Remembering Shahbaz Bhatti

I just arrived in Turkey a few hours ago, tired from an overnigt flight, but happy to be in the sunshine and to be connecting with old friends, a network of Christians concerned for the witness of Christ in the countries of Central Asia. I opened my Facebook, as very self-respecting technocrat has to do these days within a few minutes of arriving anywhere (!), and the first chat message I saw was from Ken Mwangi, in Kenya. (Thank you Ken.) He began, "I weep and mourn for the work here in Africa", and then goes on to remind me of the sacrifice - unto death in many cases - of the missionaries who brought the gospel to his country. We reflected together how the blood of the martyrs has so often been the seed of the church.

Last time I was at this same gathering I shared fellowship with a great Christian leader from Dagestan, Pastor Artur. He is not here today. He was gunned town in his home town over a year ago. One more martyr from a region which has given more blood for the life of the church than any other during the past century. It is hard to be here without Artur, but we rejoice in the church he planted.

These musings are appropriate today, on 2 March. Today it is exactly a year since Shahbaz Bhatti (pictured above), the only Christian serving in the Cabinet of the Government of Pakistan was gunned down - on 2 March 2011 - as he left his mothers house. Today I will not forget Shahbaz Bhatti, Pastor Artur, Bishop Janani Luwum and so many more. We weep but we rejoice in the blood of the martys.