September 2021 Persecution Magazine

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“There is hope, however. God is raising up new people and we know that God is in control of his Church. There will be a time of fear and struggle, but I believe through this situation the Church will grow.” face Afghan Christians. Currently, only two countries will issue a visa to Afghans, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Some Christians fear they will still face discrimination and persecution in these neighboring countries. There is also the uncertainty of where these refugees will eventually settle and how long it will take to find resettlement. “We trust in the Lord and pray that God will spare His people,” Paul told me. “We know there will be persecution. As Muslim-background believers, we know the consequences for our conversion.” “Many will leave Afghanistan,” Paul continued. “There is hope, however. God is raising up new people and we know that God is in control of his Church. There will be a time of fear and struggle, but I believe through this situation the Church will grow.” When I asked Paul how I could pray for the Afghan Church, he asked for prayer against fear. “I have been telling people to not be afraid,” Paul said. “Mistakes are made when decisions are made from a place of fear. We know that God has a purpose and a plan for His people in Afghanistan.” As the situation continues to deteriorate, I believe the global Church must be ready to come to the aid of its Afghan brothers and sisters. For some, this simply means praying against the fear gripping the Afghan Church. For others, this will be something more active, like advocating on behalf of Afghan Christians in their home countries. A new wave of persecution faces the Afghan Church. I pray that we are all ready to face it. 18 PERSECU ION.ORG SEPTEMBER <strong>2021</strong> INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
AFGHANISTAN ON THE GROUND IN AFGHANISTAN advocacy. awareness. assistance. PERSECU ION.ORG INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN Afghan Emergency Fund: Given the threat facing Afghanistan’s Christian community, ICC created an emergency fund accessible to Afghan leaders. This fund will be used by church leaders to relocate Christian individuals and families facing persecution. These funds will relocate Christians within Afghanistan itself. However, in extreme circumstances, these funds will be used to transport at-risk Christians out of Afghanistan altogether. “According to the World Bank, 80% to 85% of Afghans do not have any financial awareness,” Paul explained. “There is little concept of savings, and most people live month to month.” “These emergency funds will be a huge help because it will help people who do not have resources when an emergency suddenly arises,” Paul continued. “It will also allow people who are fleeing to worry about one less thing.” According to Paul, transportation costs in Afghanistan have tripled due to the insecurity of traveling between cities. The aid ICC provides to Afghan Christians helps them overcome these challenges and quite literally saves lives. Victims: Groenewald Family On November 29, 2014, three armed Taliban fighters attacked the compound of an international aid agency in Kabul. These fighters targeted the Groenewald family, a South African family that lived on the compound because the Taliban believed they were Christian missionaries. After several hours of fighting, the Afghan military retook control of the compound. Werner Groenewald, age 42, and his two children, Jean-Pierre, age 17, and Rode, age 15, were all shot and killed by the Taliban fighters. Dr. Hannelie Groenewald, Werner’s wife, was working at a nearby clinic when the attack took place. She survived the deadly attack. Advocacy: Said Musa In May 2010, footage of formerly Muslim converts to Christianity being baptized and participating in prayer gatherings was broadcast by Noorin TV. The footage sparked protests across Afghanistan and a wave of persecution that led to the arrest of Said Musa. Said Musa worked for 15 years with the Red Cross in the orthopedic department, largely treating victims of landmines. Said is an amputee with a prosthetic leg, having stepped on a landmine himself while serving with the Afghan Army. As a Red Cross employee, he offered therapy to handicapped children and was greatly respected by the community. Word spread in the community that he was also a convert to Christianity. On May 31, after taking a lunch break with patients, Said was rounded up by security officers working with the Ministry of Interior. Said’s arrest was the first in what became a nationwide crackdown against Christians. After Said’s arrest, the Afghan Church dispersed, some going into hiding until the situation calmed. Some fled the country completely. For more than six months, as Said remained imprisoned and faced the threat of execution for the ‘crime’ of apostasy, ICC advocated on his behalf, meeting with US government leaders, leading petitions, and publishing letters written by Said from prison. On February 21, 2011, Said was finally released and allowed to safely leave Afghanistan. “I’m so thankful to the Lord that he is free and know it was a concerted effort on the part of so many people,” said an ICC contact in Kabul. “The Lord has allowed us to take part in this momentous event and I praise Him that it has ended with the freedom of Said Musa. Through Said’s letters, he spoke publicly to the world a powerful testimony of his faith and perseverance.” 19
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September 2021 Persecution Magazine

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