Photos: Fr Pat Raleigh SSC
In the dry, sun-scorched villages of southern Pakistan, amid cracked earth and makeshift homes, a quiet resilience blooms - most clearly seen in the eyes of the children.
These are the children of the Parkari Kohli, one of Pakistan’s most marginalised ethnic communities, who live under conditions marked by poverty, exclusion, and generational hardship. And yet, when we arrive in their villages, they come running - barefoot, beaming, with arms outstretched in welcome. Their joy is disarming, their spirit unbroken.
Pakistan’s population has grown to more than 252 million people, with nearly 50% under the age of 18, making it one of the youngest countries in the world demographically. Yet over half of its children are at risk from poor development. For communities like the Parkari Kohli, these figures take on urgent meaning. The lack of access to healthcare, food, and education leaves children particularly vulnerable. They are, quite literally, at the receiving end of poverty.
During one of our pastoral visits, I met a young girl named Angelina. She was only three years old, but her frailty was gut-wrenching. She could not walk and barely responded to those around her. Her eyes seemed to carry an invisible burden. When I asked whether she was in pain, she gave a slight nod, too weak to speak. A local doctor later confirmed what we feared - Angelina was severely malnourished, a condition that was impairing her growth and development. She was admitted to a government-run hospital and enrolled in a feeding programme.
Weeks later, we returned to the village. Angelina ran out to greet us. She was playing with the other children, her cheeks rounder, her smile radiant. She had been given a second chance - but so many others were not as lucky. Visit any village cemetery, and you’ll see row upon row of tiny graves, stark reminders of lives lost too soon.
Despite the overwhelming challenges, what continues to surprise and move us is the capacity for joy that the children possess. They remain oblivious to the full reality of their poverty. In their innocent eyes, the world is full of wonder. Their eagerness to take part in liturgical celebrations is contagious. Whether it’s through song, dance, or acting out scenes from the Gospel, they are fully present in the moment, their voices rising in unison under the open skies. These gatherings are not just religious rituals; they are moments of pure hope.
But as missionaries, we are called to see what lies ahead. Inflation continues to rise, and the increasing severity of weather patterns makes farming - a primary livelihood for most families - more precarious than ever. For struggling parents, putting food on the table each day becomes the priority. Education is often seen as a luxury, something to pursue “later”, if at all. But later may be too late.
That is why education has become a central focus of our mission in Pakistan. Recently, the Columbans assumed responsibility for a new parish in the Diocese of Hyderabad, Sindh Province. It spans 12 villages and serves around 300 families, the majority of whom are Parkari Kohli. Within this new parish are six primary schools - basic, under-resourced, but full of potential. These schools have been entrusted to the care of the Columbans, and we see them as vital to our work of mission.
Our vision is simple but ambitious: to create schools that are not just places of instruction but sanctuaries of growth, possibility, and faith. We are working to improve the infrastructure - safe classrooms,
clean water, proper books, and adequate materials. We are training teachers to use effective, compassionate methods that are culturally sensitive. We are also encouraging parents to see themselves as stakeholders in their children’s education, despite the daily financial struggles they face.
We believe the children of these villages belong in the classroom - not in the fields. Our hope is that they grow up proud of their identity, confident in their abilities, and free from the generational cycle of poverty and servitude that has bound their families for so long.
Of course, this work is not easy. It requires time, commitment, and resources. But every small victory - every child who returns to school, every parent who chooses to invest in their child's future - is a step towards lasting transformation.
In Matthew’s Gospel 19:14, Christ reminds us, Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them. As missionaries, we are reminded daily that the Kingdom of God often begins in the smallest of places - in a rural school, in the soft voice of a child learning to read, or in the joyful cry of a child who can finally walk again.
This is the Gospel in action. This is our mission. And it is one we cannot undertake alone. With your prayers and support, we will continue to walk alongside these children - towards a future rooted in dignity, education, and enduring hope.
Columban Fr Louie Ybaňez lives and works in Pakistan.
Listen to "Hope beyond the fields"
Related links
- Read more from The Far East - September/October 2024
