3rd August 2022

I make no apology for using this Thought for the Day to share news from Afghanistan, received today from Sat 7 which beams Christian broadcasts into the Middle East. Their viewers report a dire situation one year after the Taliban takeover. With overseas assets frozen to prevent the Taliban using them, the government has no cash for wages, administration has collapsed, the legal system replaced by Sharia law, university courses shut down and thousands of well-paid workers unemployed. Food prices have doubled and formerly prosperous fathers of families are reduced to searching for the next meal. Women and girls are further penalised: confined to their homes, unable to work or study. Fathers of families can be tempted to see a better future for their daughters in early marriage. With all these burdens and living in constant fear of being questioned for breaking some new regulation, people are falling into depression or trying desperately to flee abroad.

For Christians the situation is both more perilous and more positive. Those contacting Sat 7 spoke of danger and great hardship but finding hope and peace in their faith in God, sustained by Sat 7 broadcasts and knowing people were praying for them. BMS has also mentioned sending workers back into the country to link up with mission partners there. We hear also that the World Bank is realising that frozen assets must be released to avert a disastrous famine and get the economy working again.

All fuel for our prayers for our brothers and sisters in Afghanistan.

Lesley Fuller