Amai Gifts on Christmas 2012

Like last year this year too Amai and Ahmed Faraz- the Muslim Santa celebrated Christmas with children in Islamabad, Multan and Peshawar, by distributing Amai gifts and spreading smiles among 730 children. The first gifts distribution was held at G-9 community center organised by Pastor Arif Shalookh of Calvary Charismatic Church. Last year we celebrated the Christmas in their church in Maira Jafar, but this community had left Mehra Jafer after Rimsha Masih incident. Funkor Child art center would like to thank Raheel Raza, Fawzia Naqvi and Maria Bader for 'Amai gifts'. Amai gifts for Christmas were distributed among 40 children in Emanwan Church and 30 in Emmanuel Church in the shanty town of G7/2.

Amai's Christmas Gifts in Miskeenabad Colony, Islamabad

Amai's Christmas Gifts were distributed among 50 children in Miskeenabad Colony, Islamabad. Funkor is grateful to Raheel Raza,Maria Bader and Fawzia Naqvi for the gifts.

Amai gifts for Christmas were distributed among 40 children in Emanwan Church and 30 in Emmanuel Church in the shanty town of G7/2.

Amai gifts for Christmas were distributed among 40 children in Emanwan Church and 30 in Emmanuel Church in the shanty town of G7/2.

Amai & Santa in Peshawar celebrating Christmas

Amai and Santa visited Peshwar on 22nd December to distribute Amai gifts for Christmas. 130 gifts were distributed among students of St.Thomas School in Lahori Gate, inner city of Peshawar. 170 gifts were distributed among children in the community center near Islamia College where the Christian community had organised a Christmas event. The children were very excited and the women wanted to meet Ahmad Faraz the Muslim Santa. They cooked special shami kabebs for him because according to them it was the first time a Muslim was part of their Christmas celebrations. Due to the assassination of the veteran politician of Peshawar Bashir Bilour, in a terrorist attack Ahmad Faraz had to leave Peshawar in a haste. Funkor would like to thank Raheel Raza, Fawzia Naqvi, Maria Bader and Maham Ali for making it possible to distribute gifts among children

Amai Celebrates Christmas in Multan

Amai (The Bird of Light) celebrated Christmas in Multan with the children of Society for the Promotion of Education and Awareness (SEAP Pakistan) at the National Secretariat of SEAP Pakistan. Rev. Fr. James Samuel (Parish Priest, La Salle Parish, Multan) was the chief guest along with Muhammad Jamil (Executive Director, TPO), Mr. Amir John Malik (Director, PDF), Mr. Naeem Iqbal Naeem (Executive Director, YPO) & Mr. Atif Saeed (Youth Coordinator, SEAP Pakistan) were the guest of honor. Rev. Fr. James Samuel O.P. offered prayer and Santa Clause from Funkor Childart Centre, Islamabad presented Christmas Gifts to100 children and their parents. Later Christmas Cake cutting ceremony was held and all the Representatives of different faiths took part in it. The program ended with a grand dinner party. ,

Gifts for girls

Amai in Sarhadi Lutheran Church in Mardan

Funkor Childart center distributed Amai gifts to children in St. Paul Lutheran Church in Mardan, which was burnt down by religious extremists on 21st September 2012.

In the past , we visited this church in 2009, with members of Civil Society Islamabad, Sara Mahmood, Ghazala Minallah and a young student Tajreen Midhat, to help the Internally Displaced Christians. The objective was to personally deliver the donations raised by friends and family of Tahira Abdullah, Humaira Masihuddin and Foqia Sadik Khan. Funkor distributed Sadako’s Prayer books and organised painting session with the traumatized children. The children from Christian and Hindu families had fled their homes from Swat, Buner, and other places where the army operation had started against the terrorists. On the International Day of Peace this place of worship was was burnt down. 

We wanted to express our grief and sorrow with Bishop Peter Majeed . The soft spoken Bishop was devastated, a resident of Mardan he speaks Pashto fluently. It was heart wrenching looking at young Tabeel, Sneha and Abraham among the wreckage of their sacred space. They seemed so vulnerable. With tears in his eyes, Father Ghulam Masih told us how his 19 year old son was dragged by the mob to be killed but it was the police at the cost of being beaten up badly themselves, saved the young Christian boy.

Maham Ali a student of Bahria University had raised funds for the Mardan Church with donations from Pakistanis like Amna Paracha,  Ayesha Ijaz Khan,Osman Waheed Khalid,Sharmeen Ali, Neelofur Tiwana, Sana Mahmud and Amna Iqbal. Maham had previously raised funds for Pervez Masih Shaheed, the Christian janitor of Islamic University who was killed by stopping suicide bomber from entering the cafeteria and in the process saving the lives of 200 lives of young students. Maham mobilized her young friends to help the flood victims in 2010 as well.

Amai gifts were distributed by Maham Ali among the children.