Hanooq Yaqub
All who would live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
To be a public Christian in Pakistan is to live dangerously. Hanooq doesn’t speak much about his suffering as a Christian before he relocated his family to England, but when asked, he recounts his experiences without bitterness.
He has been studying at Westminster for three years now and hopes to graduate soon. This is no mean feat; English is Hanooq’s third language, and he is also studying Greek and Hebrew. All this whilst leading the local Asian Fellowship, which has steadily grown to its present size of about 65. With converts from Hinduism, Sikhism and Roman Catholicism, his people’s pastoral and practical needs are profound.
How does Hanooq reflect on his time at Westminster so far? “The education here is excellent; the standard is very, very high. This is a place where Christ’s wisdom is being taught, and being spread all over the world.
“I came here to learn the wisdom of Jesus Christ; this is where characters are built in holiness and righteousness.”
“Christian values are prominent; in our friendly atmosphere we are studying the Word of God and we are being taught, and that makes a difference with other institutions.”
“The love of God is here among people, and they are teaching that love to others. I studied elsewhere for two years but I didn’t get anywhere. The atmosphere was totally different; the teachers just came and went. Here, we have a personal relationship with our professors; they are ready to help us. They are always willing to help me, no matter what questions I have.”
