Christmas Season 2021: Rejoice in Christ’s birth - ACN

In his Christmas message, the Head of Press and Information at Aid to the Church in Need UK (ACN), John Pontifex, recounts the story of 14-year-old Maira Shahbaz, a Pakistani Christian girl at risk of death for apostasy.

Maira was walking near her home in Madina Town, in the Punjab province in April 2020, when she was bundled into a car at gunpoint, and forced to convert to Islam and marry her abductor. 

“Maira Shahbaz knows that the transforming power of Christ, born in a stable, is stronger than the forces of hatred that are incarcerating her. She knows that Jesus came to set her free," says Mr Pontifex.

Aid to the Church in Need is an international Catholic pastoral aid organization, which offers financial support to over 5,000 projects in more than 140 countries worldwide.

This Christmas, the UK office of ACN is funding 36 projects in more than 20 countries.

In Syria, the charity is providing 25 thousand warm coats for children across the country.

The Pontifical charity has also dedicated 2021 to helping Christian women and girls suffering forced conversions and forced marriage.