Part 2 of an email from Afghanistan - 'Pakistan is committed to a broken, bloody Afghanistan, and has thrown its budget and its intelligence services into equipping the Taliban, al-Qaeda, and any other group that would agree to decimate that nation. One reason is the fear of the dissolving of its current border with Afghanistan (the Durand Line) which ceded nearly half of Afghanistan away to British India (now Pakistan) for 100 years. The treaty expired in 1993. The Afghans all agree that Pakistan unlawfully occupies some of their best land, the heartland of the Pashtuns. Pakistan knows that a strong, united Afghanistan will press its claim for what amounts to almost half of Islamabad's own beleaguered territories. The Afghan leadership ethos is full of bribery, black market, blood loyalties, and blood feuds. Pray for the tribal elders of each locality, whose corporate decisions can either strengthen or fragment the fibre of their society far more than the Kabul government or its foreign allies.

Pray: that elders would shut out the men of blood from their midst and welcome men tasked with development; also that their sons would be saved from the delusion of Islamic martyrdom. (Is.32:1,2)

An email from Afghanistan reads, - 'There are more wholehearted followers of Jesus in Afghanistan than there have been since the conquest of Islam (from AD 642 to AD 1000) From the time of the Apostle Thomas there had been training schools and missionaries sent to the Far East. Now in 2011 there are several thousand believers meeting house-to-house, meeting through cyberspace, and occasionally renting meeting rooms at hotels. Every major town in the country has an underground group of followers of Isaaye Masih (Jesus Christ). There is also the Diaspora of Afghan believers in Pakistan, India and other nations. There has never been this much political freedom for women and emerging groups of young leaders. Women can vote. There are more schools, educational institutions, social services, professional training courses, civil action groups, cultural societies and sports leagues in Afghanistan than there ever have been at any other time in its modern history. US and allied intervention created the environment for this, mistakes notwithstanding.

Pray: that Afghanistan would embrace its Christian heritage - witnessing to her neighbours far and near with training schools and mission. (Mat.16:18)

A Christian in the country writes, ‘ Over the past several years, a number of hospitals and medical clinics have been put into operation in the Land on our Hearts and many doctors, nurses and midwives have been trained. These efforts have significantly improved the availability and quality of medical care for the people of the Land, although it is still far behind that of more developed countries. However, as foreign involvement and the associated foreign aid begin to decrease, there is concern that these advances may be lost. The people in rural areas could again be left with no available medical care. Please pray that foreign governments and organizations will find sustainable ways to maintain the improvements that have been gained. Please pray for the foreign doctors and nurses who are working in the Land to treat the people and to train local doctors and nurses. Please pray that many of the local people will find the One who is both their spiritual and physical healer.

Pray the Christians working in Afghanistan will know God's provision, and that the many needing medical care will continue to receive it. (Pr. 10:29)

Hamid Karzai said he would guarantee the security of Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar if he decided to enter into talks. Omar (of the Hotak tribe) ruled the country until 2001. The US has offered a multimillion dollar reward for his capture. The tribe of President Karzai is the Popalzai and while he is the most famous Popalzai in Afghanistan Abdul Ghani Baradar is considered key to Afghanistan’s future. Baradar was Minister of Defence in the Taliban government prior to 2001. The relationship between the two Popalzai men goes back a long way. Popalzais are more loyal to their own tribe than to the regime in Kabul or the Taliban - tribal contacts are more important than ideology. Prior to his detention in Pakistan Mullah Baradar attempted to establish peace negotiations between Kabul’s administration and Taliban’s inner circle of leaders. Mullah Baradar is currently on a list of Taliban prisoners that the Pakistani government is talking about releasing for some influence in return.

Pray: that God’s will would be done in the midst of all that is happening and that it will result in peace for the region. (Mat.6:10)

More: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/nov/17/afghanistan-taliban

A member of Afghanistan's Parliament has suggested that all those who have converted from Islam to Christianity should be executed, according to Islamic Sharia Law, in order to stop the rapid growth of Christianity among Afghans within and outside the country, reports Mohabbat News. An Afghani news service, Ava, has published a report stating that the number of Christians is increasing in the country. The Afghan news service quoted Nazir Ahmad Hanafi, Afghani Parliament Member, as saying, ‘Afghani citizens continue to convert to Christianity in India. Numerous Afghanis have become Christians in India. This is an offence to Islamic Laws and according to the Quran they need to be executed’. Earlier, another member of Afghanistan's Parliament had acknowledged that an Afghani church had been built in India. He said, ‘A church has been built in India called Afghani's Church. Any Afghanis', citizen who travels to India would be officially invited to the church’.

Pray: for the protection of those who choose to follow Jesus. (Ps.5:11)

More: http://www.christiantelegraph.com/issue20961.html

In March NGOs started withdrawing medical care in Afghanistan and we were asked to pray that medical advances would not be lost to people in rural areas that those delivering medical care would know God's provision. Today we hear that in some provinces the number of women dying during childbirth is dropping significantly because more local women are being trained as midwives and then returning to their villages to provide care before, during and after delivery. However there is still concern for some women with difficult cases requiring long journeys to hospital over very poor roads who are not surviving the trip. Please pray for more opportunities for similar organizations and trainers to develop in the country, and that existing programmes are implemented in more provinces; pray also that the midwives and the women they care for would be introduced to the One who is the Father of all Life.

Pray: that throughout Afghanistan all women and children would receive the care they need to live healthy, productive lives (Ps.95:7)

More: http://www.afghanrelief.org/aro-projects/midwife-project

The Church is growing as local believers are added one by one and in small groups. Some are secret and pray alone, others gather for worship, to pray and receive teaching in small groups. All local believers are at risk of exposure and harm from family members, friends and neighbours. Many are asking, or are uncertain about what will happen in 2014 when officially all foreign troops pull out of Afghanistan - and a mission agency is asking Christians to prayerfully consider interceding throughout 2013 leading up to the 2014 deadline and in particularl to pray for one of the largest un-reached tribal group in the world - the Pushtun people. They have an important regional significance being well-known for their involvement in militancy over the last years and for their hospitality to other affiliated groups. There has been little penetration with the Good News despite many years of work and much sacrifice on the part of workers.

Pray: that believers become salt and light across Afghanistan as they find others they can trust to share in worship, prayer and teaching. Ask God to protect and provide for local believers during 2013. (1Sa.25:6)

More: http://www.joshuaproject.net/people-profile.php?peo3=14327