By Katey Hearth | September 4, 2024

Afghanistan (MNN) — A growing number of religious scholars in Afghanistan are openly challenging the Taliban’s restrictions on female education. Even some clerics working for the government have opposed the ban.

Meanwhile, Afghan women sing to protest new Taliban decrees seeking to erase women from wider society. The “vice and virtue” laws, approved two weeks ago, are the Taliban’s first formal declaration since taking power in 2021.

As more voices join the resistance to Taliban rule, some practices carry on just the same. For example, persecution remains at an all-time high.

Unknown Nations’ Greg Kelley says Afghan partners recently shared the following report:

“A couple of underground workers reached this village, and they had a lot of fruit; people were responding to the Gospel. The Taliban heard about it, they went to that village, and every man, woman, and child was executed. There [are] atrocities like that happening daily inside of Afghanistan.”

The good news? “There was one survivor who we connected with, and now he’s being equipped and trained [as a Gospel worker to Afghanistan,]” Kelley says.

Unknown Nations partners with believers in a neighboring country to help Afghan refugees become missionaries to their homeland.

“At that training center, we pour into Afghans who are being multiplied, and their target is to reach Afghanistan with the Gospel,” Kelley says.

“Every Afghan [understands] the depth of despair within Afghanistan. They also understand there’s only one solution, and that is the hope of the Gospel.”

Contact Unknown Nations to learn how you can help train Afghan Gospel workers.

“Pray that the Lord of the harvest would send forth the laborers [who are] willing to die, thrive, and multiply into Afghanistan,” Kelley requests.

“Before Jesus told us to go, Jesus gave us the action word – to pray. He said, ‘Pray to the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers.’ In places like Afghanistan, Iran, and that whole corridor of the world, we need more laborers.”

Header image is a representative stock photo depicting a scene in mountainous Afghanistan. (Photo courtesy of Joel Heard/Unsplash)

Original Article Posted Here: https://www.mnnonline.org/news/persecution-continues-amid-calls-for-change-in-afghanistan/