Afghanistan
people profile
After Cain slew his brother the Bible says he traveled east of Eden to the land of wandering where he built a city. Legend says that land was Afghanistan, and that city was Kabul.
Whether or not Cain really founded Kabul, the murderous spirit of Cain is surely alive and well in modern Afghanistan where Uzbek, Tajik, Pashtun, Hazara, and Turkmen tribes are at war with each other and the world.
In the forward to a book by George Otis titled The Last of the Giants, David Aikman, once a correspondent for Time magazine, writes, "some of the world's most intractable problems may be due at least partly to spiritual forces behind the scenes rather than merely the obvious overt factors such as geography, history, and political conditions."
Politicians, economists, and sociologists blame Jihad against America on national policies, economic disparities, and social injustices. They advocate addressing terrorism by addressing these supposed root causes, but they are mistaken. Poor and oppressed populations rarely resort to terrorism. Oppressive systems like racism in America, colonialism in India, and even Communism in Eastern Europe inspired civil disobedience, but they never led to terrorism.
The terrorism spawned from Afghanistan has a spiritual cause and it requires a spiritual solution. National leaders are only partially correct. Our struggle is not against Islam. Our struggle is not against terrorists either. In this case, "Our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against . . . the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Eph. 6:12).
The murderous spirit of Cain has always riddled Islam. Muhammad himself killed off his opponents. Many who aspired to follow in his footsteps including the founder of the Shiite sect were assassinated. The very word "assassin" derives from the sect of Islam known for smoking hashish.
Islam is also riddled with the spirit of anti-Christ (1Jn. 2:22), which denies Jesus is God and oppresses all attempts to get people to follow him as Lord. In Afghanistan converts to Christ from Islam are killed and relief workers with copies of the Jesus video on their computers have been arrested.
Afghanistan is the largest country on earth which has never knowingly admitted Christian missionaries. It has over 48,000 mosques and not a single church. That may be changing.
The number of Afghans following Christ in refugee camps is steadily growing. Christian Aid Mission reports that Pashtun believer Nawas Khan met Christ among native Christians in Pakistan from where he had to flee again because of his dynamic witness. Many refugees have joined churches in India and Kyrgystan. Abdul Matin serves Christ among Afghan refugees in Hong Kong, where he came by way of Pakistan and China.
Of believers who've returned to Afghanistan, few have survived. Hussein Attish was killed by family members. Mohammad Anwar was also killed, but not before influencing his younger brother to follow Jesus.
An extraordinary reconstruction window of opportunity is opening. The refugees will be streaming back. Relief and development workers and aid programs will have un-precedented ministry freedom. The strategic highland between China, Pakistan, Persia, and the central Asian republics of the former Soviet Union will become a place of blessing instead of cursing.
Afghan Peoples
| Status of Scriptures and JESUS film for Major Afghan Peoples | ||||
| People Group | Language/Dialects | Population | Scriptures | JESUS Film |
| Pushtun (Pathan) | Pashto, Paktu | 11 million | Bible | audio, film & video |
| Tajik | Dari | 4.2 million | Bible | audio, film & video |
| Hazara | Hazaragi | 1.8 million | Bible | none |
| Uzbek | Uzbeki | 1.8 million | Bible | audio & video |
|
Aimaq (Berberi) Char-Aimaq |
Zohri, Taimuri, Firozhoi Jamshidi, Taimani |
1.5 million | N.T. | film & video |
| Persian | Farsi | 829,000 | Bible | film & video |
| Turkmen | Turkoman | 572,000 | Bible | audio, film & video |
| Baluch | Balochi | 285,000 | portions | film & video |
| Brahu | Brahui | 283,000 | portions | film & video |
| Pashayi (Pashai) | Pashayi | 159,000 | none | none |
| Hindi | Hindi | 115,000 | Bible | film & video |
| Punjab | Punjabi, Lahnda | 26,000 | portions | audio, film & video |
| over 40 minor tribes | many languages | 415,000 | various stages | various stages |
Resouce Contact Information
| Resource Contact Information | ||
| Resource | Phone Number | Web Site / Address |
| JESUS Film, Videos & audio tapes | 1-800-560-8713 | www.jesusfilm.com |
|
Afghan Language Bible Studies, Articles, & media presentations on the web |
- | www.AfghanBibles.com |
|
Afghan Language Gospel Radio: World by 2000 Database |
1-719-548-7490 |
www.wb2000.org |
|
Scriptures in Afghan languages: International Bible Society American Bible Society Scripture Gift Mission |
1-800-524-1588 1-800-322-4253 1-877-873-2746 |
www.gospelcom.net/ibs www.americanbible.org www.gospelcom.net/asgm |
|
Christian Books in Afghan languages: Multi-Language Media |
1-717-738-0582 |
www.multilanguage.com |
| Web Site for Afghan believers | - | http://afghan-believers.tripod.com |
| Detailed Info on Afghan languages | - | www.sil.org/ethnologue/countries/Afgh.html |
| secular directory on Afghanistan | - | www.afghanland.com |
| Prayer Journey Resources | 1-512-419-7729 | www.waymakers.org |
Agency Contact Information
| Agency Contact Information | |||
| Agency | ministry | Phone Number | Web Site |
| Strategic Frontiers | evangelism & church planting | 1-719-527-9495 | www.sfcos.org |
| Pioneers | evangelism & church planting | 1-800-755-7284 | www.pioneers.org |
| Frontiers | evangelism & church planting | 1-800-GO-2-THEM | www.frontiers.org |
| Christian Aid Mission | supports indigenous workers | 1-800-977-5650 | www.ChristianAid.org |
| InterServe | places relief & development workers | 1-800-809-4440 | www.InterServe.org |
| International Teams | places relief & development workers | 1-800-323-0428 | www.ITeams.org |
| International Foundation of Hope | relief & development | 1-719-226-5110 | www.IFHope.org |
| World Concern | refugee relief | 1-800-755-5022 | www.WorldConcern.org |
Spiritual Situation Summary Continued
Afghan Refugees Respond to Christian Love
from Christian Aid Mission's Insider Report
for Oct. 23, 2001
www.ChristianAid.org
It's almost unbelievable," said Daoud Abdullah, after he had fled from Afghanistan to escape the continual warfare there.
"All of our lives we have been told that Christians were our enemies," he continued. "But when we came out with nothing but what we could carry, these Christians were the only ones who helped us."
Abdullah was talking to a native missionary in the country to which he had gone with three other members of his family. The missionary serves with a ministry which assists Afghan refugees with financial help from Christian Aid Mission.
"At first I was puzzled why you would do this," Daoud said. "I thought you must have some hidden motive. But now I have learned it's because you believe that Jesus Christ gave his life for you, and that makes you want to give your life for others.
Your donation helps provide this free information to military Christians. "We have always believed that Jesus never died. According to the Koran, God would not allow evil men to kill his holy prophet, so Jesus was taken up to heaven and some other man was crucified instead. But now I have seen in the Book that God did allow Jesus to be crucified and then raised him from the dead. So now I can understand how someone who believes Jesus died for him would be willing to give his own life to help others who are in need."
Daoud Abdullah has also learned what true Christians are. Before he thought that all Europeans and Americans were Christians, just as Afghans and Arabs are Muslims. Now he understands it's not a matter of nationality, but of personal faith. Among the 3.5 million Afghans now living outside their country, he is typical of several thousand who have gained an entirely new perspective concerning Christ, the Bible and what it means to be a Christian.
"When we go back," he says, "we are going to make sure that Christians are welcome to live and worship inside Afghanistan."