By Dan Wooding

Founder of ASSIST Ministries

LAHORE, PAKISTAN (ANS) -- Asia Bibi, the 45-year-old Christian mother of five who has been condemned to death under Pakistan’s strict blasphemy law, is gravely ill in her solitary confinement cell in Sheikhupura district jail, and there are growing concerns for her life.

According to Jibran Khan, writing for Asia News (www.asianews.it), “The Christian sentenced to death for blasphemy on false evidence is sick with chickenpox, because of the appallingly unhygienic conditions she is being kept in.”

Haroon Barket Masih, president of the Masih Foundation, which is providing legal and financial assistance to Ms. Bibi, has issued a statement which said, “Asia Bibi was diagnosed with chicken pox. She has been kept in solitary confinement for more than three months. We have expressed concern about her health, because she spends 24 hours a day locked in the cell.

“She needs medical care, hygienic and healthy conditions. She fell ill with chickenpox because of the dirty environment, and being unable to clean her room or bed sheets on which she sleeps. Despite her ill health she spends her time fasting and praying for everyone, She neglects her health and prays for everyone else. She is concerned about the current situation in Pakistan. We are trying to arrange a medical examination, and to ensure acceptable hygienic conditions. Until now she has had no medical care.”

Masih also said: “Recently, Mother’s Day was celebrated in Europe. We all celebrated Mother’s Day with people sending cards and postcards, but who remembered this sick woman praying and fasting in her cell? Did she not want to be with her children too? She is a mother. She prayed for her children.

“Please continue to pray for Asia Bibi who prays and fasts.”

Bishop Anthony Rufin told AsiaNews: “I am saddened by the news about Asia Bibi, on her state of health and the state in which she lives. The Catholic Church... prays that she will be treated. It's a difficult time for the minorities in Pakistan and incidents of violence are becoming more numerous. For how long will we live in fear? We must work together for a campaign to promote harmony and tolerance. This Lent we pray for peace in Pakistan; a Pakistan where we can all live freely.”

Asia Bibi was arrested on June 19, 2009, after she engaged in an intense discussion with a group of women who worked with her. Answering their calls for her to accept Islam, Asia reportedly told them, “Jesus is alive, but Mohammad is dead. Our Christ is the true prophet of God, and yours is not true.”

Upon hearing this, the Muslim women became angry and began to beat Asia, who was taken into police custody and then later condemned to die.

Dan Wooding, 70, is an award winning British journalist now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married for 47 years. They have two sons, Andrew and Peter, and six grandchildren who all live in the UK. He is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS) and was, for ten years, a commentator, on the UPI Radio Network in Washington, DC. He now hosts the weekly “Front Page Radio” show on KWVE in Southern California which is also carried on the Calvary Radio Network throughout the United States. The program is also aired in Great Britain on Calvary Chapel Radio UK. Besides this, Wooding is a host for His Channel Live, which is carried via the Internet to some 200 countries. You can follow Dan on Facebook under his name there or at ASSIST News Service. He is the author of some 44 books. Two of the latest include his autobiography, “From Tabloid to Truth”, which is published by Theatron Books. To order a copy, press this link. Wooding, who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, has also recently released his first novel “Red Dagger” which is available this link.

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