I spent two weeks of October in Lahore, Pakistan, which has a longstanding link with Manchester Diocese. What most people have asked me before and since, my mother being one of the loudest voices, is why do you want to go to Pakistan? It is a question I asked myself many times after registering interest in the visit. I think the link with Lahore is something I have been interested in for a long time. When I worked for Manchester Diocese Education Department the Lahore link there was strong. We hosted their Director of Education, Col Azim, in Manchester several times, linked schools and had delegations of teachers go to Pakistan and teachers from Pakistan come here, teaching and sharing experiences and resources. Having been one of the team helping to organise and coordinate the visits (one memorable thing was myself and my boss Holly taking Col Azim to the lake district for the day to visit some of the Wordsworth heritage there as Col is very fond of his work), I hoped that one day I would be able to visit Lahore. So, when the opportunity came up, not only to visit Lahore but also to shadow an incumbent while we were there I jumped at the chance and was very excited when I was chosen to go on the visit.
After almost six months of keeping it quiet I finally left, with a suitcase with as many prayer blankets in it as I could carry. There were seven of us in the delegation, one of them being Bishop Matthew, we left for Lahore. I can honestly say it is an extraordinary place, like nowhere I have ever been before. I think I really understood the sort of place we were visiting when we got to the ‘Cathedral complex’ on the night we arrived. There was a very high wall around the edge of the buildings there, barbed wire twirled all over the top and armed guards on the doors. While I was shocked that night I soon realised that this was just the way for churches, Christian centres and Christians in Pakistan. This is their reality, and that reality is not only horrifying but also a very humbling experience.
While I was there, we visited many churches, I preached in two on the Sunday mornings. The way they sing the hymns, psalms, pray and worship is extraordinary. The joy was infectious as these are people who risk their lives to come to church, that isn’t dramatic, that’s true. On the Open Doors ‘Watch List’ of the most dangerous places in the world to be, a Christian Pakistan is 7th on the list and the threat is ever present. One of the churches I preached in had been the victims of a suicide bomber in 2015, which had killed fifteen people, yet they are optimistic things will get better, and Jesus is with them and will protect them! It’s not an understatement to say this visit has changed me, my faith and my relationship with Jesus.
Other highlights of the trip were visits to the Wagah Boarder, visiting schools, opening a new early years’ unit, visiting Murrie in the hills of the Himalayas, going to many women’s fellowship events and meeting the team who lead them and help women there.
I will be doing a talk for the Social Circle on 20 February 2025 at 19:30 at Church House. I will reflect on my experience and thinking about the future of the Diocesan link with Lahore and what we can do for our brothers, sisters and siblings in Lahore.
Rev Helen
St Margaret's Church Prestwich 