BPCA Lead Officer Mehwish Bhatti with parishioner Ashraf Masih whose foot was injured by ball bearings during the blast
After a terrible bomb attack killed 9 people and injured 62 others at Bethel Memorial Methodist Church on Sunday 17th December (click here),
many thought the church would not resume services the following week (click here).
However, brave young men from the church cleared and cleaned the blood of family members and friends as they restored the church to a level appropriate
to hold a service (click here).
BPCA Officer Mehwish Bhatti travelled 1000 km to visit victims who BPCA had been helping through Pastor Adil from the local vicinity to be with them
for the Christmas Eve service. She travelled form Islamabad and had to attend the service without her husband, because he was his flight from Lahore
was delayed due to heavy fog.
Although normally the church has a strong core of 400 in it’s congregation, on Christmas Eve a brave 250 parishioners turned out. Nearly every member
of those killed in the violence or those injured were in attendance, barring a few who could not make it due to the condition of their health. People
prayed, worshipped and wept together.
Mehwish was the only non-church member, non-politician and non-clergy to be interviewed by any TV channel. Duniya and others felt obliged to interview
her as they had heard of the wonderful work she had been doing for victims of the attack, through the BPCA.
God was merciful and allowed her husband to join her the following day so they could share some of Christmas together including the Christmas Day
Service at the same church. A 36 hour delay for their return flight to Islamabad meant that the couple could meet many of the victims personally. However
the last 18 hours of her visit were spent waiting at an airport. Even then the couple thanked God that it was an opportunity for them to share time
with one another and so many beleaguered brothers and sisters.