Afghan Christian vows to continue God’s work under Taliban rule
September 6, 2021 · By UCA News for www.ucanews.com
Badri 313 Battalion members of the Taliban hoist a Taliban flag and are equipped with high-technology equipment similar to that of US soldiers. (Photo: AFP)
Afghan Christian vows to continue God’s work under Taliban rule
An Afghan Christian has tearfully pleaded with Christians across the globe to not forget the underground church following the Taliban takeover of his country.
In a four-minute video, the man says he feels abandoned under Taliban rule but pledges to “continue God’s work” in the conflict-torn country.
Global Catalyst Ministries, a Christian group, published the footage on Aug. 19, several days after the Taliban captured Afghan capital Kabul and established control over the Central Asian country.
In the video, the face of the man is blurred and his voice changed, presumably to protect his identity. He speaks in his native language but the video has English subtitles.
Despite the tears and fears that have gripped the small Christian community, the man declares: “We are not leaving the field.”
The man begins the video with greetings — “Hello, dear sisters and brothers” — on the first day under Taliban rule in Afghanistan.
“I don’t know what the future of this country will be. We are not able to control our emotions because we’ve worked so hard for 20 years. All of our work over the past 20 years has been lost overnight,” he says
“Only God understands how much pain we have and how broken our hearts are.”
As his voice chokes in emotion, he says it was not the fear but the collapse of the country that had brought tears to Christians’ eyes.
“We are crying not out of fear but because our hearts ache for our beautiful country. It has now been destroyed by this savage and extremist group. Every precious thing of value in our nation is now destroyed,” he says.
Christians feel abandoned by the international community and left in a terrible situation, he adds.
“The whole world has abandoned us. Those who said they support us have now abandoned us to the worst situation imaginable. I don’t know what is going to happen to us,” he says.
“My friends, we record this video today as a testimony. We want to remain in history. We want to be remembered by our friends and loved ones that today we have been left in the field by ourselves.
“But we are not leaving the field. We will fight harder and will continue in God’s work.”
He appealed to the global Christian community to remember them and keep in mind the extreme difficulties they are facing.
“If we are no longer with you, remember this word from our unbroken hearts,” he says while pleading that their children are not abandoned.
“Please do not leave them alone. Please take care of them. Please do not abandon them. I’m sorry I cried and became emotional. My heart hurts. Send this to all of your friends as a remembrance. I hope this finds you under our Heavenly Father’s shelter. Thank you.”
As Afghanistan remains in turmoil after the Taliban takeover, a Christian leader has urged the community to keep a low profile and stay home to avoid being targeted by Taliban fighters.
US-based International Christian Concern (ICC) reported on Aug. 21 that confusion and fear run high in Afghanistan despite the Taliban’s declaration of a general amnesty.
The Taliban have opened jails and released criminals, bandits and al-Qaeda and Taliban militants while searching houses for possible enemies.
Meanwhile, civilians including Afghan Christians and others whose names are on the US government’s list of qualified evacuees are being turned away from Kabul airport, media reports say.
Christians in Afghanistan are estimated to number 10,000 to 12,000. Due to persecution by extremist forces, Christians mostly live secluded lives hidden from the public eye, ICC reported.
Christians have been reportedly turning off their phones and going into hiding to avoid possible persecution at the hands of the Taliban.
