Please remember to keep praying for the imprisoned Christians (see below) who are humanitarian aid workers who were in Afghanistan providing assistance. There are two American women, 2 Australians, 4 Germans, and as many as 16 unidentified Afghan Aid Workers accused of being Christians, who are probably under worse duress than the others. They have all been put on trial by the Taliban.

All these Christians need our prayers. The Taliban previously indicated that, if convicted, foreigners would only face jail and expulsion; but they have since indicated these people could be executed. The fate of the Afghan Christians is likely worse if convicted. Remember and pray.  
 

These women worked in Afghanistan for Shelter Now International, "an aid agency that provides food, clothing and housing for refugees and IDP's as well as basic education and health needs for street children." Heather had visited Afghanistan twice before she went permanently in March 2001, and Dayna had been there excluding furloughs, since January 2000.

"Diana is a registered nurse and nursing instructor. She is 50, single and has been a member of NorthCity Christian Centre for over 25 years. Diana is the personal assistant to the Shelter Now team leader and is involved in Shelter Now's malnourished feeding clinic and new mother's clinic. Peter is a jack of all trades with a background in engineering, project supervision and the retail industry. He is 57, single and has been a member of NorthCity Christian Centre for 12 years. Peter is a project supervisor with Shelter Now overseeing housing and feeding projects."

Georg is a 45 year old nurse, married to Marianne Taubmann. They have two sons, Daniel and Benni. The whole family moved to Kabul in July 2000, but Mrs. Taubmann and the children had to flee Kabul after his unexpected arrest by the Taliban. Kati, age 29, is a nurse. Margrit, age 43, is in administration with Shelter Now (as best as I can tell from translations). Silke is 26 years old and is a teacher.

Arsalan and 15 others (names unknown, no photos available)   •   Afghan Aid Workers Accused of being Christians

Search Google for Afghanistan AND ("aid workers" OR Mercer OR Curry OR Bunch OR Thomas OR Taubmann OR Jelinek OR Stebner OR Durrkopf)
Search Yahoo News Full Coverage for +Taliban +Aid + Worker [ reverse date order, 6 years, 50 results per page ]
Search Yahoo News Story (good search) for +Taliban +Aid + Worker [reverse date order, 6 years, 50 results per page]

Some FreeRepublic Threads on the Jailed Christians (reverse chronological order, not comprehensive):

• Contact lost with aid workers in Kabul jail
• Letters from Heather and Dayna (from their church, with fairly extensive press releases)
• Birthday nears for Waco woman jailed by Taliban; detainees see little change
• Efforts to free Waco women jailed in Afghanistan stalled by war
• U.S. Raids Affect Kabul Trial of Aid Workers
• Military strikes hit within miles of detained Waco women in Afghanistan
• Trial of Christian aid workers in Afghanistan may be nearing conclusion
• Mother hopes to attend trial   'If I'm allowed, I will'
• Lawyer sees light Afghan sentence for Christians
• Dayna Curry: Personal journey of a prisoner in Afghanistan (great article)
• Aid workers in Afghan court. Judge promises fair trial according to Islamic justice
• Kabul aid workers trial resumes
• Kabul (Christian) Aid Workers Trial Set To Resume
• Trial of eight foreign aid workers set to resume Saturday
• Foreign Aid Workers' Trial to Resume
• Detained Baptist Workers in Limbo Amid U.S.-Afghan Wrangling
• The Buzz: Heroic Americans, Worse for Aid Workers, more...
• Jailed Baylor grads' attorney trying to see them. -  Lawyer has visa to enter Afghanistan, but fleeing refugees clog path
• Lawyer trying to see Afghan detained aid workers
• Release Our Women! (my title) - Antioch pastor waits in Pakistan for release of women from Afghanistan
• ;Waco pastor fears for safety of ex-BU students held in Afghanistan
• Taliban May Sentence Christians To Death
• Heather Mercer & Dayna Curry left behind in Afghanistan - UN Workers Leave Afghanistan

November 14, 2001
The prayers have been answered.

They are Free!
Praise Jesus!

..."Today we've got incredibly good news," President Bush said after the aid workers were plucked from Afghanistan by military helicopters and taken to Pakistan. "Our United States military rescued eight humanitarian workers who had been imprisoned in Afghanistan."

..."Eight foreign aid workers, including two Americans, were safe in Pakistan Wednesday after being held in Afghanistan for three months by the Taliban for preaching Christianity, U.S. officials said.
Three U.S. special forces helicopters picked up the aid workers in a field near Ghanzi, about 50 miles southwest of Kabul, at about 4:40 p.m. EST, Pentagon officials said. The aid workers were flown to Pakistan, and appear to be in good health, officials said."

Thank God. Praise God. Praise Jesus. The release/rescue of these people is truly a miracle that only God, working through people, could have accomplished.

I have learned over the years that when the very thing happens that you have been praying for, you Thank God For It; and you acknowledge His answer to prayer; and you DON'T minimize it by saying that it just would have happened on its own.

I am sure this rescue will prove to be an interesting story in human terms, but it is even more momentous as a miraculous answer to the many, many prayers of many, many people. Thank You Lord!

Links to breaking articles about the good news:

• Taliban in Disarray; U.S. Rescues Aid Workers
• Families Celebrate Aid Worker Release
• Bush Welcomes Release of Aid Workers From Afghanistan
• Freed Aid Workers Land in Pakistan
• Christian Aid Workers Freed in Afghanistan
• Western Aid Workers Freed
• Report: Coalition forces have rescued foreign aid workers currently enroute Pakistan

Related Links:

• Press Releases: Antioch Community Church, Waco, Texas (church of Mercer and Curry)
• Afghan Update: NorthCity Christian Centre, Padbury Perth W. Australia (church of Bunch and Thomas)