by: Diane Ruebling
As I write this, the news out of Afghanistan is catastrophic and overwhelming. Thousands have been converging on the Kabul airport in desperate attempts to escape amid widespread reports of brutal Taliban and ISIS violence. It is gut-wrenching to watch and heartbreaking to think of the fear and real danger for Americans, our allies in Afghanistan, those targeted as Christians, and women and girls. I write this in the hope that we can all find ways to pray for and support those in this struggle. 

U.S. Military  - The images of our military, helping with the evacuation of Americans and our allies while showing such care and concern for the children and evacuees has been heartwarming.  The tragic news about the suicide bombers and the savage and brutal deaths of 13 US military and hundreds of others on August 26th was horrendous. The lives of the families of those who gave their lives have been changed forever. God, thank you for our brave men and women who are ready to risk their lives for our country.  God bless them and their families. Wrap your loving arms around them and keep them safe.

Afghan Allies  - For twenty years many Afghans have worked closely with the United States, our troops, and those trying to make a difference in the region promoting democratic practices and opportunities. Targeted by the Taliban regime, they are anxious to leave the country.  Many of them have SIVs (Special Immigrant Visas) but their families and loved ones may not, making it difficult if not impossible to evacuate. God, let them know how their service and dedication to us has been valued, and pray that we find ways to get them protection.

Christians - Missionaries, Afghans who have converted to Christianity, and other Christians residing there are being sought out and targeted. The extremist Taliban group has made it clear that the penalty for conversion to Christianity from Islam is death.  Reports are surfacing that the Taliban is going from home to home, seizing people’s cell phones to see if they have the Bible downloaded. If they do, there are ramifications that have included people being taken away never to be seen again. The memories of public executions, floggings, and amputations of Christians and other religious minorities from previous Taliban rule are still vivid. Some Christians are staying in their homes, some are hiding in unlikely places or escaping to the hills to find safety. Dear Lord, keep our brothers and sisters in Christ safe from those who wish to harm and persecute them.

Women and Girls - About 15 years ago, when I first came to the Valley, I was introduced to the Thunderbird School of Global Management’s Artemis program. This program was designed to bring education and skills to Afghan women who wanted to be professionals, run businesses, and make a living back in their country. The plight of most girls and women under previous Taliban rule was dire. Women were not allowed out of their houses without being accompanied by a man, they were not encouraged to get jobs, girls were not allowed to attend school, there were no hospitals for women, and dress requirements were rigid. There are almost 3 million widows in Afghanistan. With these obstacles, earning a living to feed and clothe their families was a monumental challenge.

Tremendous progress was made by this program and other similar programs. The women’s resilience and determination were both incredible. Results were evidenced by women in key professions, women being elected to parliament and other government posts, hospitals that allowed women patients, and the opening of schools to girls.

One story that still haunts me today was told to me by an Afghan woman whose passion in life was to educate girls and women. As you may know, the Taliban doesn’t believe in education for girls and encourages them to marry as early as 9 years of age. For many years they taught the girls secretly in different homes. Then as conditions became better, they found a building where they could hold classes for girls. One day the building being used as the school was bombed by extremists. The next morning these courageous girls and their teachers went and sat on the ground by the bombed-out building and continued their classes, demonstrating to the Taliban that their desire and right to be educated couldn’t be extinguished. Such bravery! Now much of this progress is crumbling before our eyes. (For a specific person to pray for, Rangina Hamidi, Afghani Minister of Education, who benefitted from Thunderbird’s programming, has chosen to remain in Kabul to work for women’s education.)

Dear Lord, hear my prayers for these courageous but threatened people who have worked so hard over the last two decades to become educated, independent, and productive. They greatly need your protection, your hope, and your peace. We need your guidance and spirit to show us how to best support them as we navigate these new unchartered waters.  In Jesus’ name, we pray.  Amen 

To learn more about what the Thunderbird School of Global Management and Arizona State University are doing to help provide placement for Afghan “scholars at risk” here in AZ, and for a list of ways to help international aid organizations in their efforts, please contact Rev. Mike Hegeman (mhegeman@pinnaclepres.org).   

To find out how the Presbyterian church is responding to this crisis click here:
https://www.presbyterianmission.org/pda-blog/2021/08/18/afghanistan-evacuations-and-refugees/

Diane Ruebling, a Pinnacle member, is an executive coach, serves on the Fran Park Theological Center executive committee, on the Thunderbird School of Global Management Executive Leadership Council, as a member of the Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations, and is a Patron of the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute.