Happiness as Shama and Shazad’s children move on from the murder of their parents.

The children of Shama and Shahzad and their grandfather receive regular spiritual and emotional counselling form Mehwish Bhatti.

By Mehwish Bhatti

On my most recent visit to the children of  Shama and Shahzad I received a very warm welcome,  the children have come to know me as their auntie and rushed to hug me, an action that I always find overwhelming.

The children have grown in confidence and look so much better as time goes by, when I first saw them soon after the murder of their parents they were malnourished and living in extreme poverty.  The children look fuller in their faces and their latest accommodation, which they moved into last month is much better then the temporary house.  We prayed together and I asked the children about how nanny was with them.  Sonia, age 4 said:

“I really love nanny, she makes tasty food and plays hide and seek with me. When I hurt myself she picks me up and gives me a garam jappy (warm cuddle).”

It was clear the children and the nanny have bonded well together.

I spoke to the grandfather and he is very positive about the future of the children, he feels the nanny we provide is building a great rapport with the children, and has been able to provide the gap in their lives as the loss of their mother left them without the nurturing they require during their formative years. They still ask questions about their mother and father but have come to terms with the fact they are gone, and gain solace that the parents are now in heaven with no more pain and celestial bodies. 

He did highlight however, a skin condition that Sonia, 4,  was suffering with.  I recognised the skin condition immediately as it is one that occurs due to the heat in Pakistan.  We have instructed our nanny to take the children to the local doctor and will provide any medicines required.  

Although the new house provided to the family is an improvement from their last temporary shelter there is a need for more suitable furnishing.  The children are all sharing one bed and the grandfather sleeps on a rough Charpai (string bed).  The internal environment is very hot due to a lack of fans and the family could do with assistance in this area.  Some chairs and a dining table would also help this family who are currently eating from the beds they are using, which is not an ideal solution.

I discovered the children have no summer clothes and are wearing the same outfits throughout the year, which could be a reason for the skin allergy Sonia suffers with.  However, you could see they were struggling.  I called my head office and the BPCA authorised the purchase of some summer clothes. Pleased with this result I took the children out to the local market to help me choose their new outfits.


Suleman, the eldest boy age 7, asked me to buy him some sunglasses so I let him try them on.  He looked so cool in them that I felt obliged to buy them for him. The children did so well on the day out with me and were immaculate in their behaviour so I bought them some ice-creams.  Suleman said:

“I love my new clothes and now I do not feel so hot and stuffy.  I am studying hard as I want to make Auntie Mehwish and everyone else proud of me when I grow up.”  As he munched away at his ice-cream.

The children and the grandfather were extremely grateful and we hope to continue our assistance for them going forward.  We promised the nanny for six months and will ensure our service runs to this date, however if you feel it is a service we should continue we will need your financial support to do so. 

Alison Houghton, Trustee for the BPCA, said:
“On hearing about the horrendous fate of the parents and the way that Suleman, Sonia and Poonam were left orphaned and emotionally scarred, I was horrified and deeply upset.  It is heartening to see them beginning to thrive and heal due to the loving care of their nanny, an improved living environment, and the generosity of our donors.  Please join me in praying that God will continue His healing work and that He will continue to bless and provide for them.”

If you have been moved by this story and  would like to donate towards the work of the BPCA that serves many victims like these, then please use  these bank details:

Payee: BPCA
Sort Code: 20-44-22
Account number: 43163318
Bank: Barclays
Ref: Love for Pakistani Christians (Donations specifically for this family should be referenced: Love for Shama and Shahzad) 

Alternatively if you would like to send a one off donation please use the pay-pal facility on the top right hand corner of our blog, our pay pal email address is info@britishpakistanichristians.co.uk for those of you who need to make international Pay-pal to Pay-pal transfers. 

Any cheques should be made payable for the BPCA to our address: 57 Green Lane, Ilford, Essex, IG1 1XG, England. 

With your support we hope to change the lives of millions of Christians in Pakistan.

The girls love the nanny team

All smiles