Summary

SummaryI’m Abdullah, and when the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021, my wife Nilufar and our three children had no choice but to flee for our lives. Every morning I woke unsure if I’d see eveningβ€”and every night I went to bed with the same fear. Living as a Christian under Taliban rule meant constant danger: Sharia law deemed believers worthy of death. I thought, β€œHow can I protect my family? Where do we go?”

God answered our desperate cries. We found refuge in Central Asia, and though work is scarce, I was blessed to learn the local language and find a job. Still, the emotional scars ran deep: memories of neighbors dragged from their homes, stories of Christians killed without question haunted me.

But my faith became my anchor. In our new home, the church became our literal family. I could share everything with my brothers and sisters in Christβ€”more than even my own siblings back in Afghanistan. They showed me God’s love in practical ways: sharing food, offering micro-loans, and praying through my trauma. When my children cried about missing their friends and our home, I held them close and told them how God was forging a new future for us. β€οΈπŸ™

My new faith gave me hope: I found purpose in praying not only for my safety but for the salvation of even those who persecuted us. β€œLord, open the eyes of the Taliban,” I prayed. β€œTurn their hearts toward You.” While β€œTaliban” and β€œrefugee” once felt like curses, they became reminders of God’s faithfulness. I may have lost a country, but I gained a church familyβ€”people who carry my burdens and remind me daily that God’s promises never fail. πŸ˜‡

Forty-year-old Abdulla*, his wife Nilufar* and their three children fled Afghanistan when the Taliban came to power in August 2021. Now living as a refugee in Central Asia, he shares what life is like for people – and Christians – remaining in the country.

Open Doors Prayer News 294 (January-February 2023)

Find out more at www.opendoorsuk.org/prayernews

*Names changed for security reasons

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Open Doors UK & Ireland
Open Doors is an international ministry serving persecuted Christians and churches worldwide. We supply Bibles, leadership training, literacy programmes, livelihood support and advocacy services. We also seek to mobilise the church in the UK & Ireland to serve Christians living under religious persecution.
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