To spotlight the challenges these men face as they serve Christ in dangerous places, we spoke with Sayad, a Pakistani grandfather and persecuted believer who has been trapped in the cycle of forced labor for five decades.
Our persecuted brother is a diligent husband, father and grandfather. But this faithful man has also been stuck in Pakistan’s sweltering brick kilns for over fifty years.
His aging hands are tired. The process of making bricks is anything but easy.
His long, back-breaking work day begins at 4 a.m. He prepares the clay, moves it to the kiln and then shapes it into rows of bricks for baking. Shockingly, Sayad, along with his wife Ruth, can produce upwards of 2,500 bricks a day. They must meet challenging quotas to receive their meager pay.
In Pakistan, where only 2% of the population is Christian, respectable jobs are often withheld from believers as a form of religious discrimination. But making bricks is not just a low-paying job—it’s forced labor. Poor Pakistani believers like Sayad are forced to take out predatory loans that can rarely be paid back due to high interest and garnished wages.
But despite his toil and struggle, Sayad remains hopeful in Christ. He declared to our team: “In hard times, we must thank Him. God is the One who created us and put us here. So, we believe He will also take us out of these hard times.”
Will you join us in praying for our dear brother and so many other faithful men who are under attack for simply loving Christ?
Father God, we lift up Sayad to You. He is Your precious son, and his years of hard work has not gone unnoticed under Your eye. He hopes only in You, Lord, and we ask for his hope in You to not be deferred. Deliver him from the yoke of bonded slavery and predatory loans. Until then, God, strengthen him to run his race, knowing he has an eternal place of rest in Your heavenly kingdom.
Lord, we also pray on behalf of so many fathers and husbands around the world who are afflicted with violence and discrimination because they choose to faithfully serve You. Bless them in their suffering. Amen.
Do you want to help persecuted believers like Sayad? Global Christian Relief is working with our partners on the ground to help families entangled in bonded slavery. Your gift today can bring hope to persecuted Pakistani believers and so many others around the globe.
About The Author
Tim Dustin is a staff writer for Global Christian Relief, a nonprofit Christian ministry that works to strengthen persecuted believers and raise awareness regarding Christian persecution. For more information, visit our website at GlobalChristianRelief.org.
