Via Skype, I talk to one of the Danish European Mission's contacts with in-depth knowledge of the church situation in Afghanistan about the consequences of the Taliban taking power. He teaches and trains underground Christians in the country.
He says: "Right now, Christians are scared and very aware of their safety as the Taliban are very hostile to them. In the networks of secret Christians, they ask each other if they should flee.
You don't have the same need to flee if you're a secret Christian, but if even a few people know you're a Christian, it can be critical if they reveal you to the Taliban. Getting out of the country is difficult, so some Christians are now considering moving to places in the country where no one knows them.
Some Christians are currently purging their houses of items that indicate they are Christians, such as Bibles, Christian books, SD cards and other devices. They try to hide these items in safe places, he says. There are stories that the Taliban have started searching the homes of former government officials and taking cars, but no specific searches for Christians yet.
Christians provide relief aid
Our contact continues: "Before the Taliban took Kabul, many people fled to the city from the province because they thought it was safer. These could be people who had worked for the Western military or people who simply feared fighting between the Taliban and the recently departed government army.
That's why there are currently many internally displaced people in Kabul, and some Christians are reaching out to them with emergency aid. Through this, they can practically, without words, demonstrate the gospel. And perhaps Christians meet those they call 'peacemakers' - people they feel are open, and who they can slowly start to talk faith with," he concludes.
One of the countries in the world where Christians are most oppressed
In Afghanistan, 99.9 % of the population is Muslim. According to the constitution, everyone is free to practice their faith, but this right does not apply to Afghans who convert from Islam to the Christian faith. It is downright criminal to convert under Sharia law and punishable by imprisonment, confiscation of property and even death.
Christians must live in hiding
Afghanistan is a traditional society where, for example, it is the norm to regularly attend prayers in the mosque - and it is considered suspicious if you don't.
A convert therefore finds themselves in a dilemma - outwardly they must follow the Muslim way of life to some extent, maybe occasionally go to the mosque, but in their heart they can believe in Jesus.
That's why Christians are cautious about sharing their faith with others. They tread carefully and typically only confide in people they trust.
Taliban killed Christian families
It is very difficult to find the exact number of Christian martyrs. Sometimes only the leader of a network of underground churches knows that a Christian dies, but if the incident is drastic, the news spreads among the Christians. An example is a few weeks ago when the Taliban came and killed three Christian families in a village. They killed everyone except a grandmother who was not at home.
Underground churches
Christians typically meet secretly in small groups. These small groups often consist of a few trusted family members or friends. They make sure that the gatherings are not discovered or that they look like family or friends just getting together for a cup of tea, a birthday or other occasion.
Thank you so much for praying for the church, government and people of Afghanistan.
