Pakistani Muslim artist converted to Christ and cured of cancer
Islamabad (AsiaNews) - "Since I converted to Christ, my life is full of love and truth. Today I want to contribute to the work of proclamation, painting and creating representations of Christian statues of Jesus and Mary. It is a spiritual comfort after a radical change. " This is what John Peter (names and places are fictitious to protect people, ed) tells AsiaNews. The Pakistani artist converted to Christianity from Islam and has faced years of persecution and difficulties of all kinds because of his decision. Among others, stigma and violence from his family of origin - Muslim - and serious diseases such as cancer and hepatitis B, from which he has since recovered.
Born
and raised in a wealthy and influential Sunni Muslim family - his father was a landowner
in Karachi (the southern province of Sindh) - since his early years Sheikh
Ilyas Ahmed was interested in Christianity, he became friends with several
young members of the religious
minority. Even
before converting, he attended masses and liturgies during special holidays.
The
decisive encounter took place in 2010 during a long period of hospitalization
due to serious health problems. First a broken left arm, then the discovery of
a tumor and hepatitis B. He
met Sister Maimal, a missionary from Malaysia, who offered daily prayers for
the sick and suffering. Despite
the expensive treatments paid for by his father, including a trip to Dubai, his
condition did not improve and he continued to suffer frequent and serious relapses.
After
meeting with the religious sister, John Peter decided to go on a pilgrimage to
the Shrine of Our Lady in Punjab, to seek the her grace in the hope of healing and renew his promise to convert to
Christianity.
On
his return he decided to abandon Islam and embrace faith in Jesus Christ. He was baptized
by the missionary priest Fr. James
Francis in a church in the city and changed his name. He
remains steadfast in his purpose, despite the beatings, abuse and humiliation
inflicted by family members, who take him to witchdoctors , convinced that he was under the influence of
some mysterious spell. He
bore the humiliation with patience, aggravated by the disease that undermined his
health conditions. Finally,
in December 2010, he managed to escape and find shelter in the Punjab with some
Christian families, who welcomed and comforted him.
Over
the past three years, he has succeeded in overcoming his difficulties and
sufferings of all kinds, with the help of the Gospel and the comfort of faith
in Christ. The
pilgrimage to the Marian shrine also led to the miracle of his being healed from
cancer and hepatitis B, as confirmed recently the doctors: "In September
2012, after the check-up, the doctors told me that I was cured. Indeed I
also stopped vomiting. God has heard all my prayers. I now create statues and
paintings, and I will live forever in the Church. And I pray the Lord that all
Pakistani Christians may be saved and promote the message of peace and love as taught
by Jesus Christ. "
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