"It's thrilling that the church is still alive and well, despite the fact that many key leaders of the underground church fled after the Taliban took power."
Our contact tells us and continues: "New leaders have taken over and house churches are meeting as much as they can and believers are supporting each other. There are even house churches that are growing."
However, there are also major challenges and the church's situation has become more difficult since the Taliban took power in August 2021, according to our contact.
Christians must now be doubly cautious
"The Taliban is the big threat. Many are afraid and take extra precautions. When the local Christians share their faith, they are doubly cautious as anything can be used against them. There are people in Afghanistan who want to get on well with the Taliban and prove that they are loyal to the regime. Believers must be careful not to fall into traps set by people who want to harm them."
"Compared to before August 2021, the difference is that there is now a strictly Islamic government in power in Kabul. It's dangerous to be exposed. There have been rumors of Christians being killed, but there are no confirmed stories of Christians being martyred since the Taliban took power."
Inside Afghanistan, our project partner ensures that poor people receive medical care. The Taliban may have taken power, but they face great challenges in running the country, which is in a deep humanitarian crisis.
Poor people can be examined by doctors and healthcare professionals and receive treatment for a range of diseases, including malaria, skin diseases, various infections, high blood pressure, asthma and diabetes. Those at risk can receive vaccines and education on disease prevention. Pregnant women can receive advice and examinations from a midwife.
Mother Safira lost her husband and son in bomb attack - and became the sole parent of three girls
The mother cried when the doctor saw her daughter. She said. In 2011, I lost my husband when a bomb exploded in Dawood Khan Military Hospital where he was cleaning. Many others were also killed. The hospital management offered our son his father's job as we were struggling financially. He dropped out of engineering even though he was doing very well academically, but through the cleaning job he was able to try for a family.
- My son did well and was promoted to cleaning team leader. My husband's death became more and more distant and in 2016 my son got married and all was well.
- But grief moved back into our home in 2017 when he was killed in a terrorist attack at the hospital where his father and my husband also lost their lives. Now the burden of support was on my shoulders - and I was alone with my three daughters.
The doctor was moved to tears by the woman's story. It cut him to the heart. The woman now made a living selling an Afghan specialty on the street - bread with potato or vegetable filling.
Her daughter, Armineh, has now received treatment, including a multivitamin, folic acid and appetizer, as well as B-P5 biscuits, an emergency food for the malnourished.
In addition, the family receives hygiene education so that diseases can be prevented in the future. In the future, the family can also receive medical care from our project partner. The average cost of a consultation is 12.3 DKK, which means that 10 consultations cost 123 DKK.
Please pray for Afghanistan - for the government and the underground church. The country is in deep poverty, but God loves the Afghans and has good plans for them - plans for the future and hope. Thank you for standing with our brothers and sisters in faith during this time, even as they reach out to others in need.
