By Ashfaq Fateh
Special to ASSIST News Service
TOBA TEK SINGH, PAKISTAN (ANS) -- A group of some of the poorest Christian laborers in Pakistan, have received a welcome gift from Grace Bible Church, Pakistan, which runs a ministry for brick kiln workers.
The church, which handed out food to the workers on a a special service on May 1, 2011, says that it works “for their spiritual, social and economic growth.”
A study conducted by a labor group on the plight of the brick kiln workers shows that there are three million of them in the province of Punjab alone, and ninety five percent of them are Christians. These workers have been living a miserable life now for decades.
Many are forced into bonded labor, subjected to violence, and even forced into the selling of their body organs by their employers. Their working conditions are often hazardous and many are denied basic human rights.
The government has fixed their pay at about $6.00USD per one thousand bricks, but few of the factory owners pay that fixed rate.
A group photo of the workers
(Photo: Ahsan Sadaqat ANS-Pakistan)
Before the distribution of wheat flour among twenty families, Pastor Victor Samuel, founder of the Grace Bible Church, led a prayer service which was attended by dozens of poor brick making workers.
Pastor Victor gave a message about the miracle of the five loaves and two fish. He said, “God blessed this small amount of food for thousands. Our God is great who provides for His people.”
He went on to say, “Every month, people of goodwill from the US, send support to help our suffering brothers and sisters who work in the brick making factories.”
Pastor Victor singing a Psalm
(Photo: Ahsan Sadaqat ANS-Pakistan)
Anwar Masih, a laborer, spoke to ANS and said, “The government has recently increased petrol [gasoline] prices which has caused a hike in prices of food and others items. The factory owners also raised their prices for bricks, but the poor workers’ wages are not increased at all.
“Forget about the fixed wages of government; we are not even paid even half of that figure. Our whole families are working from dawn to dusk, but we are not paid fairly. If we were even paid the government fixed wages, we would be better off.”
He went on to say, “If we remain like this, our children will not get a quality education. Due to malnutrition, poor health care, and other necessities of life, we live at a high risk.”
Salamat Masih, a worker, was overjoyed to receive the wheat flour. He said, “The food support helps us a lot.”
Please click the following link to view the Video Reporting for ANS,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCJSsyaxs0s
Pastor Victor’s Message can be viewed at,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qd-5nkP6KSg
Ashfaq Fateh, 38, studied civic and human rights, at Pakistan's leading University, the Aga Khan University in Karachi. He has been working to promote peace, human rights and particularly for Christian's rights. He has also been working against the discriminatory laws prevailing in Pakistan. His wife, Rafia Salomi, is serving as deputy director for Society for Human Development, popularly known as Human Development Center, an icon of Christian's rights in Pakistan since 1984.
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