Day 16 – Pashtun Children

Eight-year-old Shahina walked slowly home and slipped quietly into her family's small courtyard. Then she saw her father sitting on his cot and stopped short.  He was home early!  "Where have you been?" he asked angrily.  "Just playing," she said, looking down.  "You're always running around," he said.  "You're no help to the family.  You should have been a boy!  Now go and bring me some tea!"  His slap brought tears to her eyes as it propelled her toward the kitchen. Tightlipped, Shahina put water on to boil and got out the black tea and sugar.  I wish I was a boy, too, Father! she thought bitterly. 

 Her brother, Navid, had it made.  Even though Navid was 2 years younger than she, he got to boss around not only Shahina but even her 15-year-old sister and her Mom.  That's just the way it was in all the families she knew.  All the families except for what she had seen on TV movies from the West.  Families there seemed to treat daughters and sons the same.  Did it have something to do with them being Christian?  Shahina wondered.  She couldn't help envying the Christians if they believed girls were just as good as boys.  But she must not think too much, or ask too many questions, or as her mother said, she could become apostate and go to hell.

 

 Pray that:  

• Christian workers will find creative ways to reach out to Pashtun children.
• The love of Jesus will transform relationships.
• Children will overcome the instilled fear of asking questions, and will find acceptance and answers for their inquiring minds.

 

Luke 1:17a And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children. NIV