Orphans in Afghanistan

Masooda is eight years old. Five years ago, her parents and brother died during rocket assaults between the Northern Alliance and the Taliban. Masooda, too, was injured. She displays a hole in her ankle and then proceeds to pat other areas of her leg where exploded rocket tattered her body. She says “shrapnel” in a matter of fact tone.

Masooda is not alone. It has been estimated that there are over 28,000 orphans and children living on the streets in Kabul, a figure that is sure to double when one takes the whole country into the equation. No one is really sure how many orphans the war has produced, but it is certain that there are many that have not yet even been discovered. Two in every three children have seen someone killed during the factional strife. Many witnessed their parents’ murder and now spend their days scavenging for food and their nights trying to fend off cold and nightmares. Most are suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder. Some girls cannot even speak now…it is too difficult to even express what horrors they have witnessed and endured.

Prayer Points

• For development of the work reaching the orphans of Afghanistan, that they would understand their spiritual adoption in Christ.
• That aid workers would join together and adequate funding would be available to meet the needs of these forgotten children.
• That God’s spirit would move in the hearts of these children to cry out to the Lord as “Abba Father”.

Source: http://centralasia.imb.org/pray/tajiks.html