Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s tumultuous history includes Taliban rule and foreign invasions

God Led Us

As we fasted and prayed through Lent of 2024, I heard the Spirit whisper – Won’t you help Afghanistan?

The Lord bless you, the Lord keep you – the Lord make His face shine upon you, be gracious to you, the Lord turn His face towards you, and give you peace.

It’s a hoarse cry, a weeping prayer, this song. I sing it over and over. How I wish to help them all. How I long for them to have a hot bath, a good meal, a warm home to live in. How I long for them to know the love of Jesus.

What can we say but Yes Lord? He knows the way. He’s already provided a contact — a faithful man named Joshua. He’s already provided 20 mothers. He’s even supplied the funds to equip each mother with a sustainable project.

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About Afghanistan

Geographically, it’s a crossroads of civilizations, surrounded by influential nations. Its landscape ranges from deserts to lush valleys and snow-capped mountains.

Afghan people are fiercely independent but often lacked unified leadership due to imperial conquests. In 2001, a U.S.-led invasion ousted the Taliban, leading to two decades of war, a new government, and democratic progress. However, the Taliban regained power in 2021, enforcing strict Islamic law and causing economic hardships. – from Prayer1040.com

From Prayer1040:

“Afghanistan is ranked #10 on the 2024 World Watch List published by Open Doors.

Despite dropping from first place to tenth, Afghan Christians remain in grave danger. Many have fled or been forced further underground, making them less visible for attack.

In the past year, the Taliban have focused on consolidating power, not targeting non-Muslims, resulting in fewer violent incidents against Christians that are clearly linked to their faith. However, since leaving Islam is considered shameful and punishable by death under Islamic law, converts risk devastating consequences at the hands of the authorities or even their own family, tribe or clan if discovered.”

From Brittanica:

“No national census has been conducted in Afghanistan since a partial count in 1979, and years of war and population dislocation have made an accurate ethnic count impossible. Current population estimates are therefore rough approximations, which show that Pashtuns comprise about two-fifths of the population. The two largest Pashtun tribal groups are the Durrānī and Ghilzay. Tajiks are likely to account for some one-fourth of Afghans, while Ḥazāra and Uzbeks each constitute nearly one-tenth. Chahar Aimaks, Turkmen, and other ethnic groups each account for small portions of the population.”

Joshua Project Prayer

What God is doing

in AFGHANISTAN

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Equipping Families

SUSTAINABLE PROJECTS FOR MOTHERS

We prayerfully select 20 vulnerable mothers for each one-year discipleship program. The mothers chosen normally belong to a local church and are widows, or abandoned, or their husbands are disabled or ill. Each participant receives a sustainable project of her choosing, in line with the allotted budget.

The projects are then monitored by the local church, and training given monthly in finance, budgeting, and tithing.

In Afghanistan, things are a bit different, as there are no (visible) churches, and most have not heard of the name of Jesus. So our work there is largely evangelistic. The sustainable projects selected by mothers in Afghanistan include weaving, goat and chicken rearing, hairdressing (even though salons are technically illegal, women still want to get their hair done), and providing solar panels to operate water pumps in areas where there’s no electricity.

Upon completion of the year, it is expected that each mother would then use some of her profits to assist another needy woman in her community, thus continuing the cycle of ending poverty.

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Equipping Churches

DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING

Ordinarily, each of the mothers would be enrolled in a one-year discipleship program consisting of 12 Bible-based courses. The mothers would then gather weekly to study together and eat a meal together. Often they would also engage in a form of game.

However things are different in Afghanistan. Most of the women have never even heard of the name of Jesus. So we are starting at ground zero, introducing them to Him, even as we love on them through Joshua and his family. Secondly, women are not allowed outside of their homes in Afghanistan without a male to accompany them, and they are certainly not allowed to gather in groups. So Joshua is equipping each mother with a second-hand phone, and has security uploaded the book of Ephesians onto it in their own language so they can receive the truth of who they are as God’s daughters.

Pray, friends — for the Lord to shelter Joshua and his family, for Him to protect these mothers, and for His Word to not return void, as He promises.