Afghanistan (MNN) — Two weeks ago, the deadliest quake in 20 years wiped out entire villages and killed more than 1,000 people in eastern Afghanistan. Today, believers offer the hope of Christ to earthquake survivors.
“We have people on the ground giving food, water, helping with shelter; we’re going to be building homes,” Reza* with Global Catalytic Ministries says.
After struggling to respond, the Taliban now urges foreign aid groups to help. “We’ve been working through them, actually,” Reza says.
“They’ve been merciful because they don’t have the resources to help these people.”
The terrorists still actively persecute believers. “They’re still very vengeful and vicious in the sense that they’re going door to door looking for Christians,” Reza says.
“They are interrogating people; they’re clamping down with fear.”
However, as the Taliban welcomes Christian relief workers, it leads to unexpected Gospel opportunities.
“The people of Afghanistan are in desperate need of basic human resources, and GCM has been able to build strong alliances and connections to help support the community,” states one leader.
“Supporting the community in this way has allowed the underground church to provide the people of Afghanistan with secure delivery of humanitarian and medical aid.”
(Photo, caption courtesy of Global Catalytic Ministries)
Hope remains
Nearly all of the people groups inside Afghanistan are unreached, meaning they have no access to the Gospel. Earthquake survivors may meet Christians for the first time when they encounter the Global Catalytic Ministries team.
“Afghanistan is still the second-fastest-growing church in the world, even with the Taliban in power,” Reza says.
“We now have an opportunity to reach a very unreached people group in a very powerful way, in a very tangible way, with the love of Christ.”
Support Global Catalytic Ministries’ “Afghanistan Emergency Relief Fund” to help.
“I know the people [reading] this are filled with kindness and gentleness, and they care about their brothers and sisters in Afghanistan. A way to help them is to give financially,” Reza says.
Above all else, pray. “Two of our workers had something very distressing happen to them. It was emotionally and spiritually difficult, but they still stayed,” Reza says.
“The warfare inside the country is very intense; we need prayer.”
*Pseudonym
Header and story images courtesy of Global Catalytic Ministries.
