Afghanistan: overwhelmed by violence

The election in Afghanistan, and the weeks immediately following it, were not as bad as many feared. And yet, violence continues to mark the everyday lives of so many people there. Those who are expected to uphold the law and provide protection to Afghanis and foreigners alike, have recently taken lives among those they are committed to protect. The random, senseless nature of so many of the killings begs the question, what is in the soul of this nation.

Generations of Afghanis little other than violence as a way of life. Driven by the survival instinct, they will do anything to protect themselves and their families. The traumas of ongoing violence leave others with deep wounds of the heart and mind, leading to actions that seem senseless to anyone else. Distrust of everyone around means that community care and life has disintegrated and isolation creates vulnerability.

Violence begets violence. The years of war have scarred not only the land, but lives as well. Reconciliation, healing, transformation – all seem so far from possible, except if we know God and hold onto the truth and reality of who he is. The answers are not easy or clear when we watch the impact of violence, but God is still God.

Pray for this nation as it struggles, not just with the violence, but with the traumatic impact of decades of violence.