Over the past several days, many of us have been impacted by the images coming out of Afghanistan as the Taliban has taken back control of Kabul and other areas. Fearing for their lives many Afghani Christians, as well as others, have been fleeing the capital as the Taliban re-established control. We have partners of ATC that are working on the ground to evacuate those at risk.
The Shai Fund and their director, Charmaine Hedding, reported that: “The Taliban have wasted no time threatening Kabul residents and executing members of the Afghan military, and Christians amongst many. Women are being raped and there are reports of the Taliban taking young girls. The situation for women wanting education and other women’s rights activists is of particular concern.”
Taliban leaders started to ask for lists of girls over the age of 15 and widows under the age of 45 to be forcibly married to their fighters.
This is a striking reminder of the massive human rights violations that took place during the brutal 1996–2001 Taliban regime during which:
• Women were denied employment and education.
• Women were forbidden from leaving home without a male “guardian”.
• Women and girls were further denied access to education and had limited access to healthcare.
• Many women and girls were forced into sexual slavery.
• “The “Department for the Preservation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice” would beat Afghan women if their faces or ankles were visible, if their socks were white, if they made noise as they walked, if they spoke to men, if they traveled without a male guardian, if they worked, or if they studied. In short — if they lived at all.” (Lina AbiRafeh, activist).
The Shai Fund is now working tirelessly with people on the ground to:
• Assist with funds to evacuate most at-risk Afghani women, girls, and Christian converts.
• Open up possibilities to resettle them temporarily in host countries before finding longer-term solutions.
• Advocating with governments and donors.
The situation is changing daily, and it is of great importance that we pray for the emerging church in Afghanistan and the groups at risk mentioned above.
Another friend and colleague of ATC, who has lived and served in Afghanistan for many years, with E4leaders, has been in touch with Christian families and others at risk from a Taliban takeover. She assesses that we need to not only act quickly but stand in solidarity for those who believe they are to remain as a witness for the Good News of the Kingdom of God to the Taliban.
If you would like to donate to either Afghani Christians or the evacuation effort with Shai Fund you can do it through the following websites:
To DONATE to the Evacuation effort with Shai Fund visit: https://www.theshaifund.org/donate
To DONATE to Afghani Christians, consider the cause E4Leaders: https://e4leaders.org/campaigns/e4leaders/
Direct link to E4Leaders PayPal donation: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=PRTNRURGW7EC2