{"id":9373,"date":"2023-08-31T15:56:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-31T14:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opendoorsuk.org\/?post_type=news&p=9373"},"modified":"2024-02-15T15:57:48","modified_gmt":"2024-02-15T15:57:48","slug":"afghanistan-stories-martyrs","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/connect.opendoorsuk.org\/ireland\/blog\/news\/latest-news\/afghanistan-stories-martyrs\/","title":{"rendered":"Killed for following Jesus \u2013 four stories of costly faith from Afghanistan"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021 has forced Christians from the country or deeper underground (illustative image)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drowned by own father<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After becoming a Christian, Aasif* had a dream to return to his birthplace to share the gospel with others. He and his family went, and over two years more than 30 people gave their lives to Jesus through Aasif\u2019s witness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But his father grew suspicious. \u201cAasif\u2019s father was a respected figure in the community and, when we returned home, he could see changes in his son\u2019s behaviour,\u201d says Shaziz*, Aasif\u2019s wife. \u201cThe way he was living raised questions. He repeatedly asked Aasif why he no longer prayed or attended the mosque.<\/p>\n\n\n

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“I knew my father-in-law had killed my husband…”<\/p> SHAZIZ<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHis father started monitoring him for a month, trying to discover who he was meeting with and why his behaviour had changed. One night, when Aasif returned home from one of his groups, his father discovered that he had a book and took it from him. After reading it, he learnt that his son had become a Christian. That night he declared him an infidel and deserving of Islamic punishment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A month later, Aasif\u2019s father decided to kill him. \u201cOne day, he suggested the two of them go swimming, but instead of spending time together, Aasif\u2019s father drowned him in the water,\u201d recalls Shaziz. \u201cHe returned home alone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shaziz pressed his father-in-law over Aasif\u2019s whereabouts, but he insisted the two of them never went swimming after all. The following day, Aasift\u2019s body was discovered. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI knew my father-in-law had killed my husband, but I was too afraid to share the story with anyone,\u201d continues Shaziz. \u201cI feared my father-in-law’s retribution; if I revealed the truth, I might be the next target.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cForty days after his death, I decided to move back to where we used to live. We have three daughters and three sons. My father-in-law did not provide any support, and there was no one to help me take care of my children or provide for their basic needs. We are now living in a rented house.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the immense grief and financial struggles, Shazia has not given up hope. She wants to set up her own bakery so she can take care of her family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n