Afghanistan (MNN) — The Taliban’s push to keep women behind closed doors escalates in Afghanistan. Taliban officials recently banned women from working for aid groups and removed over 250 female judges from the legal system.
“Because the woman cannot go to work, then automatically [women in need] stopped [receiving] help,” says Mina*, an Afghan believer working with Global Catalytic Ministries.
“Usually, NGOs [use] local women to reach these (remote) places, so [this decision] affects the whole country.”
Women aren’t the only ones who suffer. The next generation is at risk, too. “You see many more children dying because people in the village don’t have experience in how to help when children are born,” Mina explains.
“[Women are not] allowed to go to [the] village to train other women about birth things.”
And yet, hope remains. “You see many bad things going on, but I can see how much God is also using that for good,” Mina says.
(Photo courtesy of Global Catalytic Ministries)
The Lord is showing women how much they mean to Him, and He is raising a secret workforce. “I’m having more people (women) come to my house; I have more time to visit and talk,” Mina says.
“The women are special; they are very open. They see the light in the darkness so clearly.”
Pray for strength as Afghan Christians like Mina meet with new believers for home Bible studies and discipleship. Learn how you can support disciple-making in Afghanistan through Global Catalytic Ministries.
“The kingdom of God [is] growing. The Taliban tried to stop [the growth but] they cannot. They don’t have the power for that because the Holy Spirit has power [over them],” Mina says.
*Pseudonym
Header and story images courtesy of Global Catalytic Ministries.
