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)