Pakistan (MNN)—In May of 2011, under orders from U.S. President Barack Obama, special forces tracked down and killed Osama bin Laden—the leader of terrorist group al Qaeda and person behind the September 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center—in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
“Osama bin Laden, he designed multiple terror attacks on America—the Twin Towers, and many more—and when he went into hiding, he went into Abbottabad in Pakistan. It’s one of the most difficult areas to get to,” reflects Mission Cry President Jason Woolford.
The Pakistani government, recognizing the area had the potential of being turned into a shrine to Osama bin Laden as a martyr to his cause, has since razed the compound bin Laden was hiding in and leveled the site completely, leaving only a dirt field.
Now, Woolford—a former marine—works to bring God’s Word to the area.
“A few years back, I was preparing for a message, and I was reading the people that lived around the compound wanted to do a statue, a memorial to Osama bin Laden, and that bothered me,” says Woolford. “I said, ‘You know, Lord, that’s not their dirt. It’s not Osama bin Laden’s dirt. This is your dirt. You created it, and I want to take that land back for your kingdom.’”
Mission Cry, which distributes free Christian literature to spiritually needy people, sent team members into the area and distributed 2,000 Bibles to homes near the compound’s former location.
“We saw children on the compound that wanted to be the next Osama bin Laden decide to get saved, and people baptized,” says Woolford. “And you know, this has cost them dearly. It has cost them family members. It has cost them their jobs. But these people have understood the Gospel.”
Recently, Mission Cry returned to the area to conduct a discipleship training, using the ministry’s G300 Discipleship Program, which walks Christ followers through what it looks like to be a believer, from the time they are saved until the time they meet God.
Photo courtesy of Mission Cry
“We went back to remind those believers there that we haven’t forgotten about them—God hasn’t forgotten about them. Our team was welcomed back with open arms, and we did further Bible distribution, so we continue to see God moving.”
One woman shared with the Mission Cry team that she had been praying for a Qur’an for years and never received one—but when she was given a copy of the Bible, she knew its message was true.
Although the area is not the hot bed of extremism it once was, it can still be dangerous for Mission Cry team members.
“We’re going and taking the word of God and giving it away absolutely for free, and training up disciples, and going to areas that other people just do not and will not go, because of the danger of it,” notes Woolford.
However, for their team, the risk is worth the work they’re accomplishing.
“We have seen something miraculous happening there, and so we can’t stop, and our team doesn’t want to stop.”
Pray for the wisdom of Mission Cry’s leadership, the safety of their team on the ground, and the work God is doing in Abbottabad.
Learn more about partnering with Mission Cry at missioncry.com/donation-form/.
Header photo courtesy of Mission Cry.
