“Lord, I don’t understand why I am going through so many problems. I just can’t take it anymore. Maybe I would be better off if I just ended my life.”
My name is Aamir. I live in Lahore, Pakistan. The thoughts above kept going through my mind back in 2003. As a schoolteacher, what I earned was not enough to support my wife and two small children. I was depressed and contemplating suicide, but the Holy Spirit spoke two messages to my heart. The first: what about drug addicts? They are the true lost — physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The second message: helping drug addicts would be an avenue to reach Muslims with the gospel.
It was like the Lord told me to quit feeling sorry for myself and look around at those in far worse condition than me. Even though I had completed Bible school, I had not felt a calling to be a pastor. But I started going to the areas of town where many drug addicts could be seen living in the streets — hungry, wallowing in filth, strung out on drugs. I started talking to them, getting to know them, and sharing the gospel. I did street evangelism among them for the next seven years, helping as I could. Many came to faith in Jesus.
In 2007, on a trip to South Korea, I was introduced to Free Will Baptists and joined them. I returned home and started a house-church in a room of my family’s home with those saved through the evangelistic street ministry. I may not have been a good preacher at the time, but we had a great worship team and prayer team.
In our street ministry, I met two brothers, 15 and 18 years old. They were orphans and had gotten into drugs. We brought them to our house church and spent much time praying for their deliverance. Once again, the Spirit spoke to me. We needed to do more for these brothers and many other addicts. Despite the lack of funds, I rented a small, two-room house nearby. I asked our church members to contribute by preparing two meals a day for those we brought in. This is how the drug rehabilitation center started in 2010.
This tiny ministry has become a lighthouse on a hill. Word spread we had a drug rehabilitation center, and we started receiving many patients. We rented a larger house in 2012, and medical professionals started volunteering. The rehab center was named “Mera Beta” which means “My Son” in the Urdu language. We take care of physical and emotional needs, but above all we openly preach the gospel. Several times a day, the Word of God is read and explained. Both nominal (cultural) Christians as well as Muslims have come to faith in Jesus while going through drug detox.
This ministry is one of my greatest passions. It is the most effective way I have run across to share the gospel with Muslim patients and family members. They are open to hear what we have to say. This is very different from the rest of our society. We are surrounded by Muslims who are often hostile to the gospel.
The center treats around sixty people a month. Some families of those going through treatment contribute part of the expenses. However, we still struggle to pay rent and to provide bedding, medical care, and nutritious meals.
We want to develop vocational training that will allow participants to learn a trade and make a living. Many young people get involved in drugs because they are poor, are uneducated, experience discrimination, and have no hope for the future. Helping them learn a trade restores their dignity and hope.
The story above was taken from an interview conducted with Aamir. The house church he started in his home soon occupied the whole ground floor of the house. Eventually, the house which Aamir inherited from his parents was demolished, and a lovely three-story church building was erected in its place. Pastor Aamir has also sponsored church planting in other areas of the city and other villages in the province. Under his leadership, independent churches have joined Free Will Baptists. A network of 60-plus places of worship has expanded into a movement, penetrating neighboring provinces.
In 2024, Aamir led the group to launch the Vocational Training Institute. It teaches sewing/tailoring, male and female hair styling, other trades, and English conversation. Students are impacting their community by using what they learn to serve the poor.
A troubled Christian, overwhelmed by the responsibilities of supporting his family and considering ending his life, listened to the touch of the Holy Spirit to consider those who were worse off than he. Following the leading of the Spirit, this hurting servant of the Lord obeyed and went searching for the lost, doing what he could to help others find salvation, hope, and freedom from addiction.
From street evangelism to church planting, to starting a drug rehabilitation center and a vocational institute, to leading a growing movement of multiplying churches to reach a spiritually dark place in the world — this is the result of someone willing to obey the bidding of the Spirit. This is the result of someone recognizing it’s about the gospel!
About the Writer: Kenneth Eagleton is director of global parnerships at IM, Inc. He and his wife Rejane served as IM missionaries in Ivory Coast and Brazil for nearly four decades.
Community IMpact Efforts
in Global Partnerships
One of IM’s Six Major Tasks is to “minister to people in need by helping alleviate suffering through spiritual, social, economic, and physical change….” Following are some initiatives that demonstrate God’s love in countries around the globe. As physical and socio-economic needs are met, people encounter the truth of the gospel.
Food and Clothes Distribution to the Poor or Sick: Brazil, India, Bangladesh, Panama, Pakistan,
Central Asia, Cuba
Free Marital Counseling: Brazil
Provide Poor or Orphaned Children With School Supplies/Expenses: Brazil, Ivory Coast
Vocational Training and Tools, Micro-Loans for Small Businesses: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Ivory Coast
Provide Wells for Clean, Safe Drinking Water:
India, Central Asia, Pakistan
Christian Schools:
Ivory Coast, Pakistan
Medical Ministries (hospital, clinic, medicines):
Ivory Coast, Cuba
Distribute Christmas Gifts to Children:
Brazil, Panama, Central Asia
Minister to Children (after school care, Hope Centers,
hygiene, birth certificates for school):
Argentina, Central Asia, Ivory Coast, Panama, India
Assist Victims of Violence or Persecution, Refugees:
India, Bangladesh, Pakistan
