Pakistan: A Mom Goes to Jail Print E-mail
Asia Bibi has a husband and two daughters, Isha, age 13, and Ishem, 10. Asia worked on a farm near their home in Pakistan. Her boss was a Muslim, and so were the other women who worked on the farm with her. In fact, only three Christian families lived in the whole town. Everyone else was Muslim.

One day at work, the Muslim women told Asia about Islam, the religion of Muslims. Asia told the Muslims that Christ died on the cross for our sins and that he rose again and is alive. She told them that Muhammad, the man who started Islam, was not a true prophet.

The Muslim women were angry at Asia, and they hit her. Some Muslim leaders wanted to make Asia ride through the village on a donkey as punishment.

Instead, the police put Asia in jail. It is against the law in Pakistan to insult Islam or Muhammad. Muslim leaders insisted that Asia had broken the law.

Isha, Ishem, and their father missed Asia very much. One day, officials let them visit her for about 15 minutes before she went to a court hearing.

Asia told her visitors that she prayed every day at 3 a.m. in the jail. She thanked God that the guards had not hurt her. But she missed her family very much.

Ishem asked her mother again and again, “Mama, when are you coming back home?” But Asia did not know the answer.

Isha cried and hugged her mother. Muslims believe women should be well-covered, and Asia had a veil on her face. “I want to see your face,” Isha said. “Remove this cover.”

Relatives of the family took care of Isha and Ishem while their mother could not. Christians around the world wrote letters to Asia to encourage her.

“Asia is strong in faith,” said a Christian who visited her. “Her eyes were hopeful.”

You can read updates about Asia and her family and learn more about writing to Christian prisoners at www.prisoneralert.com.