Kinaaz*is a Hazara widow who had become a Christian and was being pursued by the Taliban. The Hazara people are an ethnic minority that is actively persecuted by the Taliban. Her husband was killed in 2016 in a demonstration where about 80 people died in an explosion set by the Taliban. As a law student, she had a 5-month old baby boy at the time and was just 40 days pregnant with her daughter.

Hamed* had been working as a contractor at the US Army camp in Kabul for eight years. One day, he saw his chance to get his deep questions answered. Jerry*, the American Chaplain for the army camp was walking across the quad headed to the chapel and Hamed yelled out at him to get his attention. As he approached, Hamed asked Jerry if he had a moment to talk about this Jesus he had heard about. Jerry and Hamed sat in the office, while Jerry shared how Hamed could make Jesus Lord of his life. Hamed responded that he wanted to accept Christ as his Lord and Savior, so Jerry led him to faith in Christ and for the next six months they met daily for discipleship.

Bashir* is a husband and father who has paid the price for living as a religious minority in Afghanistan. Many years ago, he and his wife, Farah, had no choice but to flee Afghanistan after he was arrested and severely beaten by the Taliban. Far from home, Bashir abandoned the practice of Islam and began to search earnestly for God. He and Farah met some Christians and became acquainted with their beliefs. After a time, Bashir and Farah made a decision to follow Jesus.

On August 26, 2021, now one year ago, 170 Afghans and 13 US military personnel were slain by an ISIS K-bomb at the Abbey Gate of the Kabul airport as Afghans were desperately pressing in to escape the Taliban takeover.

One family rushed into the chaotic aftermath of the blast searching frantically for their beloved brother, an interpreter for the US military, and his wife. Tragically both were killed, leaving behind their two young boys. The boys were also there at the airport but with other family members, out of reach of the explosion.

9:00 am It is the morning of Tuesday, January 11, 2022. The darkness of night slowly gives way to the light of day as my plane cuts through the cottony white clouds outside my window. A thin ray of sunshine filters through the window indicating that today will be a sunny day in Calgary, Canada. I suddenly feel strange and realize that the last time I was in my hometown of Kabul, Afghanistan was also a sunny day. However, when I think about that day, I can only remember darkness and horror. That was the day Kabul fell to the Taliban. In fear for our lives, we left behind all our loved ones and all our belongings. We were among the first targets for arrest by the Taliban: me, a woman working for Western interests and my husband, a human rights defender. I never imagined that the jobs that we studied and worked so hard for all our lives would one day cause us to flee our own country, the one we wanted so very much to serve.

Nasir* is a middle-aged man from Central Afghanistan with a large family and a heart full of faith. When he was only ten years old, Nasir was walking in a field holding his father's hand. Suddenly his father pushed him away, shots rang out, and his father fell dead in front of him. The Taliban had killed his father! This tragedy shaped his life as a child and young man; life was not easy for Nasir.

Ayesha* is an intelligent, compassionate young woman eager to achieve and to do what she can to serve others. Until recently she lived in Afghanistan with her parents and several adult siblings. Ayesha worked for the Afghan government and was a part of the first generation of young women who stepped into leadership in the wake of the fall of the Taliban.

“It just makes me weep in gratitude. Thank you, Jesus! The absolute impossible has become a reality! Such a long journey to freedom—yet the journey is not over! This organization is making a real impact. They are saving lives.”

One day his family was living in peace. The next day, everything changed. The Taliban overturned the government sending the entire nation into disarray.