| Christians are running out of time. TODAY we’re taking urgent action. Every day, 16 Christians are killed for their faith across the globe. Afghanistan was just designated the most dangerous country for Christians in the world by a leading persecution watch group. In Nigeria, Christian pastors are beheaded. In India, Christians are jailed and discriminated against. In Pakistan, our affiliate on the ground is representing Christians on death row for their faith. The persecution is unbearable. And in Afghanistan, the Taliban is going door to door looking for Christians to kill and unmarried women to take captive. Christians are hiding in their homes fearing what the Taliban will do to them – a genocidal persecution. Our contact on the ground in Afghanistan reports that “men, women and children are subjugated, beaten, and executed for their beliefs that differ from the tyrannical Taliban.” We are taking emergency action TODAY, submitting 5 critical written submissions directly to the U.N. on each of these countries – some of the absolute worst persecuting nations. Dying Christians need our voice. As we file at the U.N. TODAY, we urgently need your support. Donate TODAY To Save Dying Christians Jay Sekulow ACLJ Chief Counsel |
Tag Archives: Afghanistan
Latest Email from Victor Marx and All Things Possible
Greetings,
We’re so thankful for all your prayers over the last few weeks as we are creating strategies and plans to help our brothers and sisters in Afghanistan.
We always want to keep you up to date on our work in the Middle East.
Here’s the latest:
- We’re still supporting some nonstandard evacuation operations but are pushing most of them to Save Our Allies. They are equipped and ready to coordinate these types of efforts long-term.
- The Common Operating Picture (COP) — We’re still focused on developing a central place for organizations like ours to coordinate manifests, resources and plans. Quiet Professionals and Echo Analytics Group are refining a product we hope will be the focal point for many of these disparate efforts. (We’re considering repurposing the COP to counter sex trafficking and/or the migrant problem.)
- We’re still watching events in the Panjshir Valley to see if and when humanitarian help will be allowed in.
- We’re exploring other organizations to be our long-term partner in resettling Afghan families. React.org is the leading group that we want to work with.
As always, we are asking for continued PRAYER for our team and in each of these areas.
We’re also grateful for any financial support you’re able to give as we continue this important work.
When you GIVE to our programs, here’s where your support is going:
- There are a handful of Afghan families we’re directly funding. Most are family members of ATP friends and others we happened to pair up with amid the chaos of the fall of Kabul.
- We’re pushing money into Afghanistan to assist in hiding some Afghans being hunted by the Taliban. There aren’t many of these cases, but we’re helping them survive until other options are available.
- ATP is providing lodging and food for hundreds of Afghans sitting at Mazer-e Sharif in northern Afghanistan as they await flights out. A few flights went out recently, but many more are needed soon.
- With your support, we’re creating Lions and Lambs in Dari and Farsi to provide trauma relief to Afghan children scattered across the world. We ordered 35,000.
- We’re connecting with various locations in the United States to see where we can assist the refugees.
This work is far from over, but we’re grateful for any monthly and one-time gifts you’re able to provide.
Would you partner with us today in supporting our work in Afghanistan and around the world? (Click on the picture and the donate section is at the bottom of that page. Pastor Ed)
As always, THANK YOU. We’re so grateful for your continued support as we seek to bring light and hope to some of the world’s darkest places.
Victor Marx
Founder & President
All Things Possible Ministries &
The Victor Marx Group
The Afghanistan Aftermath
AUTHOR: DR. JAMES DOBSON
Dear Friends,
I must share with you what is gnawing at my spirit today. It is obvious that the mainstream media has decided to “move on” from the tragedy of Afghanistan. They apparently believe it undermines their narrative of what happened and why. Thus, it is likely that there will be no accountability for the mistakes that resulted in the needless deaths of 13 U.S. service members and more than 180 desperate Afghans who perished on a street in Kabul.1 Watching the news coverage of this carnage was gut-wrenching for viewers. Nevertheless, liberal reporters are ignoring the past and changing the subject. Most politicians obviously agree.
Neither Democrats nor Republicans appear eager to find out why Bagram Airfield was abandoned or why billions of dollars-worth of our state-of-the-art military weaponry and equipment was handed over to some of the most dangerous terrorists in the world.2 Remember that the Taliban provided a safe haven for Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda. They were responsible for the destruction of the World Trade Center on 9/11. Now they are fortified by one of the best equipped militias on earth. Shouldn’t we find out which generals, admirals, politicians, and advisors engineered this disaster? To date, they have paid no price for their malfeasance.
President Joe Biden, who as Commander in Chief made the ultimate decision. He acknowledged during one of his concluding press conferences that some American citizens would be trapped in enemy territory after the pull out. He expressed no compassion for the Afghans who risked their lives serving the Americans as translators. Biden clearly knew they and some Americans would be abandoned.3 4 America betrayed these people and broke our promises to them. An unknown number of these unfortunate “friends” are in the clutches of the Taliban today. Every indication is that they and many Christians are being slaughtered unmercifully.5
Deeply disturbing reports have emerged from Christian organizations and other witnesses, relaying unthinkable accounts of mass murder occurring in Afghanistan. One of these reports is titled Taliban Going Door to Door Seeking Christians, Searching Through Phones for Bible Apps. It was written by Jon Brown, of Daily Wire, and I quote:
An underground church that partners with Frontier Alliance International (FAI) has reported that the Taliban are targeting Christians for death. According to FAI:
The Taliban has a hit list of known Christians they are targeting to pursue and kill. The US Embassy is defunct and there is no longer a safe place for believers to take refuge. All borders to neighboring countries are closed and all flights to and from have been halted, with the exception of private planes. People are fleeing into the mountains, looking for asylum. They are fully reliant on God, who is the only One who can and will protect them.
The Taliban are going door-to-door taking women and children. The people must mark their house with an “X” if they have a girl over 12 years old, so that the Taliban can take them. If they find a young girl and the house was not marked they will execute the entire family. If a married woman 25 years or older has been found, the Taliban promptly kill her husband, do whatever they want to her, and then sell her as a sex slave.
Husbands and fathers have given their wives and daughters guns and told them that when the Taliban come, they can choose to kill them or kill themselves—it is their choice.
Taliban are also reportedly rifling through people’s phones to look for any apps that would give them away as Christians.
“We’re hearing from reliable sources that the Taliban demand people’s phones, and if they find a downloaded Bible on your device, they will kill you immediately,” said Dr. Rex Rogers, who is president of the Christian nonprofit organization SAT-7 North America, according to Religion News Service. “It’s incredibly dangerous right now for Afghans to have anything Christian on their phones. The Taliban have spies and informants everywhere.”
“Because it’s so dangerous to seek the company of other Christians, many Afghan believers are totally alone, with not even one other Christian with whom to talk,” Rogers said. “Our local director told me: ‘Most dare not attend a house church. They’re alone, fearful, and looking to us. We’re their last resort.'”
According to a video released by FAI, a member of the underground church in Afghanistan wept as he described the situation unfolding as the Taliban quickly resumes the reins of power.
“We are unable to control our emotions because we’ve worked so hard for 20 years,” the man said, whose grief was apparent despite his blurred face and disguised voice. “All of our work over the past 20 years has been lost overnight. Only God understands how much pain we have and how broken our hearts are. We are not crying out of fear, but because our hearts ache for our beautiful country. It has now been destroyed by this savage and extremist group. Claiming the whole world has abandoned us, the man went on to assert, “We are not leaving the field, we will fight harder and will continue in God’s work.”
“I’m sorry I cried and became emotional,” he later added. “My heart hurts.” 6
Surely, we Christians in America must be praying fervently for these brothers and sisters who are being massacred, even as I write. Their children are being abducted and/or left as orphans. Evil continues to envelop the land of Afghanistan. Only Almighty God can intervene on behalf of the families there.
Returning to our circumstances in America, the damage being done here and to our allies is enormous. Perhaps you saw Tucker Carlson’s television show on the evening of the bombing. He interviewed Miranda Devine. She is an Australian and a columnist for the New York Post. Tucker asked her, “What do you think the rest of the world is thinking about our country and the Biden administration at this moment?”
Devine replied, “I hate to say it, but you know, America, in one fell swoop has managed to make itself look untrustworthy, feckless, and weak. For a country that has the best military in the world—that is the leader of the free world—that the rest of the free world looks to for leadership—it’s gone and [left] a vacuum, and everyone is scrambling to figure out what to do. I mean today in the face of this disaster, this massacre at Kabul, the President….just went missing again.”7
I ask you, does it make sense for us to ignore these blunders and simply move on? To do so implies that the war against terrorism ended with our departure from Afghanistan. Knowledgeable observers tell us that it has most certainly not. Former Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta, a liberal and a career Democrat, obviously understands the implications. He said on CNN several weeks ago, “We’re going to have to go back in to get ISIS. We’re probably going to have to go back in when Al-Qaeda resurrects itself, as they will, with this Taliban.”8
Why would those with responsibility for protecting America continue to ignore the dangers it faces? Consider this: The Taliban, Al-Qaeda, ISIS and other terrorist groups still hope to humiliate and bring down what they call “The Great Satan.” We are sitting ducks for them as the southern border of the United States stands wide open. Also, since our ignominious surrender in Afghanistan, our politicians and generals have been importing thousands of unvetted Afghans to America and releasing them into the cultural mainstream. Common sense would tell us that there are probably huge numbers of trained terrorists within this hoard who are now planning their next move. We have to assume that it is true. We need to defend ourselves from those who hate us, yet the FBI and other intelligence entities have no idea who or where they are. The bottom line: If we do not carefully evaluate the parade of horrors that led to the tragedy of Afghanistan, AND if we fail to hold accountable those who were responsible for it, America could experience something worse than 9/11 in the future.
If you haven’t done so already, please contact your representatives today and demand that they call for a full investigation into the many failures in Afghanistan that brought us to this point. I’ll say it again for emphasis: Unless we identify the incompetent and foolish decision-makers who created the mess we are in today, those responsible for it may still be in power when the next crisis occurs. In that case, the past will be prologue.
Again, prayer is our best resource. Those of us with a Christian faith must petition our Heavenly Father for His blessings and protection. As King David wrote in Psalm 33:20, “… he is our hope and our shield.” For our part, we must never forget the lessons of 9/11—and of Afghanistan!
May God be with us.
1. Burns, Robert & Baldor, Lolita (August 30, 2021), Last troops exit Afghanistan, ending America’s longest war, AP News,
https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-islamic-state-group-e10e038baea732dae879c11234507f81
2. Kheel, Rebecca (August 19, 2021), Billions in US weaponry seized by Taliban, The Hill,
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/568493-billions-in-us-weaponry-seized-by-taliban
3. Transcript & Video (August 26, 2021), President Biden Remarks on Suicide Bombing in Kabul, C-SPAN,
https://www.cspan.org/video/?514304-1/president-biden-terrorists-we-hunt-make-pay
4. Nichols, Tom (August 26, 2021), A Bungled Mess, The Atlantic,
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/08/biden-afghanistan-policy/619902/
5. Morris, Andrea (August 23, 2021), ‘We Are Coming for You’: Afghanistan’s Christians Continue to Call for Prayers Amid Reports of Taliban Persecution, CBN News,
https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/cwn/2021/august/we-are-coming-for-you-afghanistans-christians-continue-to- call-for-prayers-amid-reports-of-taliban-persecution
6. Brown, Jon (August 19, 2021), Taliban Going Door To Door Seeking Christians, Searching Through Phones For Bible Apps: Report, The Daily Wire,
https://www.dailywire.com/news/taliban-going-door-to-door-seeking-christians-searching-through-phones-for-bible-apps-report
7. Carlson, Tucker (August 27, 2021), Tucker Carlson interview of Miranda Devine, “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” Fox News Television,
https://www.foxnews.com/transcript/tucker-carlson-tonight-on-afghanistan-violence-chaos
8. Burnett, Erin (August 26, 2021), Erin Burnett interview of Leon Panetta, “Erin Burnett OutFront,” CNN,
https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/ebo/date/2021-08-26/segment/01
This letter may be reproduced without change and in its entirety for non-commercial and non-political purposes without prior permission from Family Talk. Copyright, 2021 Family Talk. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. Printed in the U.S. Dr. James Dobson’s Family Talk is not affiliated with Focus on the Family.
From the VA: Afghanistan: Let’s Talk About It
| Veterans from all eras are reacting to the events in Afghanistan, such as the U.S withdrawal and the takeover by the Taliban. You are not alone. Veterans may question the meaning of their service or whether it was worth the sacrifices they made. They may feel more moral distress about experiences they had during their service. It’s normal to feel this way. Talk with your friends and families, reach out to battle buddies, connect with a peer-to-peer network, or sign up for mental health services. Scroll down for a list common reactions and coping advice. |
| Resources available right now Veterans Crisis Line – If you are having thoughts of suicide, call 1-800-273-8255, then PRESS 1 or visit http://www.veteranscrisisline.net/For emergency mental health care, you can also go directly to your local VA medical center 24/7 regardless of your discharge status or enrollment in other VA health care. Vet Centers – Discuss how you feel with other Veterans in these community-based counseling centers. 70% of Vet Center staff are Veterans. Call 1-877-927-8387 or find one near you. VA Mental Health Services Guide – This guide will help you sign up and access mental health services. MakeTheConnection.net – information, resources, and Veteran to Veteran videos for challenging life events and experiences with mental health issues. RallyPoint – Talk to other Veterans online. Discuss: What are your feelings as the Taliban reclaim Afghanistan after 20 years of US involvement? Download VA’s self-help apps – Tools to help deal with common reactions like, stress, sadness, and anxiety. You can also track your symptoms over time. Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) – Request a Peer Mentor VA Women Veterans Call Center – Call or text 1-855-829-6636 (M-F 8AM – 10PM & SAT 8AM – 6:30PM ET) VA Caregiver Support Line – Call 1-855-260-3274 (M-F 8AM – 10PM & SAT 8AM – 5PM ET) Together We Served –Find your battle buddies through unit pages George W. Bush Institute – Need help or want to talk? Check In or call:1-630-522-4904 or email: checkin@veteranwellnessalliance.org Elizabeth Dole Foundation Hidden Heroes – Join the Community American Red Cross Military Veteran Caregiver Network – Peer Support and Mentoring Team Red, White & Blue – Hundreds of events weekly. Find a chapter in your area. Student Veterans of America – Find a campus chapter to connect with. Team Rubicon – Find a local support squad. |
| Common Reactions In reaction to current events in Afghanistan, Veterans may: Feel frustrated, sad, helpless, grief or distressed Feel angry or betrayed Experience an increase in mental health symptoms like symptoms of PTSD or depression Sleep poorly, drink more or use more drugs Try to avoid all reminders or media or shy away from social situations Have more military and homecoming memories Veterans may question the meaning of their service or whether it was worth the sacrifices they made. They may feel more moral distress about experiences they had during their service. Veterans may feel like they need to expect and/or prepare for the worst. For example, they may: Become overly protective, vigilant, and guarded Become preoccupied by danger Feel a need to avoid being shocked by, or unprepared for, what may happen in the future Feeling distress is a normal reaction to negative events, especially ones that feel personal. It can be helpful to let yourself feel those feelings rather than try to avoid them. Often, these feelings will naturally run their course. If they continue without easing up or if you feel overwhelmed by them, the suggestions below can be helpful. Strategies for Managing Ongoing Distress At this moment, it may seem like all is lost, like your service or your sacrifices were for nothing. Consider the ways that your service made a difference, the impact it had on others’ lives or on your own life. Remember that now is just one moment in time and that things will continue to change. It can be helpful to focus on the present and to engage in the activities that are most meaningful and valuable to you. Is there something you can do today that is important to you? This can be as an individual, a family member, a parent, or a community member. Something that is meaningful to you in regard to your work or your spirituality? Such activities won’t change the past or the things you can’t control, but they can help life feel meaningful and reduce distress, despite the things you cannot change. It can also help to consider your thinking. Ask yourself if your thoughts are helpful to you right now. Are there ways you can change your thinking to be more accurate and less distressing? For example, are you using extreme thinking where you see the situation as all bad or all good? If so, try and think in less extreme terms. For example, rather than thinking “my service in Afghanistan was useless” consider instead “I helped keep Afghanistan safe.” Finally, consider more general coping strategies that you may want to try including: Engage in Positive Activities. Try to engage in positive, healthy, or meaningful activities, even if they are small, simple actions. Doing things that are rewarding, meaningful, or enjoyable, even if you don’t feel like it, can make you feel better. Stay Connected. Spend time with people who give you a sense of security, calm, or happiness, or those who best understand what you are going through. Practice Good Self Care. Look for positive coping strategies that help you manage your emotions. Listening to music, exercising, practicing breathing routines, spending time in nature or with animals, journaling, or reading inspirational text are some simple ways to help manage overwhelming or distressing emotions. Stick to Your Routines. It can be helpful to stick to a schedule for when you sleep, eat, work, and do other day-to-day activities. Limit Media Exposure. Limit how much news you take in if media coverage is increasing your distress. Use a mobile app. Consider one of VA’s self-help apps (see https://www.ptsd.va.gov/appvid/mobile/) such as PTSD Coach which has tools that can help you deal with common reactions like, stress, sadness, and anxiety. You can also track your symptoms over time. PTSD Coach Online. A series of online video coaches will guide you through 17 tools to help you manage stress. PTSD Coach Online is used on a computer, rather than a mobile device, and therefore can offer tools that involve writing. If you develop your own ways of adapting to ongoing events and situations, you may gain a stronger sense of being able to deal with challenges, a greater sense of meaning or purpose, and an ability to mentor and support others in similar situations. |
Heroes Killed in Afghanistan Named
We would like to ask those who read this post here on EdBoston.com to join with us as we pray for the memory of these brave heroes as well as comfort for their families and loved ones.
US servicemen killed in Afghanistan bomb attack identified
The Pentagon on Wednesday released the names of three servicemen killed a day earlier in a roadside bomb attack in Afghanistan.
Army Capt. Andrew Patrick Ross, age 29, of Lexington, Virginia; Army Sgt. 1st Class Eric Michael Emond, age 39, of Brush Prairie, Washington; and Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan J. Elchin, age 25, of Hookstown, Pennsylvania. died of injuries sustained in the attack in Afghanistan’s central Ghazni Province, southwest of the capital, Kabul.
You can read the complete story by clicking on this FoxNews.com link.
Pastor Ed Boston 