Dear Friends,

Peace,
I wish you all a Merry Christmas and New Year. The Christmas season has brought a very good gift by the state government of the Punjab. The Chief Minister of the state provided subsidized food articles in 26 cities of 17 districts of the province. These were demanded by the Christians as were provided during the Month of Ramadan 2009.

This mass action has been take first time in the history of Pakistan where thousands of poor Christians have been benefited from these “Christmas Bazaars”.

Pray for the rulers listening and serving the poorest of the poor.

In peace,
Ashfaq Fateh
Pakistan

Peace,

St. Peter’s High School wishes all the brothers and sisters a very happy and Blessed Advent Season 2009. This evening a Eucharistic mass will be led by Rev. Fr. Simon. Candles will be lit. Students have prepared special liturgy. Students will have special intentions for the peace and harmony in Pakistan and around the world. There are some intentions from International brothers and sisters and benefactors.

In peace,
Ashfaq Fateh
Principal
St. Peter’s High School,
Toba Tek Singh

We marked Thanksgiving day at Peace House to honor our American friends. We have prayed for our benefactors and thank you so much.

Two US Missionaries visited Pakistan for two weeks earlier this month. On November 13th they visited St. Peter’s High School, Toba Tek Singh. They had very good chatting with students especially with girl students whom often do not get an education. They were very happy to see the boys and girls are getting education together.

They had a lot discussions with students as there was break time in the school. They have told the history, challenges and students contribution to promote peace and harmony between US and Pakistan. Students from Pakistan have sent more than sixty letters to their friends in USA.

Since the terrorists in Pakistan have started attacking educational institutions. The government of Pakistan required all educational institutions closed for one week. The government has decided to reopen the institutions on Monday 26, 2009 except the North-West Frontier Province, where operations by the Pakistani army against terrorist is still going on.

Government Requiring Schools to pay their own Security

The government has directed the educational institutions to arrange on their own the following measures to ensure their security. Each institution must:

· Iissue special identity cards to students and staff.

· Employ security guards.

· Install walk through gates, metal detectors and security cameras.

· Ensure that the minimum height of boundary walls to eight feet with fence.

· Place Cemented block barriers on entrance gates.

The government has announced institutes failed to provide such security measures will strictly be dealt with or the school might be closed.

Challenges for St. Peter’s High School,

St. Peter’s High School has already been working hard with extreme deficit to provide quality education to the poor sections of the society including Christians and Muslims with co-education. The Church is running St. Peter’s and other feeder schools in the area. The parents are so poor that they hardly manage to send their children to school. The Church has been supporting the schools with subsidy.

Urgent Needs

The above mentioned actions proposed by the government are very hard for schools like St. Peter’s to arrange within its current state of situation. St. Peter’s High School urgently needs the following,

· Six feet boundary wall to eight feet with fencing

· Recruitment of Security guard.

· Installation of walk through gate

Urgent Appeal for the funds

· US $6000 is needed for boundary wall and fencing

· US $100 per month is required for a Security guard.

· US $1000 is needed for walk through gate

Your urgent contributions can make this possible to make terror free & protected environment in school. Terrorists are targeting girls and co-education institutions. St. Peter’s High School is co-educational, therefore funds are urgently needed to ensure the security of the students.

In peace,
Ashfaq Fateh

Students Join Teachers to Build Strong Pakistan

Students at St  Peter’s high school marked October 5th, International Teachers Day, with a commitment that they will respect and spread the values their teachers have taught to build a strong Pakistan.

Students greeted their teachers with flowers, garlands, and gifts in recognition of their work in student’s lives. Students perform for their teachers different songs,  dramas, and comedy skits.

Zaryab Patras, a student leader, shared his views on the role of teachers in one’s life and how hard teachers are striving to meet the goals of both students and teachers.

Principal Ashfaq Fateh challenged the teachers to work in a situation when their income is less and price hike is at its high peak. He demanded government to increase their salaries.

Students served food to their teachers.

Dear Friends:

Peace.

The donation we received this weekend was an answer to prayers. Thanks for your great help to send the funds. It will be used to enroll new girls who were not able to buy books, clothes, shoes and their transportation cost to and from school. The girls have to come from a remote village. Thanks. Be sure that the girls and our entire community will pray for you.

In peace,

Ashfaq Fateh
Principal

St. Peter's High School, a school of peace

St. Peter’s High School students, staff, and faculty often participate in peace rallies, conferences, classes, and events. They do this with some risk. Their courage to follow in the steps of Jesus is an inspiration to all of us. These kids show us how to place our light (of Christ) on top of a lamp stand for all to see. May God bless them and protect them.

Youth for Peace

Principal Fateh teaches the students about peace

My Friends:

Just want to let you know that the situation of the country is really getting worst and worst day by day. On the other hand the passion to promote peace and share the blessings of peace among the people at largely among the Muslims by the students of St. Peter’s is never ending. The have been continuously organizing such programs that has been bringing  a positive change not only among the students of St. Peters but the community, media, local administration and people from all walks of life.

“St. Peter’s at work for Peace”

• In March each year local government conduct Spring Festival. Different government departments like, health, agriculture, environment food etc set up their stalls, shops, games etc are installed. Thousands of men, women, and children visit for ten days. St. Peter’s High School also set up a stall for two days, with women and next day in the main event place.
• They set up a peace stall. They made a big cloth banner and wrote ” May Peace Prevail on Earth” May Peace be In Pakistan” A team welcome each visitor in the festival and invite people to visit their stall and sign the petition and make commitment to build peace. Peace cards and posters were also handed out among the visitors. People liked the activity very much and appreciated a lot. Some called it ” A new trend to make Pakistanis a peaceful nation”
• On March 30, 12 terrorists entered in a Police Formation Centre and opened indiscriminate fire. 08 policemen were killed on the spot while 100s were badly injured. This incident was shown live on the TV that created a traumatic situation among the countrymen/women especially children.
• St. Peter’s and some other organizations conducted a peace vigil in the heart of the city despite the whole county was declared red alert. A special area was selected and killed policemen’s pictures were pasted on a chart and people were presented flowers, peace candles /lamps and in front of pictures of the killed security personals. An Islamic leader prayed while a Rev. Fr. Simon parish priest led the people in peace prayer. After that people lit peace candles and put in front of the killed policemen. District Mayor, Member Parliament, District administration officials, political leaders, and dignitaries of the city, media, students, men and women of all walks of life attended.
• The district Mayor expressed his views like this, “St. Peter’s Peace High School has been teaching and guiding the public how to respond in national crises. The member parliamentarian says, ” I have never seen it before”
• On April 07, 2009 World Health Day was marked with the theme ” Save Lives, ” Make Hospitals Safe in Emergencies’ in the district headquarter Hospital.  A rally was staged which was again addressed by the parliamentarian and District Coordination Officer. Students of St. Peter prepared wishing cards with a small prayer (Get well soon) a flower and brought a packet of fruits which was handed out among the children and women patients admitted in the hospitals. It was very much appreciated by the public and local media.
• Students organized Last Super and washing of feet ritual. Almost 3000 Catholic and Muslim families brought food and shared with each other.
• An Easter Lunch was given to Christians and Muslims at Peace House which was attended by students, parents and others.
• On April 22, Peace Pal and students of St. Peter’s High School jointly marked the day with the theme ” Love Earth, Save Humanity” Green Pakistan, Peaceful Pakistan”
• April 24, was marked as” Global Youth Service Day” Youth was invited at Peace House” in the evening and special lecture was given by youth peace activist on “The role of youth in the current state of situation in Pakistan. After the lecture, an open discussion was organized and youth expressed their views.
• May 01, today marked International Laboure day. Students of St. Peter’s attended all three programs in the city. The main program was organized in District Press Club. It was attended by Laboure rights organizations, poor labor workers and people of all sections of life. Students were given chance to express their solidarity with the labors. It was such a nice program.

God Bless,
Ashfaq Fateh, Principal