A secret rescue plan from Afghanistan – straight out of a movie!
When the U.S. military pulled out of Afghanistan last August, there was a panicked rush to evacuate vulnerable people deemed “high risk” for arrest or even death.
But well-known Christian ministers and their families who were at high risk were NOT on the official evacuee list. They were mainly Afghans, but some international workers too.
That is until our World Evangelical Alliance Permanent Representative to the UN in New York, John Girgis, stepped up with other key partners to advocate for their evacuation.
Contacts high up in the U.S. administration were urged to add Christian leaders to the official list. Contacts in the military, including Christians to whom God lead us, were able to put secret rescue plans in place.
Our brothers and sisters needing to escape were given instructions on when to go to the airport and how to identify themselves. When a Christian U.S. military guard watching for the sign saw them in the crowd two armed guards were sent out through the gates and brought them to safety.
Soon after, a suicide bomb exploded in the very place the families were standing killing more than 183 people.
Over a short period of time, several thousand brothers and sisters who would likely have been killed for their faith were safely evacuated.
It was an operation straight out of a movie. But it was real.
Looking back on it, John Girgis says, “The way Christians in high up influential positions made themselves available to help was nothing more than a miracle. God was with all of the many players in the network who played a role in this life-saving rescue.”
John added, “Please pray for those rescued as they re-settle and also for those Christians who remain in Afghanistan.”
WEA’s advocacy work around the world serves the Church and our most vulnerable brothers and sisters. Our work is often very sensitive, very confidential, and cannot be fully disclosed.
But I hope in reading this story you will understand better the kind of high-level, practical, life-saving advocacy work WEA does. We need to be ready to act when the cries for help come.
We can’t do this alone. We need people, prayers, and finances to answer cries for help.
We need you.
On this Giving Tuesday, please consider a generous gift to WEA. Show John and our hardworking advocacy team how much you appreciate their work on behalf of global Christian Church.
And please don’t forget to pray.
Dr. Janet Epp Buckingham
Director, Global Advocacy
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