How riding the bus around town to meet other Afghans leads to gospel conversations two hours away: Story from the Afghan Initiative
About the Ministry
After the US withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021, the Taliban quickly took control of the country. This left thousands of people exposed to terrorists, and Christians were in danger. Afghan pastors and ministry leaders were persecuted. Others were forced to flee for their lives. Still others gave their all for Christ because of their faith. Families have been separated. Livelihoods lost. And the very fabric of everyday life has been changed forever.
But God is at work.
Through connections only the Lord can make, the ABWE global family of ministries has been able to connect with a precious group of these Afghan believers through Live Global and EveryEthne missionaries.
“We cannot go back to Afghanistan because our relatives and the neighbors we lived near know that we are Christian. They would kill us.”
From Underground to the Unreached
By God’s amazing grace, we have resettled 5 of these Afghan families to the United States, while 6 of the families we were connected with were relocated to Canada. The 5 families in the United States are busy working on settling in their new homes and have begun ministry among Afghan communities here in America. It’s been a joy to watch them take bold steps of faith every day to share the Gospel with other Afghans!
You can be part of this.
Individuals, families, and churches sponsoring this ministry are providing support for housing, food, transportation, and ministry expenses for Afghan families to be able to live and serve Christ in the US for the next two and a half years—the duration of the first-term religious worker visa.
Our Afghan brothers and sisters will be reaching other Afghans in the US with the message of the gospel through church and outreach opportunities with ABWE missionaries and partner churches.
Afghan Initiative by the Numbers
- • 5 families relocated to the United States
- • 250 thousand Afghans living in the United States in need of Christ
- • 2.5 years permitted on first visas for Afghan Christians to live and minister in the US.
The Financial Need
- • The cost of visas to legally enter and do religious work in the US
- • The cost of airfare to the US for these Afghan families
- • The salaries of each family unit each year for up to the first 2.5 years
Total= $2 million
Gifts made to the Afghan Initiative will be directed to the ABWE International Ministry Workers Fund and designated for the Afghan Initiative or to similar international initiatives to reach the lost with the gospel.
Ministry Focuses
Funding Priorities
Prayer Requests
- Pray that God provides sponsoring churches and individuals for each Afghan family Live Global has been connected with to come to the United States.
- Pray that God would keep these Afghan families in His care while they wait for resettlement.
- Pray that God would plant many new churches among Afghani Muslims in the United States through the work of our Afghani friends.
Recent Updates
Our 11 Afghan Families: Where Are They Now?
Our first Afghan family arrived in the United States in September and our last arrived in mid-October. Where are they now?
How to Pray for the Afghan Initiative
With interviews passed, some travel underway, and decisions being made hard and fast, here is how to pray for the Afghan Initiative.
“I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name” (Revelation 3:8).