by fr. Elbert Balbastro

The testimony of Fr Elbert Balbastro, a young Filipino priest of the St Columba missionaries in the province of Sindh. ‘Meeting generous and authentic people who, despite having little, share what they have with all their heart, has revealed to me the joy of serving the Lord’.

 

Karachi (AsiaNews) - Pakistan is a challenging and in many ways tiring missionary frontier for Christians. But it is also a place where one encounters the joy of the Gospel. This is what Fr. Elbert Balbastro, a young Filipino missionary ordained in 2022 and who in the Pakistani province of Sindh is experiencing the very first steps of his ministry,recounts in this testimony that we republish from the magazine of the missionaries of St Columban.

Like any other vocation or calling, priestly life is filled with challenges, difficulties, and struggles. Yet, amidst the toils and rough roads on my missionary journey, I always maintain unwavering optimism. Beyond those humps and bumps of life lies a profound joy that can only be found in serving God. Each encounter with this joy means a fulfilling way of life. The joy can radiate as a smile on my face, igniting the fuel and inspiration required to minister in the vineyard of the Lord.

After four months of an Urdu language refresher course in the mountains, I was tasked to explore and immerse myself in the parishes of Badin and Khipro, in the Hyderabad diocese, Sindh Province, an area served by Columbans in the city of Karachi, to help me in discerning which parish I wanted to be assigned to. We were instructed to spend a week in each of these three parishes.

My journey started in Badin parish, and it proved to be a meaningful and joyful encounter. Meeting the people and listening to their stories of hardships and perseverance despite their over-whelming poverty was a moving experience. We visited a Sindhi Beel colony where our Christian brothers and sisters reside, lacking many necessities. They live on the land of the landlords with very poor housing conditions. Their houses are made of wood, straw and mud and all of them live crowded together in a very narrow space.

Arriving in this seemingly remote house, we checked on the children who were ready for their First Communion. After the catechist gave instructions and catechesis to the children, we prayed together and bid our farewell. As we prepared to leave, the woman in the house invited us to dinner. She said that they caught lots of fish from the river, and she would like to share them with us.

Hearing her sincere invitation, I felt a pinch in my heart. Despite their simplicity and poverty and that this could be their only meal for the day, especially for her children, she willingly offered to share it with us. This was the first instance of joy I encountered on mission. Encountering these generous and authentic people, who, despite having little, wholeheartedly share what they have, revealed the joy of serving God.

The second stop where joy awaited me was Khipro Parish, where I served for a year during my FMA (First Mission Assignment) as a Columban seminarian. Five years later, upon my return to Pakistan, I decided to reconnect with the people I served during my FMA years. Re-visiting the villages and reuniting with the people I knew and worked with brought back many happy memories. Yet, what really gave me a deeper sense of joy was seeing their lives improving and seeing them empowered.

Khipro Parish is home to the Parkari Kholi tribe, a community deemed a lower caste in society. To my surprise, I saw significant progress in their lives. Some of my former students at Fr Cyprian High School had become teachers, while others were studying to become nurses, and a few had entered the seminary. Reflecting on our shared journey in the past and observing how they had improved their lives in the present brought immense joy to my heart.

It is indeed evident that the Holy Spirit is guiding them towards embracing their humanity and preserving their dignity. Though labelled as lower-caste persons, they are asserting their rights to self-improvement, proving themselves to be dignified members of society.

My last stop was in one of the parishes in Karachi, where Columban Fr Dan O’Connor and I visited a community known as Ghugir Patik. The Christians in this area are of the Parkari Kholi tribe from interior Sindh, who migrated to Karachi City for work. They have rented houses in that area, and most are in factories. Every Saturday, Fr Dan presides at a Parkari Mass for them.

We gathered in a small house for the Mass at around eight in the evening. Despite the cramped space, heat, and multitude of mosquitos, the room felt warm due to the presence of the people. They were attentive throughout the Mass, participating actively. What really impressed me most was the choir, which came well-prepared and equipped with a complete set of instruments for singing.

After the Mass, I had a chat with one of the members of the choir. He told me, “Fr Ji, did you know that we almost did not have someone to play the tabla because we didn’t expect to have a Mass this Saturday? However, we managed somehow to find someone to play it because we offer all these to Jesus, our God.”

I thought, “Wow! What an amazing faith this man has”. It dawned on me that what he said was so powerful because the community poured their heart out, offering their faith and gratitude to God. A smile not only on my face but also in my heart was so evident at that moment.

Reflecting on this incident, I called that faith an “empowered faith”, where the deep and profound faith of the people empowers them to find ways to reciprocate God’s goodness by offering their praises and talents for the greater glory of God.

Joy! It is a feeling that is difficult to find, feel or experience sometimes. Yet, I firmly believe that joy lies in every struggle, difficulty, and challenge. While we may not always be aware of it, I discovered that joy is easily found if only our hearts are open to serving God.

For me, joy comes in different forms and shapes in my every encounter with the people I serve and meet. My experiences across these three parishes have reminded me that the joy of the Gospel can be experienced in journeying with people.

I may face many uncertainties and sorrows in the mission, but I know that joy will unfailingly prevail, revealed to me by God. My task is simply to be open to it.

*Columban Fr Elbert Balbastro lives and works in Pakistan.