TRANSITION

This woman is Aasia Bibi.  Last fall she and a group of women were picking berries in the fields of Pakistan.  Aasia was sent for water; another woman refused the water because Aasia (a Christian) had touched it.  Words flew and Mrs. Bibi was arrested for blasphemy against the prophet Mohammed.  The Pakistani minister for minority affairs investigated the case and found her innocent.  Although Aasia Bibi was originally set to hang, she was pardoned in November, 2010.

This is Aasia's husband (who makes bricks at a kiln) and her two daughters.  The Taliban threatened retribution if their wife/mother were spared.  Within 24 hours of the warning, the Bibi family fled their home and remain in hiding.

These fundamentalist Pakistani men are in the streets protesting blasphemy reform.  They have pledged to "protect the dignity" of the Prophet and "sacrifice our lives for Muhammad".  An automatic death sentence awaits anyone convicted of blasphemy in Pakistan.  It is not uncommon for those declared innocent to still fall victim to street violence (even pulling innocents from a hospital bed) and the law has been used to attack minorities.  On New Year's Eve there was a strike by Islamist parties supporting the blasphemy law that brought Pakistan to a standstill.

This man is Salmaan Taseer.  Born into poverty, he became successful in business and lived a Western lifestyle.  Appointed Governor of the Punjab (Pakistan's most important province), Governor Taseer was a voice for moderation.  Against political advice, he went to see Aasia in jail, was photographed with her (on his right), and made public comments in favor of reforming the blasphemy laws.  This Tuesday, 01/4/11, he was killed.

This man is Mumtaz Zadri, bodyguard to Governor Taseer.  He turned and fired nine bullets at close range into the governor as they left an Islamabad restaurant.  None of the other guards moved to help their employer.  Zadri arrived at his arraignment confident in his standing with Allah and his followers, who strew rose petals in his path.

Can we thank the Lord together for stability in government and for laws 
derived from Judeo-Christian values...that are structured to protect life?  
This afternoon the gavel of the House of Representative was handed over 
in an ORDERLY passage of power.  God, you have blessed the U.S.A!