12/14/2023　Afghanistan　(VOM) Afghan Christians struggling to survive as refugees in neighboring countries need prayer at this time. According to international relief agencies, Afghans constitute the third-largest displaced population in the world after Syrian and Ukrainian refugees. These groups report that at least 1.2 million Afghans fled when the Taliban seized control in August 2021, joining many who had previously evacuated. In total, around 8 million Afghan refugees are believed to live in neighboring countries, including some Christians. Evangelistic ministries making use of various digital media have seen an increase in openness to the gospel from within Afghanistan.   Let’s pray… Pray for God’s peace, protection and provision for Christian Afghan refugees and that they will not be deported back to Afghanistan. Pray for effective evangelism among Afghan refugees and also among those living in Afghanistan. Pray that the Lord will move in people’s hearts, reveal Himself to them, and help those who trust in Christ to grow in their faith, be discipled and form groups for fellowship in homes.

5/23/2023　Afghanistan　(VOM) Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021, life for Christians is difficult. Most Afghan Christians fled, but some remained. It is very challenging for the normal Afghan and very, very hard for Christians. Persecution has escalated from the government, local religious authorities, family, and community, and it is still escalating. The Christians who remain struggle with isolation, but some cautiously reach out. They feel pressure, like sheep among wolves, but the desperation in Afghanistan is leading to opportunities for them to share “God stories” that can lead to conversations about Christ.   Let’s pray… Pray that the Lord will protect the few Christians who remain in Afghanistan and encourage them in their faith. Pray that they will have wisdom and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit when they seek to share “God stories” with those around them. Pray that the Lord will move in the hearts of the Taliban so they will lead by peace, do what is good for the country and that they will come to Christ.

4/24/2023　Afghanistan　(VOM) In August of 2021, the Taliban, a radical Islamist military group, took control of Afghanistan. The impact on the small Afghan Christian community was immediate and severe. Christians involved in secret ministry there say that the situation was just like in Acts 8. “On that day a great persecution broke out against the church and all but the apostles scattered.”  Many first-generation Afghan Christians fled, but many are still serving through media back into Afghanistan. Some Christians remained in the country “like sheep among wolves,” according to the Christian worker, who knows of at least one Christian Afghan suffering in a Taliban jail. Taliban rule has led to a sense of desperation in the country. Afghans are suffering, too, and many are turning away from Islam. Downloads of Christian material from several Afghan language sites have increased significantly.   Let’s pray… Pray that the Lord will protect the Christians who chose to remain in Afghanistan to be His witnesses. Pray that those who are preparing Christian materials and sending them into Afghanistan will be protected and know what the Lord wants them to send in. Pray for the protection of the Christians who are serving in Afghanistan secretly, that […]

11/3/2022　Afghanistan　(VOM) Ali rejected Islam and had been searching for the one true God since he was 15. A friend provided him with a Bible, and through God’s Word, Ali found what he was looking for: “I don’t know very much about Jesus, but I enjoy His presence every day, and I won’t give Him up for anything in the world!” The Taliban have since identified Ali as a convert, which they consider a crime worthy of death, and have started searching for him. When Ali learned this, he fled. Neighbors told him that shortly after he left, armed Taliban soldiers arrived looking for him. Ali says he has had many opportunities to flee to a safer country but that he will remain because he wants to be a witness to his fellow Afghans. “I believe Jesus is alive and can protect me from all danger and hardships,” Ali said.   Let’s pray… Pray that the Lord will protect Ali and other Christians in Afghanistan from the Taliban. Pray that they will have wisdom and get clear guidance from the Lord about where to live and who to talk to about Jesus. Pray that Afghan Christians will be able to find […]

10/6/2021   Afghanistan   hakugai.org editors Let’s pray… Pray for safe passage   Some Christians are trying to leave the country, so pray that God will guide them and enable them to make it safely to another country. Pray for the Taliban and Muslims   God loves the Taliban and all Muslims and Jesus died on the cross for their sins too, so pray that He will reveal Himself to those with open hearts, especially those who are disillusioned with the cruelty of the Taliban. Pray for God to be glorified   Pray that the Lord will be glorified through what He does in Afghanistan.

10/6/2021   Afghanistan   hakugai.org editors With the Taliban returning to power in Afghanistan, the world has seen the progress made made over the past 20 in human rights and freedoms come to an end in an instant. Christians in Afghanistan are being killed and hunted by the Taliban. Those who are in the most danger are those who have been believers the longest, since they are the best known. Many of these believers have left their homes seeking safer places to live. Here are some ways we can pray for Afghanistan and our brothers and sisters in Christ. Please pray for them in these ways:   Let’s pray… Pray for God’s protection and peace   Many Christians who have chosen to stay in Afghanistan and other who want to leave are unable to leave. Pray for wisdom   Ask God to give clear guidance and His wisdom to our brothers and sisters as they pray about whether to stay or try to leave, and for wisdom about who it is safe to talk to. Pray for encouragement and fellowship   Pray that God will help every Afghan believer to connect with and maintain fellowship with at least one other believer either […]

8/17/2021　Afghanistan　(ICC) On Sunday, August 15, Taliban fighters captured Kabul, asserting complete control over Afghanistan. For the country’s secretive underground church, the return to Taliban rule has filled many with fear and uncertainty. Afghanistan’s Christian community is almost exclusively comprised of converts from Islam. Their status as converts makes Afghan Christians direct targets for persecution by both extremist groups and society in general. The Taliban executed converts in the past. When the Taliban takes control of a village, they reportedly require all households to go to the local mosque to pray five times a day. Those who do not attend must provide a good reason for not going. Many Christians also fear the Taliban will take their daughters and force them to marry Taliban. The new government has declared that tribal elders, village imams and mullahs must prepare a list of girls over 15 years old, and widows under the age of 45 that will be given to the Taliban leaders. The purpose is so that these girls will enter into “the religious marriage of the Mujahideen in order to learn pure Islamic lessons and accept Islam.”   Let’s pray… Pray that the Lord will enable many of the Christians to […]

8/22/2019  Afghanistan  (VOM) Even though Afghanistan ranks number 2 on The World Watch List of the nations that are the world’s worst persecutors of Christians, Christian workers report several encouraging developments in the difficult mission field of Afghanistan. Seven new believers formed a house church after being baptized recently, translators are working on three new Bible projects for minority languages, and followers of Christ are now present in every one of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces! However, prayer is still greatly needed for Afghan believers, for the spread of God’s love and the gospel in Afghanistan and especially for the estimated 40 million unreached Pashtun people worldwide.    Let’s pray… Pray for more laborers to share the Gospel in Afghanistan and for the work of the Holy Spirit in people’s hearts. Pray that the Lord will protect the Christians of Afghanistan and help individual Christians to find fellow believers with whom they can share fellowship in Christ. Pray for the success of various media projects, such as films, radio, satellite TV and social media outreaches.

3/7/2019  Afghanistan  (ICC) A former child soldier from Afghanistan has converted to Christianity despite threats to his life. Afghanistan remains one of the most difficult countries for Christians with Open Doors USA ranking as the second worst country in the world for Christian persecution. Jahan, a 24-year-old Afghani, said he was taught to kill people who were Christian because they were “infidels and no good.” However, when one of Jahan’s friends became a Christian and told him about his new faith, Jahan was open to listen. Jahan said that reading the Bible for himself was eye opening, as it helped him to understand that what he had been taught about Christians and Christianity was wrong. Eventually, Jahan decided to convert to Christianity. Later, he had to flee from his family who threatened to kill him when they heard about his new faith.    Let’s pray… Pray that the Lord will protect and guide Jahan as he lives his new life in Christ in a country where he is in danger of being killed for his newfound faith. Pray that he will grow in his faith, and that he and his Christian friend can encourage one another in their faith. Pray that the Lord will draw more and more to Himself through His Word, […]