Here at The Waiting World, besides having produced videos, prayer slides, and this blog, we are engaging in conversations with Muslims from different parts of the world. Three of our students are currently reading short stories from “Aesop’s Fables”. It’s an electronic version that is perfect for sharing, as we converse both in person and online.
Today we were reading “The Tortoise and the Birds”. Essentially the story is this: “A tortoise was making it’s long journey home, when it saw an eagle. The tortoise asked the eagle if she could pick him up and fly him home. The eagle agreed to that idea. Suddenly a crow flew by and told the eagle that tortoises were good to eat. And the crow suggested that if the eagle dropped the tortoise on it’s back on the rocks below, the shell would crack and they could have a very tasty meal together. So the eagle dropped the tortoise, it’s shell broke open and they ate it.”
The moral of this story is: “Don’t try to soar with your enemies”. When the student was asked if she knew of any similar situations from her own life or the lives of others, she said, “Oh yes! Afghanistan is made up of three groups of people: the Hazara, the Pashtun, and the Tajiks. Before the Taliban, we had a leader who was very favorable to my people, the Hazara. His name was Abdul-Ali Mazari. We prospered under his rule, but he made the mistake of believing the Taliban when they came to him and said, “Let’s work together to make Afghanistan better!” My friend told us, “They put their hands on the Holy Quran and promised him they would be peaceful!” As soon as Marzari had signed an agreement with them, they arrested him and then executed him in 1995.
According to PBS News, “The newly formed Islamic militia, the Taliban, rose to power on promises of peace. Most Afghans, exhausted by years of drought, famine and war, approved of the Taliban for upholding traditional Islamic values. The Taliban outlawed cultivation of poppies for the opium trade, cracked down on crime, and curtailed the education and employment of women. Women are now required to be fully veiled and are not allowed outside alone. Islamic law is enforced via public executions and amputations. The United States refuses to recognize the authority of the Taliban.”
Even worse, our friend described the brutality of the Taliban when they attacked a hospital, murdering many of the staff, 19 babies, and their mothers. Our friend, who now lives in the West, said, “We were still in Afghanistan at the time, and I remember how sad this made me.”
When you reach out to Muslims, you get to witness Christ’s love to them, and learn their stories. Please pray for the people of Afghanistan: both those who are refugees in the West, and, especially those who still live under Taliban rule.
If you haven’t yet seen the video of the Pashtun people of Afghanistan, here is a short prayer video we created before the rise of the Taliban: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTVFjTgeOyA