Converts from Islam are most vulnerable to persecution in Afghanistan: since most of the Christians in the country are converts, the whole underground church is at risk. There is no safe place in Afghanistan for followers of Jesus.  

Yasaman* grew up a Muslim, like every Afghan person is expected to. She married 11 years ago, and she and her husband had five children – then, two-and-a-half years ago, he chose to follow Jesus. “He always tried to share his faith with me, but I was initially uninterested and often argued with him,” Yasaman remembers. “Our relationship grew strained, and I even contemplated divorce, taking our children to my father’s house.” While women would usually have few rights in Afghanistan, her husband’s conversion meant he had even fewer. 

That changed when Yasaman had a dream about reading the Bible. “This dream deeply affected me, prompting me to ask my husband for a Bible – after reading it, I experienced a profound change within me, feeling a new energy and embracing faith.” 

The couple kept their faith secret from almost everyone, but somehow some people worked it out – and they wanted to do Christians harm. “Our home was located near a mosque, and some people grew suspicious of my husband’s [Christian] activities,” says Yasaman. “Early one morning, as he went to buy bread, two people followed him. He was attacked and killed near our home. I was devastated and felt alone and weak.” 

Even before the Taliban takeover, converting from Islam to Christianity was extremely dangerous in Afghanistan, and sharing the gospel is even more so. But Yasaman is determined. “A fellow believer and his family came to visit, providing spiritual support and encouraging me to continue my husband’s work in God’s path,” she says. “I found solace in their support, and my faith grew stronger. I started sharing the gospel with others. 

Afghanistan remains at number 10 on the World Watch List, and has risen one point in persecution score due to an increase in reports of violence and pressure in various spheres of life for Christians. 

More positively, the underground church reports more interest in Christianity from a population who are disaffected with Islam – particularly from younger people. 

Because of the risks faced by our partners and the people they serve, we are restricted in the information we can provide about Afghanistan.