Attack at Mission Guest House

af market pixabay
The German woman who was killed has
served the Afghan people for 13 years.

Two women working for a Swedish mission, known as Operation Mercy, were targeted by unknown attackers at their guest house in Kabul on May 20th. A German national and her Afghan guard were tragically killed, while a woman from Finland was kidnapped. All the mission's other staff members, both national and international, are accounted for and safe.

The ministry worker from Germany had been serving in Afghanistan for 13 years, and was most recently leading a literacy project. Whereas her Finnish co-worker had only been in the country for three months, studying a local language to further her work there. Both ministry workers had a deep desire to serve the people of Afghanistan.

As no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, both the Afghanistan National Directorate of Security and the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs are continuing their investigations of the incident. During this time, the mission's primary objectives include the safe return of the Finnish worker and the safety of all other in-country staff. To learn more about the challenges facing Christians in Afghanistan, go to our Afghanistan Country Report.

We join in the fervent prayers of all who've been directly and indirectly affected by this recent attack -- including the abducted Finnish worker whose safety in captivity is now of great concern. Pray that God's mighty presence will be experienced by this Christian woman...and her abductors. May the perpetrators be so strongly convicted of their wrongdoing, they will take swift measures to ensure her safe release. Additionally, pray for the protection of other believers serving in Afghanistan, while also being mindful to uphold the families and friends of the slain victims who are grieving great loss.

  • Current Ministry Projects

    VOMC works with ministry partners to provide Afghan Christians with evangelistic and discipleship radio broadcasts to equip followers of Jesus to present the Gospel in a specialized, culturally relevant, and context-sensitive way. VOMC is also helping our ministry partners to translate scripture into the Dari language.

    Project Funds: Underground Church, Relief & Development, Bible

  • Country Information

    Population
    39,232,003 (July 2023 est.)

    Ethnicity
    Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek and others

    Religions (%)
    Islam (99.7), Christianity and other (0.3)

    Government type
    Muslim Theocracy

    Leader
    Taliban Leader Haybatullah Akhundzada

    Legal system
    Taliban Islamic Courts

    Source: CIA World Factbook

  • Pray for Afghanistan

    Pray for the protection of these Afghan believers, and for the consistency of their witness, as God continues to build His church according to Matthew 16:18 ("the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it"). In addition to protecting them from physical danger and harm, ask God to insulate these minority Christians from the spiritual oppression surrounding them. May these dedicated followers of Christ mature spiritually and grow in both faith and number.

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Afghanistan News

  • Taliban Orders Strict Sharia Punishments
    Haibatullah Akhundzada
    Haibatullah Akhundzada
    Photo: Wikipedia

    When the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021, they promised moderation and justice for all. Regrettably, they have demonstrated something very different, as the rights of women, freedom of the news press, and fair treatment of religious minorities have been brutally repressed. In a recent development, Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada ordered all judges to impose strict Sharia punishments for crimes committed within the country. While the exact list of applicable crimes has not been defined, expected punishments include amputations, public lashings and executions by stoning.

    Read more...

  • Light in the Midst of Darkness
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    Watch the video interview with Shoaib Ebadi.

    When the Taliban gained control over the governance of Afghanistan a year ago, many organizations were forced to shut down their in-country operations and thousands of believers decided to leave because of the suffering they knew would be coming as a result. Many other Christians, however, chose to remain in the country to be witnesses for Christ despite the severe danger.

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  • Currently Ranked Most Dangerous Country for Christians
    A Taliban member - Photo: Voice of America
    A member of the Taliban.
    Photo: Screenshot from Voice of America

    Each year, the Open Doors International organization publishes a list of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to follow Jesus. For the past 20 years, North Korea has topped that list due to the oppressive rule of the Kim dynasty (see the North Korea country report for more details).

    In the most recent report, which was published this January, a shift in ranking has clearly taken place. Afghanistan is now at the top of the list, designating it as the most dangerous country to be a Christian. According to Open Doors, the change is not because of improvements in North Korea. On the contrary, the level of persecution in the so-called "Hermit Kingdom" has increased. However, with the return of the Taliban to power, the already oppressive nation of Afghanistan has become so dangerous for Christians that it is now considered the most perilous nation in the world.

    Read more...

  • Report Highlights Dire Conditions for Religious Minorities
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    Pray that the Lord will draw Taliban members to Himself.

    The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has stated that Christians and other religious minorities in Afghanistan face "dire consequences, including death, if discovered by the Taliban" for openly expressing their beliefs. Since most Afghan Christians are converts from Islam, all Christians are considered "apostates" by the Taliban – a crime that is punishable by death.

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