Partnering for Freedom
(Faces are blurred for their protection)
Martha, 42 years old, had been living in the unreached area (K) of the Punjab Province in Pakistan, with her husband and two daughters. With the husband working in the brick kilns, it had been difficult for them to manage their daily lives and family, but then Martha’s life completely changed as she got the sudden news of her husband’s death in 2019. Both of them had already been working under huge debt and now the burden of the debt came fully onto her shoulders and shockingly she found herself forced to become a ‘Brick Kiln Slave worker’. Unfortunately, being uneducated and unskilled, it was difficult for her to find any other work that would produce enough income to provide for food, shelter, and the daily needs of her two daughters. Both daughters were forced to stop their education because of this financial crisis. Even though Martha was harassed and tortured every day at the brick kiln, she could see no way out and had no other place to go.
Even in the 21st century, Pakistan is among the few countries in the world where slavery in the form of bonded Brick Kiln labor still exists. On average, a brick kiln worker has to work a 14-hour day, starting as early as 5:00 AM. They are paid less than $5.00 a day for manually making over 1,400 bricks each day. If for any reason the worker is not able to make this many bricks, the difference is added to the expected quota for the next day; hence their burden to make bricks continues to increase, but their pay rate remains the same. Sometimes they even have to work under huge debt to cover the other needs of their family. Sadly, not only the worker but also the whole family ends up working as bonded servants in order to complete the workload.
A slavery index report, released by Walk Free Foundation, placed Pakistan at the top of the countries where slavery, including bonded and forced labor practices, are rampant. There is no official data available on the number of brick kilns and the workers in the industry in Pakistan though estimates suggest that there are more than 20,000 kilns just in the province of Punjab, employing thousands of workers.
Kiln workers have many characteristics that increase their vulnerability to exploitation. Women and children are an integral part of the labor in kilns and they are all ages. According to the latest report, about 35% of the female workers are harassed, tortured, and raped at the brick kilns.
This has been the case with Martha as she had no other option but to work to pay off the debt left by her late husband. However, as a strong believer in Christ, she always prayed to the Lord for a miraculous change for her life and family.
In August 2019, Sam, a Pakistani Christian leader, heard about Martha from the local church pastor in his village and visited Martha at the earliest opportunity with his family. Sam brought a moment of joy to the family by giving them food, clothing, and some financial blessings.
Sam’s visit was not just a one-time support for Martha’s family, but he wanted to create a way in which she could be given an opportunity to stand on her own feet and earn a respectable way of living for her family. Staying in prayer, Sam discussed with her and her daughters an idea of starting a small business opportunity in the form of a grocery shop and gladly her brother-in-law ‘Babar’ agreed to run the shop with her so that the family could be free from the slave labor and do a respectable work in society.
Trusting the Lord for everything, Sam approached his friends Jenny Noyes and Kelly Ferrari Mills in September 2019 at the New Wineskins Global Mission Conference and shared the miserable condition of Martha’s family and her critical needs. When Kelly heard the story of Martha and her family, she tearfully told Sam that the Holy Spirit had touched her heart and she knew she and her ministry must do something to help. Our Lord is the Lord of provision and as He touched the hearts of His followers, Kelly and Jenny agreed to fully support Martha, freeing her from slavery and helping her establish a small local grocery shop. Kelly wrote to Sam in Pakistan and told him, “I never imagined my very small ministry could actually do something so powerful as to free a widow and her two daughters from that cruel place of rape, torture, and bondage and help them find a way to support themselves in a clean and safe environment. Our God is so faithful!”
Construction work on the shop started in April 2020, but sadly it soon halted due to the country-wide COVID-19 Pandemic lockdown announced by the government. It was again a terribly difficult time for the family as there was no source of income. Small businesses were all shut down. Yet even during this time, Sam continued to provide food and medical supplies to the family at regular intervals. Construction work started again in August 2020 as lockdown restrictions began to be lifted by the government. By God’s grace, the construction work for the shop got completed in September, and Martha and her family opened their new business.
“This is the answer to my prayers, as I never stop taking delight in the Lord in every situation. He heard my prayers and provided good things for my family,” Martha shared with Sam. Martha kept the verse from Psalm 37:4 close to her heart in her slavery and through all the difficult situations of her life – “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart!”
“This is the kind of global partnership that missions are all about – working together to help one person, one family, one community at a time,” said Sam. “On behalf of Martha and the whole Christian community, I want to give a big thanks to Jenny and Kelly for their care and support for the persecuted Christians in Pakistan as they have uplifted them in a practical and actionable way. Thank you for saving one widow’s family in Jesus’ Name and giving hope to the whole community!”