional care. The lack of public structures for orphans creates a void that their mission seeks to fill. Their vision is rooted in Luke 4:18, where Jesus proclaims Good News that liberates and uplifts.
We then discuss the prospect of JC2033 in a predominantly Muslim context. Jesus is recognised there as a prophet, but not as crucified and risen. This requires discernment in planning a national celebration.
Some regions may emphasise the birth of the Church at Pentecost; others may choose a more direct testimony. The essential thing is to allow the local Church to discern its own path.
Welcome to the Goldberg Presbyterian Church. From the left: Martin Hoegger, Olivier Fleury and Obaid Khokhar
Scripture Union: a momentum towards the Risen One
The meeting with Sharaz Shahzad, secretary of the Scripture Union, and his team brings a lively note to the day. Their ministry, focused on children and young people, aims to lead the new generation to a living relationship with the risen Christ.
The announcement of 2033 aroused real enthusiasm among them. They expressed their desire to see the Church in Pakistan grow in personal and deep faith. They want children to discover Jesus not only in his story, but in his present presence. Scripture Union is even considering dedicating an annual theme to the question: « Who knows the risen Christ? «
Worship in a Presbyterian church: what a joy!
The day ends with a service in the Goldberg Presbyterian church in Lahore. The welcome is simple and warm: we are once again greeted with flowers and dances by children. The liturgy led by Pastor Samuel Massey expresses a clear faith in the Triune God. Obaid, Olivier and I take turns speaking to encourage an assembly already won over to the importance of the journey towards 2033.
The final prayer, led by young girls, is touching in its simplicity and freshness. Urdu sometimes seems to slip into a freer, almost heavenly language. This moment concludes the day on a unique note: overflowing joy!
Thus ends this first day, punctuated by sincere exchanges and simple gestures that give a concrete face to the Church in Pakistan. The following days will allow us to meet other communities and discover with surprise and gratitude the path already well laid out by our ambassadors towards 2033.
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