Hopes and Fears of Afghan Christians

 

II Timothy 3:12

"Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."

 

For Afghanistan's tiny Christian community, a community certainly in the hundreds and probably the thousands, the Abdul Rahman case has brought both fear and hope. Mr. Rahman is starting a new life in Italy after his trial in Afghanistan for converting from Islam collapsed. He faced the death penalty if he had been found guilty.

He said, "In Afghanistan we Christians have nothing to do with politics. We love and respect everyone. We love and respect even our enemies, however they punish us."

The Christian community lives with the threat of official harassment and attack by extremists. There have been gun and grenade attacks against churches in neighbouring Pakistan.

But despite the reported hardline rhetoric of Afghan clerics during the Rahman case, the Christian claims that many Muslim friends regard his conversion as a private matter.

"Most of my friends know that I am a Christian," he said. "I have many friends who are mullahs and maulvis. Some of them say they like me more these days. Before I was a liar, I was cheating people and many other things. I don't do that now."

The reasons for conversion in such a potentially hostile environment are of course varied and personal:                    

The harsh doctrine of the Taleban were factors in the conversion of some Afghans.

There is much disillusionment. People used to look to communism, now they look increasingly to Christianity.

The compassionate actions of Christian-based aid agencies during the civil war and Taliban era in Afghanistan had impressed many Afghans.

A Christian Afghan convert stated, "I am very happy with my life and I see other Christians here very happy too,"

He added, "In the future, what God wants will happen. But Christians are always with God and if we are killed we go to God."

Friend, are you promoting the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Are you living it? Every corner of the world, every nook and cranny is a missions field. The grocery store. The mall. The neighbors. The bus stop. Every place is the right place to take the Light of the world - Jesus Christ - to the world.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."  (Matt. 5:16)

Whom do you choose: God or Mammon?

I Want To Serve God!

Story excerpted from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/south_asia/4865818.stm

Christianity Growing In Afghanistan

Isaiah 6:8
"Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me."

Coming across a news article on Christians in Afghanistan struck a chord in my heart so much so that I thought I'd share it with everyone out in cyber-land. I'm asking that you please include this nation and its peoples in your daily prayers. I'm copying the text of the news article, which was originally linked by The Weekly Standard. The main news source, Mohabat News has been linked in this post.

(Source:  Mohabat Iranian Christian News)

Afghanistan, a country long suffering from civil wars, has not experienced peace for many years. Ongoing bombings by fundamentalist Muslims have stolen peace from the lives of Afghanis. However, the country has recently seen signs of change as people hear the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Bigger Afghan cities tend to have underground "Bush Markets" where stuff that "falls off the back of the truck" like these MREs intended for American troops are sold for as little as 20 cents

According to Mohabat News, “Informed Afghan authorities acknowledge that Christianity has obtained a special place not only among youth, but also among various layers in society. (In addition), house churches are growing tremendously.” Further, an independent Shi’ite website in Iran reportedly quoted a knowledgeable Afghan official as saying, “There is evidence of widespread Christian propaganda in Afghanistan, and the existence of more than 10 churches that operate secretly in residential houses have been proven.”

This beggar in Herat suffers from elephantiasis, which afflicts over 120 million people, primarily in Africa and South-East Asia

 

 

News reports indicates that some members of the News country's parliament have embraced Christianity. A Farsi news service also published a report on these conversions, writing, “Evangelism and Christian propaganda is taking place in the country at a high level, but this is the first time that those who call themselves representatives of the Afghani people not only have become ‘apostates’ but have joined Christian ministries to evangelize. This time they want to present their Christian services to Muslim people through parliament.”

Along the road vendors sell freshly caught Kabul river fish or scavenged mountain flora

Muslims make up the vast majority of Afghanistan’s population at 99.85 per cent. Christians account for 0.05 per cent. While there is limited freedom to practice other religions, there is no freedom to propagate another faith or to convert from Islam.

During a picnic at the walls of the ancient city of Balkh, "Sheikh" (center right) unfurled the red carpet and served us fatty lamb, flat bread, sugary tea and Coca Cola

Thank the Lord for the way He is working in this nation. Ak Him to Afhani Christtians a strong and mature faith with a bold desire to share the gospel. Pray the Lord will continue to work to bring many more to repentance. Pray for protection of believers in Afghanistan.

Instead of an iPod, workers in the field bring their song birds to entertain them through the day

NOTE: Photos and captions courtesy of Paretz Paretnsky who took the pictures and wrote the captions. More can be seen at Through the Eyes of An Independent Contractor

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He has called us to the reaping,
urgently sent out the call.
What a shame if at His coming
we have brought no sheaves at all!

Face to face, I shall behold Him
on His glorious judgment seat.
What a shame if at that meeting,
I lay nothing at His feet.