Faith hidden in plain sight in Afghanistan

Khada* could live anywhere in Afghanistan. She might be a city dweller or have made her home in a rural village. You couldn’t spot her by the clothes she wears, because she dresses like every other Afghan woman—even more so now that the Taliban has imposed a stricter dress code on half of society. You couldn’t even tell by her religious practices because, likely-as-not, she will blend in with the other women in her neighborhood.

What you might notice, however, is how she behaves.

Khada is one of only a few thousand Christians living in Afghanistan whose life has been transformed by knowing Jesus. Through reading the Bible, she has learned that God loves and cares for her, and that has given her a reason to be positive for the future. She chooses to be at peace with her neighbors, to help those in need, to show compassion and kindness and be generous. In a society where the hope of the Afghan people has been crushed through years of war, conflict and poverty and where a strict version of Islam is being imposed in every sphere of life, Khada's light shines all the more brightly.

But like all Christians in Afghanistan, she has a story filled with pain—and marked by the hand of God.

A religious childhood

Khada was born into a deeply religious family. She is the oldest of three sisters and has three brothers. Growing up, she was aware of the pressure on her and her siblings to be seen as a good Muslim family—which, for the men in her family, meant a life centered around the mosque in her community.

Her grandfather was a man who respected the local Mullah—an Islamic religious leader—and he wanted his family to be seen as pious. Each day, he made his son, Khada’s father, and her brothers go to morning prayers before anyone else arrived. Their early attendance at the mosque was noted.

Khada’s mother, fearing her father-in-law, stayed at home and prayed. Her family was respected for their religiosity. Even before the Taliban swept back into power in 2021, a strict form of Islam was the norm for most Afghans (although there was a greater degree of freedom than now). The Muslim faith was (and continues to be) integral to many parts of society and in many families. Khada’s family was also held in high regard for other reasons—her father held an official job that gave him strong standing within the community.

When Khada was a little older, like other young women in Afghanistan, she got engaged. Her family arranged for her to marry a cousin. This turned out to be a happy union. Khada left her family home and moved in with her in-laws and her new husband, a common practice in Afghanistan. There was a lot of affection and kindness between the couple, so they grew closer. “Our relations at home were very good,” Khada says. “Everyone loved me, especially my husband, who loved me immensely.”

Khada got along well with people. She had a job in an office, which she enjoyed. Her personality made her popular with colleagues. In particular, she formed a close friendship with her boss. “We became friends, and I felt free in front of her,” Khada says. “I shared all the stories of my life, and she shared her life stories.” As their friendship deepened, trust grew—a trust that would lead her boss to take a grave risk in a country like Afghanistan. A risk that would change Khada’s life.

“Eventually, she gave me a book without any introduction,” Khada remembers, “which turned out to be the Bible."

Khada put the Bible in her bag and took it home to show to her husband. They had both studied the Quran growing up and were curious about what the Bible had to say. Over the next six months, they read the Old and New Testaments together. And they were amazed at what they found in the Bible’s pages.

A new, dangerous faith

“When I took the book home and started reading it with my husband, at first, many questions came to our minds,” Khada says. “We solved those questions together. He also loved me a lot, and we both always chose the same path. So when we read the book, my husband told me, ‘Whatever path you take, I am your best ally and I will follow you.’”

After much reading and discussion, they decided together to give their lives to Jesus and eventually were baptized. It was a day that brought both physical and spiritual healing to Khada. “I sometimes had a headache, and a part of my head hurt when I was baptized,” she says. “From that day on, my headache disappeared, and I am completely fine now.”

The couple’s journey of faith began to bear fruit. Following Jesus filled them with such joy that they wanted to tell others about this new relationship with God. Khada’s brother was the first one she told about Jesus. “He was anxious due to unemployment,” Khada says. “I gave him the task of learning stories from the Old Testament, and he believed. Later, I shared stories with my family and they all became believers. My husband shared stories with his sister, and she became a believer. We continued spreading our faith.”

Things seemed to be good, and despite the natural risks of following Jesus in Afghanistan, Khada’s life was mostly happy.

But one night, everything changed.

The cost of discipleship in Afghanistan

“My husband went missing after visiting a study group,” Khada remembers. “When his phone was turned off and it didn't ring, I thought at first that maybe he was not in those areas, and the phone wouldn't work. I also called someone from my family and there was still no news from him. I felt fear and all kinds of thoughts.”

As day stretched into night, Khada’s dread grew. Soon, the young woman's worst fears were realized.

“After two days, we learned that he was found dead, bearing signs of torture,” she says. “It was a traumatic experience, and I went into a coma. When I regained consciousness, I found myself at home and my husband's body was being taken for burial.”

To this day, Khada has no answers as to why he was taken or who had killed him. She will likely never know.

Khada remembers how her former boss, the one who introduced her to Jesus, reached out to her and reassured her that her husband was now with Christ. Khada says she found strength and comfort in Scripture. “I stopped crying, read Ephesians chapter six and vowed to serve in the way of Christ.”

With God’s help and through her faith and her Christian community, Khada has rediscovered joy. “Despite the challenges, I found happiness in my new life without my husband, supported by my faithful brothers and sisters,” she says.

The hardest times are in the evenings. Normally, when her children were asleep, she would talk with her husband and they read the Bible together. They would discuss their days and what God’s Word was saying. That time is over—but Khada’s faith hasn’t shrunk. Even though her husband is gone, Khada says she speaks with Jesus and her relationship with Him grows stronger.

“In the past, all my stories and conversations were with my husband,” she says. “Now, all of them are with Jesus, and I tell Him stories every night and every day. I believe that He is listening and hears all my conversations.”

Not without hope

When the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, life became increasingly difficult for all women. Most are forbidden to work outside the home, and those who do venture out must be accompanied by a male guardian. Through local partners, Khada was able to start a small business, which allows her to provide for her children. Life is hard but she is not without hope.

“I continue to be a servant of Christ, following His example of humility and greatness,” she says. “In the difficult Taliban regime, we face challenges, but with strong faith, we persevere.”

In some ways, the believers in Afghanistan model the church of Acts. When they see a fellow believer in need, they try to help out. “We support each other through our faith by reading the Bible,” she says. “Economically, brothers and sisters who have more to share help each other. This is the strong faith that Jesus gave us so that we can support each other and remove poverty and hardships among our brothers and sisters.”

Believers in Afghanistan, although few in number, follow the calling they have from God. It is not safe; it is not easy. But they have faith to complete the work God set before them.

“If we lose our lives, we will be proud of ourselves,” she says. “I ask for prayers for Afghanistan and non-Christians to believe in Christ. When we chose the path of Christ, we know that this path has its own difficulties. But with hope and a promise that we made between us, we continue this journey. We hope that one day everything will be fine, and we will have a completely believing Afghanistan. I always remember this lesson everywhere that Afghanistan must change because it will definitely happen if we have strong faith in Jesus Christ.”

Through local partners, Open Doors helps to strengthen the underground church in Afghanistan through various initiatives. Khada is being helped through a livelihood project.

*Name changed to protect identity.

please pray

Pray with Khada and the small church in Afghanistan

Pray that God would protect Afghan believers as they read the Bible and share the Jesus theyhave found.
Pray that this small remnant of believers would be encouraged in their paths and that Godwould give them tangible signs of hope and His presence with them that they can talk about andshare with others.
Ask the Lord to bless Khada's words and actions as she provides for her children and disciplesher family.
Pray for our local partners who are serving Afghan Christians like Khada. Pray for their safety intheir coming and going and that they would see how God is using them to build His Church.
Pray for Afghan Christians like Khada who grieve the loss of family members. Pray they wouldknow a peace that passes all human understanding and that they would be comforted by theirsalvation and strengthened by their faith.

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Faith hidden in plain sight in Afghanistan

A religious childhood

A new, dangerous faith

The cost of discipleship in Afghanistan

Not without hope

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