February 10th 11:00PM

Islamabad—Today we visited a Christian community in the heart of Islamabad. We visited as the sun was setting on the day. It was an extraordinary sight. From the rooftops children flew their kites in the cool evening breezes as the sun set behind them. It was as though nothing was wrong in their world, and for that matter, at that moment, in my world either. They smiled, they laughed, and enjoyed meeting us as we toured their streets. They waved at me as I shot their pictures and followed us as we walked. I know I’ve said it before, but I’m constantly reminded that children are the same all over the world. Their smiles will be burned in my memory and etched in my heart for a very long time. While we were there we visited one of their two churches, a modest building with a red cross on the roof. From behind the barred windows you could hear the sound of hymns being sung. Inside, a handful of parishioners were gathered for Sunday worship services—quite a remarkable sight in a Muslim country. It was hard to imagine as we looked at this community that nearly 4,000 people live in an area that doesn’t cover much more than a ½ mile square area. These people have very little. They have no running water, no sewage system, and little sources of income. The streets are narrow and made of dirt. At times, the streets crumble at your feet and traversing them is quite difficult. Through the middle of the town is a polluted stream, filled with sewage, garbage, and rampant with diseases. When I think of churches in the U.S., I wonder why no one helps these people. These churches have no fancy carpets. In fact, they have none. They don’t have beautiful stained glass windows. They don’t even have glass in their windows. They don’t have soft cushioned pews. The few pews they have are wood and cold metal. All they have is their faith. Perhaps, Christians in the U.S. could learn something from them. I know I have. I’ll be back to visit them again.