Afghanistan: Refugees in Pakistan
09 Aug 2012Pakistan faces international pressure to extend the stay of Afghan refugees beyond 31st December. The Pakistan Government’s response is, ‘When their refugee status expires on December 31st they must leave.’ Pakistan intends to expel 3 million Afghans, 1.7 million of them registered and more than half of these living in camps. Most refugees have lived in Pakistan for more than 30 years, and have nothing to return to; their homes, lands and businesses have been destroyed by war or taken by others. Although they live in extreme poverty they would have even less in their native land. Bukahri, an Afghan tribal elder who has been in Pakistan for 30 years running an electrical shop and doing social work said, ‘I'm not saying we won't go, but at this point in time, Afghanistan is weak and will not be able to take this burden.’
Pray: for Afghanistan to prepare for this influx and for many to have homes land and businesses restored. Pray also for refugees to be introduced to the One who is their shield and provider. (Ps.18:36)
More: http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/NH07Df02.html
On Sunday 15 April there was a Taliban strike across Afghanistan in a 'spring offensive'. They targeted foreign embassies, including the British, Nato's HQ and the Afghan parliament as well as other areas in Afghanistan. A rocket-propelled grenade was also fired at a house used by British diplomats. Two Afghan security force members and a further 17 Afghan police officers and nine civilians were injured. On 21 April, Afghan security officials foiled a huge attack in the capital Kabul, after the seizure of 10 tonnes of explosives. This amount of explosives could have caused large-scale bloodshed.
Pray: for British servicemen work closely with Afghan police and security forces in many regions in Afghanistan including Kabul. Please pray that God will protect the British Embassy staff and military personnel at all times and help them remain vigilant. (1 Pe.5:8)
More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17796556
Afghanistan: Prayer for change
16 Nov 2013This year is set aside by the International Prayer Movement as a year of prayer for Pakistan and Afghanistan. To assist this initiative some prayer points are listed here today:- *If the Taliban succeed, Afghanistan would again become a training base for international terrorism and affect many nations. Pray that the Taliban’s weapon supply is cut off and for confusion and disunity. * Foreign Aid. Pray that foreign aid pouring into Afghanistan will not be wasted through inefficiency nor diverted by corruption but will reach the neediest and rebuild the nation's shattered infrastructure. *60% of Afghans are under 20, have known nothing but war, long for education opportunities, employment and freedom of choice. Pray that they will be able to break free from Taliban and local warlords' control. May they provide new impetus to efforts of freedom and peace in the nation. *4.5 million refugees have returned, many bringing financial resources, international connections and an entrepreneurial spirit.
Pray: for the raising up of strong and effective leaders from the emerging generation in Afghanistan. (Ps.112:2)
Afghanistan: Pilgrimage aftermath
26 Nov 2010
Last week many travelled the Hajj route to perform a series of rituals believing it will bring them forgiveness. Often they go at great personal sacrifice and expense on this once in a lifetime trip that is required by their religion. We are asked to pray that as pilgrims return home they will realize the futility of their efforts and that they would have opportunities to hear the Gospel and turn to Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins. Pray that the Church of Jesus Christ will grow in this the second poorest country in the world. Many of the women there have a hard life of poverty and abuse, with no rights and are controlled by their husbands or relatives. We are asked to pray for foreign workers teaching and working with these women, and pray also that the husbands and/or relatives of the women will continue to allow foreigners to meet with and teach them. Pray: for God's mercy and grace to bring more signs, wonders and revelations of Him to the people of Afghanistan. (Ac.4:12 ) More: http://politifi.com/news/Hajj-Muslim-Pilgrimage-Observed-In-Saudi-Arabia-PHOTOS-1302244.html
Afghanistan: Persecution of Christians
12 Jan 2011
Men are being imprisoned in Afghanistan because of their faith. Accused of converting from Islam they face life in prison or the death penalty. Two we know of from a reliable source have been held for over six months without trial or formal charges being filed against them. They appeared at an initial tribunal to hear the case against them, but the trial has since been put on hold and court documents sent to the prosecutor's office for review. Meanwhile the two men continue to be held and they and their families suffer. Compass Direct report; An Afghani amputee in prison for his Christian faith since May faced a judge on November 21st without legal representation or knowledge of the charges against him. It is not known the outcome of this case. Said Musa was arrested in May after the local TV station broadcast images of Afghan Christians being baptized and worshipping. There were other arrests in May and June during the ensuing man-hunt against Christians. See: Pray: for their safety as they are held under very harsh conditions and for the Lord's strengthening of their faith. (Ps.7:1)
Afghanistan: Pastor wants to reach Taliban
18 May 2010Pasr Anwar Fazal Masih founder of Eternal Life Ministries International and Isaac TV ministries wants to take the message of Christ to the Taliban in war-torn Afghanistan. He believes this can be achieved if his Pakistan-based Isaac TV can transmit via satellite by August 2010. The setting up of Christian TV in Pakistan, a 170 million nuclear-armed nation, has been commended not only by the Christians of Pakistan but also by many Christian brothers and sisters abroad Meanwhile this Christian leader has called on the international community to keep its focus on the needs of the Afghan people after weeks of rancour between the US and Afghanistan as they try to agree on a democratic way forward after the election. Adding the acute poverty in Afghanistan had to be a ‘top priority’ for the international community and the Afghan government at the upcoming peace 'jirga' - or consultative assembly - and parliamentary elections. See
Pray: that God would use every resource, including technology, to release His love and purposes into the lives of the unreached. (Ps.47:8)
Part 2 of an email from Afghanistan - 'Pakistan is committed to a broken, bloody Afghanistan, and has thrown its budget and its intelligence services into equipping the Taliban, al-Qaeda, and any other group that would agree to decimate that nation. One reason is the fear of the dissolving of its current border with Afghanistan (the Durand Line) which ceded nearly half of Afghanistan away to British India (now Pakistan) for 100 years. The treaty expired in 1993. The Afghans all agree that Pakistan unlawfully occupies some of their best land, the heartland of the Pashtuns. Pakistan knows that a strong, united Afghanistan will press its claim for what amounts to almost half of Islamabad's own beleaguered territories. The Afghan leadership ethos is full of bribery, black market, blood loyalties, and blood feuds. Pray for the tribal elders of each locality, whose corporate decisions can either strengthen or fragment the fibre of their society far more than the Kabul government or its foreign allies.
Pray: that elders would shut out the men of blood from their midst and welcome men tasked with development; also that their sons would be saved from the delusion of Islamic martyrdom. (Is.32:1,2)
An email from Afghanistan reads, - 'There are more wholehearted followers of Jesus in Afghanistan than there have been since the conquest of Islam (from AD 642 to AD 1000) From the time of the Apostle Thomas there had been training schools and missionaries sent to the Far East. Now in 2011 there are several thousand believers meeting house-to-house, meeting through cyberspace, and occasionally renting meeting rooms at hotels. Every major town in the country has an underground group of followers of Isaaye Masih (Jesus Christ). There is also the Diaspora of Afghan believers in Pakistan, India and other nations. There has never been this much political freedom for women and emerging groups of young leaders. Women can vote. There are more schools, educational institutions, social services, professional training courses, civil action groups, cultural societies and sports leagues in Afghanistan than there ever have been at any other time in its modern history. US and allied intervention created the environment for this, mistakes notwithstanding.
Pray: that Afghanistan would embrace its Christian heritage - witnessing to her neighbours far and near with training schools and mission. (Mat.16:18)