“The LORD is my light and my salvation”
[Dec.06.2021]Parwana Malik, a nine-year-old girl from a settlement for displaced in northwestern Afghanistan, has been rescued two weeks after being sold to a man in his 50s and returned to her family, CNN reported on the 2nd December.
Parwana, who had been traded for 2.6 million won, was sold to an Afghan man in his 50s for marriage two weeks ago to feed her family. As Afghanistan’s economy practically collapsed after the Taliban took power in August, more parents are selling their children to buy food.
On the 24th of last month, Parwana’s father sold his daughter to a 55-year-old man with grey hair in exchange for sheep and land equivalent to about 200,000 Afghani (about2.6 million won).
“My father has sold me because we don’t have bread, rice and flour,” Parwana told CNN at the time. “He has sold me to an old man.” The men told CNN it would be his ‘second marriage’, and he insisted, “She will be treated kindly.”
However, after being rescued Parwana said, “They treated me badly. They were waking me up early and making me work.” Parwana’s mother had been asking the international community for help so that she could return home.
After Parwana’s story was published, the community’s outrage towards the buyer pushed him into hiding. CNN has since been unable to reach him or his family for comment.
Parwana’s father Abdul Malik said, “Parwana cried day and night, begging me not to sell her, saying she wanted to go to school and study.”
After a four-hour of journey through mountain roads, Parwana’s family arrived late at night at a small hotel in Herat, Afghanistan’s third largest city.
The United States-based non-profit Too Young To Wed(TYTW), which had also got involved to relocate the girl, said, “This is a temporary solution. But what we’re really trying to do is prevent girls being sold into marriage.”
After two nights at the hotel, the family was transferred by TYTW’s team to a nearby safe house. For the past four years, the family lived in a tent in a camp for internally displaced people. The family will stay in the house through the winter months and be supported and protected by TYTW.
TYTW is also trying to deliver food aid into the camp, which is home to around 150 people. This is also aimed at helping Parwana’s father as he stays back there to try to work off his debt. (Source: DongA News Edited).
The LORD is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid? For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock. (Psalms 27:1,5)
Heavenly Father, we thank you for looking after the life of an Afghan girl and for allowing her to come back home who was sold to make a living for her family. Please send a helping hand and shine the light of the Gospel to the fathers and mothers of this land who became refugees and are still forced to sell their children to buy food. So, help them raise their children with faith, realizing that there is God who keeps them safe and helps them in the day of trouble.
Prayer 24·365
prayer@prayer24365.org
