Pray4Pashtuns Ramadan2024

Day 6-Cities: Kandahar

• That the spiritually thirsty will receive the living water of the gospel that is being sprinkled on this arid land. Pray that new creative strategies will rain down the message of the saving gospel on the whole region.
• For the few “secret” believers to share their faith carefully and courageously throughout “Big Kandahar.”
• That Kandahar will once again open to Christian workers who might help bring physical and spiritual healing to this land.

ISAIAH 45:22

“Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.”

***Pray that P Believers will have godly marriages to reflect the Gospel to those around them. Eph 5:33  However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. 

TRIBAL WATCH Pray for the Barakzai Tribe. The Barakzai tribe is a large, influential tribe from Kandahar province in Southern Afghanistan, although there are many who live elsewhere in Afghanistan & abroad. They are part of the Durrani or Abdali Confederation. The Achakzai were also originally a large sub-section ofthe Barakzai tribe, until, fearing their power & influence, Ahmad Shah Durrani split the Achakzai & Barakzai into two separate units. The Barakzai tribe effectively produced the rulers of Afghanistan from
1826 to 1973. Pray for many Barakzai to hear the good news and come the faith and lead many to faith.

More Reading:

In many ways, Kandahar is the spiritual, cultural, and strategic heart
of Afghanistan and the Pashtun. Archeologists have determined
that Kandahar is one of the oldest cities in the entire world with
ancient ruins dating back 5-7,000 years. When the Afghan empire
stretched from Iran to India under the great Pashtun king and father of
Afghanistan, Ahmad Shah Durrani, Kandahar was the capital city. Today,
Ahmad’s mausoleum is the most important shrine in the city and is also
the centerpiece of the largest bill in Afghan currency.
Southern Afghanistan is composed of multiple provinces that are
collectively referred to as Loya Kandahar or “Big Kandahar.” The locals
refer to the distinct and softer version of the Pashto language spoken in
this region as “Kandahari Pashto.” Kandahari people have a distinctive,
colorful way of dress and manner. Men wear bright turbans and cloaks,
and ladies clad in blue, green, and purple burqas float through the city.
The extremes of Pashtun culture, from hospitality to brutality, are on
full display in this fertile, harsh, and starkly beautiful land. Though an
ancient place, it is plagued by modern politics and violence. Kandahar
and its surrounding areas remain the most violent part of the country
and the most neglected by foreign development efforts. Separated
from outside influence, Kandahari Pashtuns suffer in ignorance, many
dying of diseases already eradicated in the rest of the world.
The Kherqa Sharif is a shrine in Kandahar containing a sacred
cloak thought to have belonged to the prophet of Islam, Muhammad.
When the Taliban rose to power, their leader, Mullah Omar, lifted this
cloak as a symbol of his spiritual leadership. Recently, the current
president opened the box of the cloak to offer prayers for peace for
this troubled nation. It seems everyone from every position recognizes
that Kandahar acts as the spiritual epicenter of Afghanistan and the
Pashtun.
Access to this region around Kandahar for even the boldest
Christian workers has been difficult and at times, deadly. However,
the seeds planted by those who sowed during slightly better times
continue to bear some fruit. Creative means, such as radio and social
media, are being used to reach the 9 million Southern Pashtuns of
Afghanistan and Pakistan. These seeds are also beginning to bear fruit.
In this dry, rugged land, many are waiting to hear the gospel, but the
message must come in a way they can receive and understand.