The Loss of Life: Rasheed Akther - Part 2

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No, the devil's worst nightmare. Coming back today, Rashid, you may remember from an earlier broadcast, Rashid from Pakistan. I had to bring him back. The more we talked, I understood, and what you're going to hear today is a man who not only lost his wife to a massive heart attack, but lost two daughters in the process as well, and still is on fire for Jesus. Stay tuned. You will not want to miss this show. Rashid, welcome back to the show. Thank you. Great to have you here. Great to have you with us. And hey, for our listeners out there, let me just do a quick recap from the last time we had you on the show. I mean, once we got off the air and you shared more of your story with me, I was already fascinated by your story, but as you were sharing more of it, I'm like, oh my gosh, I have to have this man back and share more of that.

I know it's going to really bless our listeners and want to be able to really just help our listeners out there, perhaps even help support in what you're doing currently over in Pakistan. So last time you were here, you shared with us that... And you were a big-time cricket player back in Pakistan in the early days, in your 20s. In your 20s, big-time cricket player, you'd won a... In the 70s. Yeah, back in the 70s, and you were in your 20s. Yeah.

Yeah. And how even you guys had even won your one... Do they call it a World Cup? Is that what it's called in cricket? Yes, World Cup.

The World Cup, you'd won that with your team, but you got a serious injury that landed you in the hospital. And I recall, you did have a three-year contract with cricket teams in England, because if I understood right, they paid more money than Pakistan, right? Yes, they paid more money.

Definitely paid more money than Pakistan. But you land in the hospital, but while you're in the hospital, this Dutch missionary comes to pay a visit. Yes. And just to contest the story, that missionary ends up leading you to Jesus, and you are supernaturally healed all at the same time, right? Yes, sir.

It's amazing. And then you announce that you've... At some point, you announce you've become a Christian, and for those who may or may not be familiar with that, when you do that in that world, they basically, which your family did, basically kick you to the curb, right? Just kick you out.

Yes, sir. In some cases, you're not my son anymore, we don't know you, all that kind of thing. This happened to me, our family and the team and everybody. I mean, I used to play in the number three, four, or five.

Right. But when they come to know the team, captain come to know, I become a Christian. So he put me eight, nine, eight, nine. So eight, nine number is not a cricket, good cricket players, so they can do that way.

So two year later, I resign and I quit that. Yeah, it reminds me of, for the American baseball fan out there, the difference between batting at the top of the order or... Exactly, here you go. Versus batting number eight or nine, and you're like, you're not good enough to bat number one or two, three, or four, so we'll put you in the bottom of the order. So it reminds me of that. So your cricket careers ended and you're now regarded, I think I remember you saying, really, I think you used the words second class citizen for becoming a Christian, right? Yes, yes.

So what's... Explain that to our listeners. Well, second grade citizen mean the Muslim got more job than Christian got job.

Okay. And that's the reason they treat you. And the second thing, Christian don't have education access, hospital access, and all those kind of things, because I pay the good price. My wife died because when I call an ambulance and my wife was sick, I mean, she has all of sudden heart attack. She was a good health.

And when I call the ambulance, and they will say that it take an hour, hour and a half. So kind of discriminated against, if you will. Exactly, exactly. Because you're a Christian, and I wanna jump into a little bit more of that as well.

In fact, let's just fast forward to really today's day and time, and I wanna be able to talk about what you're doing currently, but that part fascinates me. So if I recall, so she's discriminated against now, because you lost your wife and you lost two daughters as well, right? Two daughters. First daughter died in a natural death. She was 11.

Okay. And I dearly love her. And the oldest daughter was 16. And when the young kids, teenage kids, they play in a school and they make a lot of mess. Even you can ask them, don't do that in order or whatever way you can, but they could do that in school. And she was a good in gymnastics and she said that I'm gonna jump three of you girls.

Okay. She did it that somebody actually pushed from behind some girls. She fell over there at the floor and have a brain hemorrhage right there. So that kind of things have. And then in 2006, my wife died, all of sudden massive heart attack. And we want to go.

We want to go. And when I took my wife to hospital and doctor say she's possible. All right. Hold on for our listeners out there, just to clarify. So your 11-year-old daughter, now this is all after you've given your life to Christ. Yes. I married after I become a Christian.

Okay. So you married after that. So you made your decision to surrender your life to Jesus. You get married. You have two children. Your 11-year-old dies of natural causes. Your 16-year-old has an injury that gives her a brain hemorrhage and dies. And then your wife has a massive heart attack and she passed. So you've lost three loved ones. Which is, I mean, just... I don't know.

I have words for that. But yet through all of that, do I understand that in the midst of all of that, you began to really kind of jump into ministry and began to do crusades around Pakistan? I used to do lot. Every year I have 10 to 15 crusades in the different city and different...

In a four province. And we do there. And still I do, but I do very little nowadays. Nowadays I do very little. I used to do lot.

And last crusade I have 2011. Okay. And one is my very close friend Alan Green from South Dakota. He came over there and we have over 20,000 people each night.

Over 20,000. So my understanding is, now you can correct me if I'm wrong, but you kind of became like... And I'm gonna... This is a tall order here, Rashi. You kind of became like the Billy Graham of Pakistan in a sense, from what I understand. Yeah, you can say, but I just serve the living God and living Savior.

That's the reason the God has called me and that's my passion and that I want to do that. And until I go in the four wall graves. I hear you.

I hear you. So you're holding crusades and some of the more recent... Or 20,000 people a night are showing up to these crusades in Pakistan? Yes, sir. And stadiums? Where are we? Well, I normally do that. We can do that. YMCA ground.

Okay. YMCA ground. I do mostly YMCA ground. And I hold quite a bit of people.

But I do their... If we need to do the church boundary wall, it's an old church. It's called Anglican Church. I'm in a Episcopal Church. In US, they call it Episcopal Church.

So they have a good properties over there, so we used to use that one. But they normally don't give to the people. Now, was there much... Let me ask you, was there... Back in the days you were doing the crusades, was there... Obviously, you already mentioned, as a Christian, you're considered a second-class citizen.

Your wife doesn't get the treatment she needs when she has this massive heart attack. But in the midst of these crusades, was there persecution from the Pakistan government to have these crusades? Or they were okay with them? No, they are very much okay.

Okay. But don't speak against their religion. Don't preach against their prophet. You can preach against Allah, but can't preach against Prophet Muhammad. They are Prophet Muhammad, not our. Right.

So you can share your faith, your love for Jesus. Don't, I guess, speak in a derogatory way about Muhammad and their... Exactly.

Their Muslim religion, but just share your faith and your love for Jesus. And they're okay with that? Yes.

Okay. Let me ask you this for our listeners. And a lot of times we... Even listening, you're having crusades, 20,000 people a night are showing up, and I'm guessing you're seeing all kinds of people come to the Lord.

But let me back up just for a second. A lot of Muslim peoples comes in our crusades. Yeah. And we send them... I have a good follow-up program.

Good follow-up program. Okay. People need a Bible, we provide a Bible. Mostly Muslim people, we provide a Bible.

Okay. Well, and I know, and even your heart and your love for Jesus, if the listeners haven't already picked up on, I mean, just back up for a moment. You give your life to the Lord, your family basically ostracizes you, kicks you to the curb. Now, I do know from the last show, you eventually win your mom, dad, your whole family to the Lord. You get married, you have two children, you lose three children. But yet, Rashid, here you are all these years later, still on fire for God, still loving... Help our listeners out there who maybe have lost a loved one and are struggling in their relationship to still serve God or love God.

And in some cases, I know for a fact, some... It'd be easy and some have got mad at God because they lost loved ones, they lost a spouse or a child, a spouse or a child or something. How did you overcome that? Well, one year I have a very hard and difficult, or especially when I lost my wife.

That year is the one year I just sleep 10, 15 hour, one hour and woke up and I say, why me? Why me God? And I made a complaint. And one is my spiritual father.

He died in couple of years ago, right here in New York City, Robert Johansen. He has an evangel church and a school of urban ministry. So what I used to... I visit him and I stay with him and he said, boy, you need a deliverance. You have to come out from these things, complaining God. So he pray for me and with me and top and he lay his hand and I've been delivered and... Ever since.

Ever since and thank God I'm more fire than what I used to be. We so appreciate our listeners. If you will support this program with a financial gift of any amount, I will send you a personalized copy of my latest book, Nikita, A Tale of the Ring and Redemption.

Go to colov.net, that's colov.net, colov.net, and make your contribution today. Right. So the reality is, I mean, because in our weakness, we're all flawed, right?

We're all... Exactly. His strength is made perfect in our weakness, right?

We're all weak. And through Christ Jesus, we can do all things. Right, right. Philippians 4, 13, right? Through Jesus, we can do all things. So you did have a period of time there, you might say a season where you kind of went into that...

If you want to say aha, I would say an oh, oh is me kind of thing, but this friend helped pull you out of that and bring you to the place where you're at now where you're just on fire for the Lord. Amen. Wow. Amen. And I want to keep that and I spend... Absolutely.

Yeah. Well, and you are, I mean, I can just hear it. Something that I'm reminded of, you know, and so I've traveled to 30 different countries so far, got many more on my list where I want to go. I know you and I even talked about adding Pakistan to my list of future travel at some point in time in God's perfect timing. But one thing I've learned about people overseas and even listening to your story is when it comes to surrendering your life to Jesus, they do what I call count the cost. I mean, it's actually a message I'm currently ministering right now, counting the cost, that there is a cost to following Christ. I mean, again, recapping, people are paying attention to what we're talking about, all the things you've already been through, but... And I remember even from the last show how you really counted the cost before you made that decision to surrender your life to Jesus, because you knew there would be consequences. We've been talking about it. So there clearly is a cost, but when they make that decision, I mean, it's for real, right? I mean, there's no going back. I'm not gonna waffle on this thing here.

No, no. It's walking, and when you make a right decision and you ask the Lord, help me to do that, and Lord give you enough strength so you won't go back. You know, whatever situation, whatever circumstance, whatever things comes, but Lord will help you. I have seen that in my own life, and losing the first daughter and then second, which is Sarah, which I dearly love her. And she was so close to me, and she always say to me, I will go with you wherever you go and preach and we can preach together. And that's kind of things when you remember that in flashback, and sometimes it causes you to traumatize, because we are a human being. But God has the purpose and plan for each and every soul, each and every person, and each and every man and woman.

And once you give your life for Jesus, and if you really have committed your life to Jesus, you're not going to turn back. That's for sure. That's the key, isn't it? Yes. I mean, it's got to be like just a real deal.

Just a real deal. Genuine. Yeah. Genuine decision. Yeah. And when you go more deeper and deeper and deeper in a prayer with the Lord, and then you will know that what a taste He has and what a taste this word have.

The difference between the two. Yeah. Taste and see that God is good. Because Jesus has said that, don't become a worldly people. Right.

You know? Right. And when we become a worldly, we are away from God. And we don't need to look from the worldly things. It's a flush. And that's the reason complete gospel is this Galatians 2.20, with Christ and...

Right. I have been crucified with Christ. One of my favorite scriptures. I've been crucified with Christ. It's no longer I who lives.

Yes. It's Christ Jesus who lives in me. In this life I now live in the flesh. This is a complete gospel. Right. And when we die with Him. Yeah.

He never turned back. Right. Right.

Well, you know, you bring up an interesting point too. What would you say, because I'm convinced as I've prayed about this show, that this show is going to make its way around the world. Amen.

And so you're from Pakistan now. We know there's some countries where the gospel is not welcomed. Right. But yet there are people coming to Jesus. Let me say to you and many people and the listener and those who are listening to this Truth Network or the people. I like to request every Christian to pray for that country because that country is open for the gospels.

And it will remain open. Don't preach against their religion. But on the other hand, we do preach. When I say Jesus can make a difference in your life and no other prophet, no other man, no other person can make a difference, only Jesus died for you. So I am saying, but I'm saying in a nice and good way, you know, and don't say that Muhammad is bad or Islam is bad. Everybody knows and most Muslims know.

Most Muslims know. But I have a quite a bit convert people. You bring up a really valid point. I love what you said. Don't tear them down or preach again.

I used to say in business, you know, you don't build up your building bigger by tearing somebody else's building down. Right. Don't tell people how bad they are. Tell them how good God is. Yeah. Right.

It's what I hear you saying. Just preach the gospel. Preach the gospel.

And gospel change the life. Not a criticism. Criticism always bring a conflict, you know, and between people and all those people. And before I come here, week before, before I come here one week earlier and they have a comparative religion debate.

I don't call debate, but every month or every two months or three months they do bring Hindu, Muslim or different people. So I was there and I was talking to the man and I said very openly and I say, look at this, you Sunni people believe on five time prayer. And Shia people believe three time prayer. Shia has a different Quran and Sunni has a different Quran. What's the difference? You know, all those kind of things when you bring and truth and the people have to think about it.

And it's true. In Quran, there is a mentioned three time prayer. It's the Jewish concept and Christian concept. Well, Christian have no concept about the prayer.

Any time, any moment, any step of the way. But Jewish have a three time, the David said morning, afternoon and the evening. And the same Muhammad did that in Quran. And two time prayer they took from their Hadith.

Hadith mean that Muhammad, whatever he preach. So that's kind of thing. So you can ask question different avenue or different way. Different approach. Yeah. A different approach.

That's the best word. So, well, we just got just a few minutes left here and I do want to cover this because I know you are, you're raising funds for a school and an orphanage over in Pakistan. Yes, sir. Right? We have a hundred children, a hundred orphan kids.

A hundred orphans. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. And some of them are, are, he's a graduate and we want to build a school for the children, those who can, those who don't have access to the school. And it will be typical, typical, typical Christian school. Okay.

Christian curriculum. Yes. For the school. Yes. Okay.

And it'd be all, all grades, like from the youngest child. Yeah. Yeah.

Okay. And at what, what stage are you at right now? Like with the orphans, the hundred orphans and building the school, where are you currently at? We put our children on the foster care and then we have, then we, we bought the land.

We made the boundary wall. We have the gate and everything, and we need a $250,000. Okay.

And that's, we are looking, that's I'm trying to raise. We have a five acre land and we're going to build over there, high school and a small clinic. And plus we're going to build over there, you know, sanctuary. Okay.

So we can have to have a place of worship. And that's my passion. If the gospel don't go, I don't need to spend a $1. Okay.

So. Gospel must be go and gospel first. Gospel first. I think you said you were naming it St. Thomas.

St. Thomas High School. Because St. Thomas came, came to Pakistan. Is that right? Yes.

And first shared the gospel in Pakistan. Yes. Yes. Little history lesson there for our listeners.

Yes. And he spent a good, good time there. He spent a good time there.

Okay. Well, we're going to, we're going to do our best and I would ask the listeners out there, just be praying in agreement for Rashid. And man, you hear his story.

Are you kidding me? Just think about what he just said, you know, from the time he gave his life to Jesus, all that he has walked through and been through, because none of us are without our challenges and our trials and tribulations, but you know, here he is all these years later, still on fire, as you can tell on fire for God and taking care of orphans and in the process of building this school. And we want to do what we can to help you raise those funds. And so for the listeners, just be praying for, for Rashid. And, and I just can't thank you enough for, for really, for coming back in and sharing more of your story with us today, Rashid.

Thank you. Yeah. It's been, it's been, it's been fascinating and I'm excited to see just how God continues to use you, you know, not only, you know, not only in, in Pakistan, but even really around the world. I think you got a reach beyond just Pakistan with your story. Yes. I did some work in India, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Okay.

And Bhutan. Okay. All right.

Well, we're going to make sure that, that our listeners, if they're interested in how they can get in touch with you. So again, appreciate you coming back on the show today. Thank you. I appreciate your time and I appreciate to having me here and you and Mr. Ravi Delmore. And thank you each and every one of you.

Yeah. Truth Radio. Lord, we just thank you for Rashid and Lord, we just thank you that your, your divine hand is upon this man and that you're, you give a vision. You're going to bring the provision. So we just thank you, Lord Jesus, that, that all the provision that he needs to fulfill this vision that you have given him for the orphanage, for the clinic, for the school will be fulfilled. And we'll have him back one day to share a praise report, to be able to give you all the glory. We just thank you. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. God bless you.

Thank you. Men, I would like to challenge each of you to consider spending five days with Lex Luger and I at Man Camp, pursuing the heart of God. Ladies, if you're listening, we'll send your men home better equipped to be men of God, Godly husbands, and Godly fathers that appeals to you. Give them your blessing and encourage them to sign up today at mancamp.info. Pastors, if you would like to bring Koloff for Christ Ministries and Man Up Conference to your community, go to koloff.org and email me.

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