Afghanistan 2
January 17th

“Afghanistan go from strength to strength, till each appears before God!”
They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion(Psalms 84:7,NIV)

》 Country Profile

Continent | Southern Asia
Population | 41,903,700
Area | 652,230㎢ , a dry mountainous country in the middle of Central Asia.
Capital City | Kabul (4.45 million)
People groups | Total 70 Groups, Pashtun 32.7%, Tajik 28%, Uzbek 11.3%, Hazara 8.6%, Turkmen 5.6%, Aimag 4.1%
People Groups Unreached  | 68 (100% of the population)
Offical Language(s) ​​| Dari, Pashto
Total Languages ​​| 54
Bible translations | Compeleted 18, New Testament 2, Partial 11
Religion | Christianity 0.05% (Protestant 0.02%, Catholic 0.02%), Islam 99.8%, Minority religions 0.1% Evangelicals Approximately 500

》 About Afghanistan

When U.S. troops began withdrawing in 2019, the Taliban started taking control of regions from the countryside and eventually captured the capital, Kabul, on August 15, 2021, taking over the entire country. Since then, the Taliban has established many new laws that limit women’s participation in public and private sectors. By 2023, the repression of women’s rights became even stricter, banning women from many areas including politics, society, education, and economic activities. This goes against the Taliban’s earlier promises to protect women’s rights under Islamic Sharia law.
According to UNICEF, 167 children die every day in Afghanistan from preventable diseases. These diseases can be treated with the right medicine. Child labor is also a serious issue, with a survey showing that 38.4% of children are forced into work. Out of 16 million Afghan children, many are in extreme hunger. Hunger has worsened, with three out of four children reporting they ate less than the amount they ate a year ago. In families headed by women, it was reported that they have gone without food for more than ten days each month. The International Labour Organization estimates that women’s employment rates have decreased by 20.5% over the past two years.

Afghanistan’s economy was very poor and relied heavily on foreign aid before 2001. It had the highest opium production in the world, which funded the Taliban and other armed groups. After the U.S.-led invasion, there was significant international aid and increased economic activity. This improved access to services like water, electricity, and education and led to steady government revenue growth. Key industries include small-scale crafts (textiles, furniture, shoes, carpets), mining (natural gas, coal), and agriculture (wheat, fruit, wool).
The economy grew by 3.9% in 2019 after recovering from a drought. However, political instability, COVID-19, and the Taliban’s return have worsened the situation. More than half of the population, including 3.5 million internally displaced people, rely on international aid. About 23 million people, or 55% of the population, are facing severe hunger, and 9 million are in a food crisis. In June 2022 and October 2023, major earthquakes further intensified the crisis.
Afghanistan’s GDP per capita is approximately $1,500

》 Scripture Focus

》 Prayer Points

1.  Let us pray for the next generation in Afghanistan. Due to years of conflict, the Taliban crisis, natural disasters, and human trafficking, infant mortality rates are among the highest in the world. Children recruited by armed groups are brainwashed by the Taliban and turned into terrorists. Some parents have tried to send their children abroad, but many have died trying to escape Taliban border controls, leaving many children orphaned. Let us pray that these children will rely on God as their protector and become people who seek and pray to the Lord. Let us pray together, trusting that the Lord will not refuse good things to the next generation in Afghanistan.

2. Afghanistan is one of the worst countries in the world for women’s rights violations. After the Taliban regained control, the improvements in women’s rights were lost. Wearing the burqa, which covers the entire body including the face, has become mandatory, and women’s opportunities for education and employment have been taken away. Let us pray that women will hear the Gospel of Christ and be strengthened to come to the Lord. Many Afghans are in desperate need of food and medical assistance. The UN predicted in March 2023 that two-thirds of Afghanistan’s population will be in need of humanitarian assistance within a year. The Taliban regime is increasingly restricting the work of NGOs. Let us pray that the weakened souls of Afghanistan will seek the living God in this crisis.

3. As the situation in Afghanistan deteriorates, there is a need for prayer and attention for the remaining Christians and Afghan refugees. There are reportedly about 1.5 million in Pakistan, 800,000 in Iran, 200,000 in Germany, and about 130,000 in Turkey. Most of the foreign missionaries who worked in Afghanistan have withdrawn, but some have chosen to stay because they felt a calling to continue sharing the Gospel. Let us pray that God’s mercy and love for the Afghan people will reach the refugees scattered around the world, and that God will be with the organizations and missionaries serving them. Let us also pray that the Christians who remain in Afghanistan will rely on the Lord as their shield and protector, and that God’s kingdom will see revival in Afghanistan.

》 Urgent prayer requests around the world need your prayer!