The train rounds a bend. The rest of the cars appear one by one, all tied to one another far into the distance It comes as a surprise to be tied to things so far back Nazım Hikmet, Human Landscapes from My Country We moved from town to town during my childhood, but I was … Continue reading Passages Through Pakistan – An Excerpt
Before my family moved to Pakistan, prayer was relegated to the Sunday morning church service, the evening service and Wednesday night prayer meeting at McLauren Baptist Church. Our family had “family devotions–a daily time for short Bible readings and prayers–and we prayed before each meal. However my perspective on prayer was largely first formed … Continue reading On Prayer and a Pakistani Childhood
“My sons were flowers, borrowed from God.” grieving father to Reuters correspondent @mehreenzahra. “Next to a tiny body bag, there is dried blood on this hospital floor. Trampled by footsteps of crazed parents, resolute attendants #Peshawar“ In the midst of work emails, a cup of coffee, and trying to plan my day the news of the … Continue reading Mourning for Pakistan
“It seems that violence is the only lens through which ordinary people in Pakistan are viewed in the media. Even if it’s a story about a Pakistani rock band, it will be set in the context of a violent society. There’s nothing false about the perspective. Pakistan has a problem with violence. Violence is used … Continue reading Beyond the Headlines – Pakistan Zindabad
In less than three decades the goal to eradicate polio had become a public health success story. Polio is a disease that comes on suddenly, cripples quickly and kills indiscriminately. There is no cure and at the peak of the polio epidemic millions were affected and killed in every country. The disease brought fear to … Continue reading Public Health, Polio and Pakistan
Today is the 65th Anniversary of Pakistan’s Independence Day, the day in 1947 that marked Pakistan’s entry into the world as an independent nation, separate from India and the British Raj. Growing up the holiday was marked for us with a day off from school and a festive atmosphere. While today I sit in an … Continue reading Celebrating Pakistan – Pakistan Zindabad
With a roar of applause Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy arrived on the Oscar stage, her beautiful shalwar/kameez glittering under the lights. She took the Oscar for the Best Documentary (Short Subject) for a film that tells the story of Dr. Muhammad Jawad, a British-Pakistani plastic surgeon who works to restore physical and emotional health of Pakistani women burned in … Continue reading First Pakistani on the Oscar Stage
MARILYN R. GARDNER 