On 13 November 2001, Radio Afghanistan began broadcasting music for the first time in five years. Listeners in Kabul, carrying their radios in the street shouted with joy as women, who were forbidden to work under the Taliban regime, broadcast the news.[1] The Northern Alliance had 'liberated' Kabul. At the same time reports of a rather more sobering nature began to emerge. Militiamen had been executed with bullets to the head. Bank notes had been stuffed in their noses and ears as a sign of humiliation. Children spat at their corpses.[1] The media began to recall the Alliance's bloody past, and wonder whether the coalition had made a terrible mistake.

The situation continues to unfold and the final political solution remains unclear. However, in the midst of turmoil, another battle continues - the international effort to save as many as 6 million people on the brink of starvation. Afghanistan has suffered 22 years of war, three years of severe drought and five years of the brutal, repressive Taliban regime. As a result, more than half the population is malnourished and millions are at risk of starvation. 100,000 children may die this winter if aid does not reach them soon.

The resources targeted at addressing this need are, at present, woefully inadequate. Firstly, it will be logistically difficult to provide the 50,000 tonnes of food a month needed, with armed men ready to work mischief in abundance.[2] Secondly, US Air Force food drops are merely token gestures. In fact they may actually worsen the humanitarian crisis. Military distribution of aid can be viewed as an act of war. Aid agencies themselves can be seen to be partisan. If this is so, they can be denied access to people in need. United Nations offices in Pakistan have already been looted and burned. Aid agencies have left for fear of being targeted. Security fears have even caused aid agencies in Kashmir, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya and Somalia to reduce work. Dr Morten Rostrup, International President of Médecins Sans Frontières has been keen to stress that they are still paying the price for confusion between military and humanitarian objectives a decade earlier in Somalia.[3]

Meanwhile, Afghans fleeing the cities join others roaming the drought-stricken country in search of food.[4] The drought is the worst in living memory. It has driven 700,000 people from their homes, leading to food shortages affecting almost 4 million people.[5] Some choose another alternative. They follow the crowd trying desperately to get into Pakistan or Iran to join the 3.5 million refugees there already.

Governments worldwide are aware of the problem, but the response has been slow. The United States, perhaps unsurprisingly, has a big role to play in promoting aid relief. The United States has consistently been the largest donor of humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people. During the fiscal year that ended on 30 September, it provided more than $185 million in food, health care, water and sanitation services and shelter to vulnerable Afghans. That amounts to roughly two-thirds of the total aid to Afghanistan from all international donors. On 4 October, Mr Bush announced an additional $320 million in aid, which includes $25 million in immediate assistance for those Afghans who have escaped the Taliban into neighbouring countries.6 So despite the shortcomings of the US government, their support is needed and influential. Unfortunately, it still isn't enough.

A Christian response

The Apostle Paul urges us to make 'requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving for everyone'. (1 Tim 2:1) Christians in Afghanistan need our prayers. The worldwide urgency from a Christian perspective is the spread of gospel. If the old, oppressive regime can be replaced with something better, opportunities for spreading the gospel may increase. Our prayers are also needed for unhindered humanitarian aid work. This will be vital to end suffering.

We also need to pray hard for governments and authorities in general. Paul urges us to pray for 'all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all goodness and holiness' (1 Tim 2:2). The work of government can help or hinder the gospel message immensely. God hears the prayers of Christians and has the power to change the hearts and minds of those in power. With their help, the work of aid workers, missionaries and those starting the work of rebuilding Afghanistan can be helped.

The crisis should also encourage us to think about the great need for gospel work abroad. We should be seriously thinking and praying about our role in mission. While we will not all be called to go abroad in the future, we may be able to help others to, for example through financial support.

Above all, as the crisis continues we should try not to become hardened to the continued suffering in Afghanistan or other continuing conflicts such as that in the Middle East. Across the globe, lives are still being lost, the gospel is still suppressed, and much work remains to be done. Our prayers please God, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Tim 2:4).