I visited Pakistan for the first time for 8 days in February 2020 and met Sobia and Asim in person to assess their ministries. I visited a brick kiln outdoor factory site and two villages with impoverished Christians. I met the widows and children that Sobia helps. It was a life-changing experience that motivates me to visit them again and again. The love and humility shown to me there was beyond words.
Sobia Noreen and Asim Gulzar live in Faisalabad, Pakistan. They are young adults who lost their brother, Asif, in 2017. Asif was a beloved Christian in a country that is 99% Muslim, and heavily persecutes Christians. When Asif passed away, the family was devastated, but they wanted to continue his ministry to the local population in their area.
Since Asif's untimely death, Sobia and Asim have worked very hard to continue and grow his ministry. They need your help! Sobia assists 15-20 widows, orphans, and children with Sunday school, Bible distribution, Christian holiday events, and monthly rations distribution. In June 2020, she realized her dream and procured four sewing machines and hired a local teacher to show her ladies how to sew, that they may someday be self sufficient. She would like to buy six additional sewing machines to accommodate all of her ladies. She also plans to provide training in hair and makeup, which will provide yet another source of income for the women she ministers to.
Asim helps Christian AND Muslim families who live in austere conditions by building in-ground latrines for those who have inadequate washrooms. He also provides monthly rations to Christian laborers and their families who barely scrape by in villages working 12 hours a day, 6 days a week, at brick kiln factory sites outdoors. He pays the salary for teachers to go to those villages to provide basic education to the children of those families so they might have opportunities that their parents do not have.
Both Sobia and Asim continue to dedicate their lives to their ministries during the COVID19 pandemic, risking their health in the name of Christ.
As dedicated Christians, Sobia and Asim themselves live meager financial lives, but are more concerned about their impoverished Christian neighbors. They live in a country where practicing Christianity often leads to legal issues, physical abuse, and even death. They are often threatened by Islamic extremists to stop their ministries of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. Christians are a 1-2% minority in the Muslim-majority Pakistan, where 45% of the population lives in poverty. Christians in Pakistan are mostly subjugated to menial jobs such as day laborers, sanitation workers (with no or improper safety gear), maids, servants, rickshaw drivers, and so on. The education system is not the same as what we have in the US; poor Christians in Pakistan do not have the same opportunities for education as their Muslim neighbors, so they are stuck in a cycle of poverty.
This ministry also supports a school in Lahore: The Instittue of Emerging Leaders, or TIEL, run by my dear friend, Nazia Ansari. Currently TIEL caters to impoverished persecuted Christian children with education to include a Montessori curriculum; however, TIEL may soon offer education to children of other faiths, too. The Christian children come from families whose incomes are from driving ricksaws, cleaning homes, day laborers, brick kiln factories, and santiation workers. TIEL is the only hope for these children to break their cycle of poverty.
With prayer and donations, please help Nazia, Sobia, and Asim minister to the physical and spiritual needs of the impoverished Christians living in and around Faisalabad, Pakistan, today.
Thank you, and may God Bless You!
Angie Ewing
Proverbs 19:17 - Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.
Matthew 19:21 - Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
Luke 21: 1-4 - Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
UPDATES
MINISTRY VAN!!!! April 27, 2023
Praise God!
Sobia and Asim bought a ministry van!! THANK YOU for your prayers and financial support to get this DONE! Having transportation will expand their ministry efforts in ways that we cannot even imagine. Sobia is now able to pick up the young ladies and bring them to her mininstry house safely; several stopped coming, because they had to walk, and they were being harassed by men. As you may know, Pakistan is unfortunately rife with abductions, forced conversions, rapes, and murders of young women, especially Christian girls. So this van is giving these girls the chance to come hear God's word and fellowship once again in safety. Amen!Asim will use the van for his ministry to several brick yard villages that are at least an hour from his home. He needs the van to transport supplies to those families, and to provide ministry, new job skills trainings, and basic education to help families get out of the bonded brick yard situations and live dignified lives.THANK YOU! May God have the glory. Amen.Angie
Mission Trip in October 2022 a Success! November 21, 2022
Praise God!
I was in Pakistan on mission from October 11-20 with two AWESOME women who teamed up with me to work for the Lord! Ella from NYC, a Paki/Christian American, was instrumental in helping with interpretation of my messages and just overall translation and support! My bestie, Nazia, lives in Islamabad, and was crucial to our mission, as well. She provided transportation and coordinated several visits with new people. She helped us with CFI's requests to visit a brick yard in Lahore. She interpreted and translated. Both Ella and Nazia are gifts from God, and I am so grateful that we were a beautiful team!
What did we do with Sobia and Asim? It was a packed, chaotic week, but we accomplished everything we had planned to accomplish, and had many "God moments" along the way. It was TRULY a blessed trip. We baptized 18 Christians (in a church and outside at a brick yard site); we washed feet (in Sobia's ministry house and outside at a brick yard site); we distributed salvation bracelets; we taught "Disciple's Cross;" we provided messages/sermons from God's Word. The purpose of the trip was to encourage impoverished, persecuted Christians in Sobia and Asim's ministry and to support them in their faith in Christ.
Sobia and Asim are faithful servants of God! I pray that God continues to bless their ministry with love, financial support, growth, and with the satisfaction of knowing that they are impacting not only fellow believers in Pakistan, but also eventually bringing Muslims and others to faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I pray for their boldness, for their faith to be strong, for courage, for trust in God.
Prayer requests:
1. To obtain sufficient funding to purchase a small van for the ministry; they currently have no transportation causing them to spend on renting vehicles and drivers and using motorbikes; this is woefully insufficient.
2. For Asim to discern who to select to assist him with his brick kiln ministry (honest pastors, administrators/planners, etc.).
3. For Asim to have time and funding to obtain formal pastoral training.
4. For Faith Vision Ministries Pakistan (FVMP) to continue to grow to bless Christians in Pakistan and to share the love of Christ with unbelievers there. For their safety, courage, faith, resources, trust.
5. For Sobia and Asim's family and all their ministry beneficiaries.
I pray for donors like you and thank you for your support!
Blessings!!
FVMP needs transportation! October 2, 2022
Friends!
FVMP desperately needs a van. Currently, young women and girls walk to Sobia's ministry house and sometimes are assaulted verbally or even physically, causing them to be too afraid to come. Sobia would like to have a means of transportation, so that she may pick up these young women and bring her to her ministry house for Christian fellowship, biblical training, and skills training (sewing, computers, and makeup/hair). Sobia and Asim would also use the van to travel further out from their home base and share the gospel of Jesus Christ. Sobia and Asim are a brother/sister team who are operating FVMP only on donations and prayers. Please pray and give a monetary gift of any amount today right here on this site! Thank you, and may our Lord Jesus bless you abundantly. Amen. Angie
New Church October 2, 2022
Praise God!
Asim and Sobia are officially opening a small church for Faith Vision Ministries Pakistan. Pray for the hand of God to be on this new church - all of the disciples who will grace its doors!
Update #18 FLOODING IN PAKISTAN! August 30, 2022
Please pray and give any amount today to help victims of the devastating floods in Pakistan! Asim's team will distribute food and other necessary items to many families who have been left homeless. God bless!
Angie
Update #17: Van needed! May 12, 2022
Greetings!!
May the Lord bless you today with comfort, good health, and protection!
Sobia and Asim are in need of a vehicle for their ministry! Please pray for them to obtain necessary funds to purchase a second-hand van. Currently, Sobia has no transportation, and Asim pays for transportation every time he travels to the brick kiln sites. Sobia ministers to young women. Several live quite a distance and must walk to attend Sobia's trainings and Bible studies. One was recently accosted by a man as she was walking to Sobia's ministry house. Luckily, she was able to get away from him before she was hurt, but it was obvious what his intentions were. She arrived in tears and distraught. Sobia would like to use a van to pick up the young ladies and also to drive to areas further out to witness to Muslims and others. Asim would use the van for his travels to the brick kilns sites he assists.
Again, pray and give as the Lord lays on your heart for this special request.
God bless you!
Angie on behalf of Sobia and Asim in Faisalabad, Pakistan
Update #16 - Mission Trip Planning! February 20, 2022
Happy February 2022, everyone!
Please pray for our plan for a small mission trip to Pakistan in October 2022 to occur with ease! Pray for COVID restrictions for travel to ease or lift. Pray for mission team members to commit to this joyous trip. Pray for us to hear God\\'s guidance for our trip\\'s objectives. Pray for our team\\'s health, safety, and resourcing. Pray for support from Lake Ridge Baptist Church, Christian Freedom International, and individual donations and prayer support.
Pray for Sobia and Asim, the dear brother/sister team in Fbad, Pakistan, who continue to ask God to grow their ministry there for persecuted Christians and for the many Muslims who need the truth of Christ. Pray for Sobia and Asim\\'s safety, health, and guidance from the Holy Spirit.
Thank you for your prayers and support! Many blessings to you and yours, amen!
Angie Ewing
Update #15 February 10, 2022
Hello, everyone!
I hope you are safe and healthy as we continue down this path of Covid-19.
I\'m pleased to report that my church, Lake Ridge Baptist, and our partner, Christian Freedom International, are going to sponsor a mission trip to Pakistan! I will lead our kick-off/informational meeting on Sunday, February 13, 2022, to recruit team members. We hope to travel to Pakistan in October to encourage and assist Sobia and Asim as they witness to Muslims and minister to their persecuted Christian neighbors in an austere environment.
Please pray for them, for us as we plan this trip, and for Pakistan.
God bless!
Angie Ewing
Update #14 December 14, 2021
Merry Christmas 2021!
Can you believe this year is almost over? God bless you and yours as we continue to fight this COVID-19 pandemic, now with the omicron variant of the virus. Stay healthy and safe!
Asim and Sobia continue to be the hands and feet of Christ in the Muslim-majority country of Pakistan. They are witnessing to Muslims, which can be very risky there, with Pakistan's notorious blasphmey laws. Sobia just presented graduation certificates and awards to girls who completed beauty and other training. The girls and their families are very happy, because with these new skills, they can earn their own money and start supporting themselves in a dignified way. I'm so proud of Sobia's efforts with training in computers, sewing, and beauty - and her Bible classes for women and kids.
Asim's heart is with the bonded Christians who work at outlying brick kiln factory sites. They are indebted to their Muslim landowners/factory owners, so Asim is planning, in 2022, to open a small training facility where women can learn stitching/sewing. Again, this will help free those families, as they'll have a new skill they can use for an income. Brick kiln work is a dead-end situation for employees and their families. There is little to no hope. Asim wants to free as many families as he can, especially Christian families.
Please pray for Sobia, Asim, the Christians they help, and for Pakistan. Any amount of money helps too, so I encourage you to give financially, as well.
God bless you!
Angie
Update #13 PROJECT RESCUE! July 27, 2021
Support Asim's effort to free indentured servants who are caught in a cycle of poverty and debt to Muslim landowners, working hard labor at brick kiln factory sites! He needs your help to provide these families with alternate job skills, training, and education, so that they may never return to brick kiln factories again, and have dignified lives. Give today!
Update #12 House Church! March 2, 2021
Sobia and Asim realized their dream of starting a small house church last week! Praise God. They continue to secure supplies and equipment to improve the conditions in the building they are renting, and to improve the church services they will provide!
Thank you so much again, especially during COVID-19, for your prayers and financial support!
In Christ,
Angie
Update #11 January 31, 2021 January 31, 2021
Well, Happy New Year 2021, everyone!
What a CRAZY 2020, right?? Who ever thought we'd experience a global pandemic since the last one in 1918? But we did! And guess what? As tragic as this situation is, GOD IS WITH US! Please look to Him for encouragement. He loves you!!
Dear Sobia and Asim have been working hard throughout this pandemic in Pakistan! They did not quit! I was a little worried about them catching COVID19, to be honest, because they continue to minister to a lot of poor people there. They try to be safe with masks, but it's still very risky! And Pakistan does not have the level of care that we do here. So please pray for them as they minister during these uncertain times.
Meanwhile, Sobia is expanding her ministry. Not only is she providing sewing and beauty training for women, but now, she's offering basic computer skills training! She is looking for additional students, too! She's purchased a few computers and office furniture for the classes and for the administration of the ministry from your donations and prayers!
Asim is also strategizing how to provide job skills training for men and women in the brick kiln villages, so that some day, perhaps a few of those bonded laborers and their families can escape their debt to their Muslim landowners and work on their own terms. Send their kids to real schools. Have real lives that are in their control, not in the control of their employers. He also continues to construct in-ground toilets and other things for poor families. Both Sobia and Asim provide Sunday school classes and Bible training, and they carefully witness to their Muslim friends when they have a chance. This is a dicey thing to do in Pakistan where the misuse of blasphemy laws can land anyone in prison quickly.
Thank you very much for your support in prayers and funds! God bless you, stay safe, and be healthy!
In Christ's love,
Angie
Update #10 Asim and Sobia are Growing their Ministries! October 19, 2020
Dear Friends!
Asim and Sobia met with representatives from the Discipleship Training Institute (DTI) on Friday to map out a way ahead for them to provide discipleship training at no or low cost for Christians in Faislabad! This is a very exciting step for them, as they journey with Christ and learn more about Him and follow the Great Commission by obtaining tools to help them boldly share their hope and faith in Christ with everyone around them who are not currently believers. Please pray for them and give a gift of any amount to support them.
Sobia, Asim, and Nazia (a Muslim supporter of persecuted faith groups in Pakistan) need your prayers and financial support to continue educating, feeding, building, and training persecuted Christians in Pakistan to grow them in Christ and to spread His hope. God bless you!
Angie
Update #9 - Now Adding TIEL to the Pakistan Ministry! September 14, 2020
Hello friends!
I am adding The Instittue of Emerging Leaders to this ministry! TIEL is headed by my dear friend, Nazia Ansari, in Lahore, Pakistan. The school currently caters primarily to about 150 young Christian students from impoverished and often abusive backgrounds. However, TIEL may soon open to children of all faiths soon. I had the privilege of visiting TIEL in February 2020, and it's wonderful with the Biblical training, the Montessori curriculum, and discipline! This school is the only hope for most of those students to end their cycle of poverty.
Please donate today and indicate "TIEL" on your gift!
Thank you and God bless!
Angie Ewing
Update #8 August 25, 2020
In the name of our Glorious Father!
Sobia is moving along very well with establishing her new sewing center and beauty parlor to train ladies in these crafts to earn incomes. She rented 3 rooms for this. She's also continuing Bible studies and providing monthly rations to 20 widows and their kids.
Asim is providing rations and basic education to brick kiln laborers in two villages. He also continues to build washrooms/in ground toilets for those in need.
Praise God. They can only do this with your prayer and financial support. Thank you!
Angie
Update #7 - Sobia's Sewing Ministry! June 20, 2020
Sobia's ministry in Faisalabad, Pakistan update: This young lady has a huge heart for Christ! My goal is to send her and her brother Asim $2000 a month ($1000 each) so they can pursue their dreams of slowly helping the persecuted impoverished Christians they minister to, become self sufficient. Let's discuss Sobia's ministry here. In June, with your donations, she distributed rations to 20 widows (some of whom have children, too). She purchased 5 sewing machines and hired a local Muslim woman to teach the young ladies how to sew so they may earn incomes eventually. Her dream is to buy at least 5 more machines AND train interested ladies about hair and makeup, so they will have yet another option for an income source. ALL of this is done thru donations and prayer. I have not been able to send them $2000 yet for a monthly donation, but I pray this will happen soon, with your help! Here is a list of expenses in Pakistani rupees that Sobia is incurring for the month of June:
Rations, bath soap, and dish soap for 20 women: PKR 36,200
5 sewing machines: PKR 30,000
1 fan for sewing room instruction: PKR 5,000
Sitting mat for sewing room instruction: PKR 1,000
Attendance register for sewing students: PKR 200
Sewing instruction book: PKR 150
Wages for Sumbal, the Muslim sewing teacher: PKR 5000
Sewing classes are Mon-Sat, 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm Pakistani time. Sumbal is divorced with a 4-yr old son, and Sobia is helping her by hiring her to do this, praise God.
For the month of June for 20 women and starting up sewing classes, Sobia spent about PKR 77,550 or $465. Let that soak in for a minute. Consider how far this $465 is going there!!
She would like to purchase the other 5 sewing machines in July at a cost of PKR 30,000 or $180. Her monthly distribution of rations holds fairly steady at about $217. So for $400, Sobia can buy the remaining 5 sewing machines AND continue her monthly distribution of rations for the 20 widows.
Pray and give today. Thank you and God bless!
Who were you with?...
Update #6 June 11, 2020 June 11, 2020
Hello, everyone!
First and foremost, THANK YOU to all who have donated to this beautiful cause!! God bless you!! Christ commands us to care for the widows, the orphans, and the poor, and to love our neighbors, regardless of who they are. Sobia and Asim live in Pakistan where 45% of the population is impoverished. 45% And, Islam is the national religion; Christians make up 1-2% of the population and are discriminated against. Most live in Christian "colonies" which are horrible conditions, and IF these people have jobs, they are usually menial: sanitation (diving into manholes to clean sewage), street sweeping, trash collecting, maids, servants, rickshaw drivers, brick kiln laborers, and so on. Most do not receive decent educations and continue this cycle of poverty.
Good news! With the help of your donations, Sobia has procured four sewing machines with hopes of buying six more. She also found a teacher who is now teaching a group of young women and widows how to sew, so that they may be self sufficient. She is teaching them how to fish!
Sobia also wishes to teach them hairstyling and makeup so they may earn incomes this way, as well.
All of this is due to the blessings of God and your heartfelt support.
Thank you!
In Christ,
Angie
May 8, 2020 May 8, 2020
Dear brothers and sisters,
Asim and Sobia continue to tirelessly minister to their Christian friends in the Faisalabad area, despite this COVID-19 pandemic. And, Asim's wife just had a baby girl yesterday! Praise God! Please continue your support of these beautiful people who are doing God's work to expand his kingdom by providing: 1) rations for widows; 2) training for widows so they can be self sufficient; 3) latrines for poor families; 4) basic education for poor, brick kiln workers' families in the villages; 5) rations and sanitizer for the poor; and more!
God bless you for your prayers and your gifts.
Angie
29 March 2020 March 29, 2020
Hi, All! I just sent via Western Union a monthly donation to Asim Gulzar and Sobia Noreen for April's ministry work in Pakistan. Asim will be providing food, water, and sanitizer for poor Christian brick kiln workers' families in several villages. He just completed the construction of a latrine for a poor widow last week. Sobia continues to distribute rations to 15 poor widows. THANK YOU to those who donated to date! GOD BLESS YOU! Prayers and funds are encouraged and welcomed! Just click below! Amen.
My trip to Pakistan Feb 2020! February 26, 2020
Hi, everyone!
I had a fabulous experience in Pakistan last week! I visited Sobia and Asim for the first time in person - what sweet, Christ-loving, simple people!! They are truly doing God's work by distributing food to 15 widows, by building washrooms for families, by providing school supplies and volunteer teachers for about 200 children, and by providing Sunday school classes and books. The two ministries are very simple! But they are making a small, powerful impact on the lives of local Christian Pakistanis who have almost nothing. The money you send goes directly to them; I verified this. The only fees are the small GiveSendGo fee, and Western Union fee.
I visited 2 villages where the Christian families work at outdoor brick kiln factories, and we distributed backpacks to 50 kids. I also visited a brick kiln facility, where Christians are in bonded servitude to wealthy Muslim landowners. I met Sobia's 15 widows and 35 neighbor kids, and distributed bags of goodies and food to them and prayed. I met the pastor who helps them, too. They welcomed me everywhere I went with pink flowers, songs, dances, music, and hugs. Wonderful people, and they are so grateful for the money sent to them! So very grateful.
Blessings,
Angie
Happy New Year 2020!! January 6, 2020
Greetings!!
Happy New Year 2020! May you be blessed with joy and prosperity this year!
I'm very excited to announce that I will finally be flying to Pakistan in February for the first time to meet Sobia and Asim in person! I'm anxious to shake hands and hug them, and the children, widows, and families they serve there! God willing that the trip goes smoothly, I'll bring back a full assessment and share that with you, too.
God bless you!
Angie
Update #1: July 17, 2019 July 17, 2019
Hello, everyone!
Sobia and Asim continue to work tirelessly with poor families in Faisalabad who are primarily Christian, but some Muslim. They desperately need your support to fund food for the widows and orphans, constructions projects such as installing home in-ground toilets, and much more.
Prayer and donations are welcomed, thank you, and God bless!
Angie
PRAYER REQUESTS
Pray for Asim's effort to release enslaved brick kiln families!
Pray for Sobia to train women, widows, girls to learn skills in computers, sewing, and beauty/makeup, so they can earn dignified livings!
Pray for Asim and Sobia to be bold and witness to Muslims in Pakistan!
Pray for Asim and Sobia's newly established church!
