For almost two weeks eleven families have waited in hiding for a chance to escape Afghanistan. The group consists of around forty people, all Afghans, who have worked with a Christian organization doing ministry in Middle Eastern countries for several years.

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The families have little choice but to wait. At least some of them know their names are on a list the U.S. State Department gave to the Taliban. It included both names and addresses of faithful allies who assisted the West. We now know that the list also included the names of some of the Americans who had done ministry in the country. No one on the list is safe, especially those living in Afghanistan.

The families had been instructed to travel to a city in the northern part of the country where it was learned a small airport was still allowing several international flights to land and take off.

Each day since mid-September, the families have waited for news that a plane was available. Since the banks within the country are all closed, they have had to rely on a network of people working behind the scenes, to provide them with needed food, housing, and necessities during this endless waiting game for survival.

Monday the news grew grim as our own State Department recommended the Taliban apply normal international travel guidelines to all travelers requiring passports and a visa. They also instructed surrounding countries not to receive any refugees without proper documentation.

Earlier flights out of the country filled with young Afghan men seemed to have had no such requirement, not to mention visa applications were frozen once the Taliban took over. The State Department is certainly aware that this new requirement makes escape via traditional routes an impossibility.

Another question to the new requirement is even if visa applications were being accepted, how do you obtain a visa, when you have no idea where you are going except just to get out? Additionally, Afghanistan stopped issuing passports two years ago. So even those who were lucky enough to already have passports, are unable to get them renewed if they have expired.

Muhammad and his wife are Afghans also needing to escape. Muhammad had worked for the last fifteen years to assist teams of Christian medical doctors who came to work in Afghanistan. He said he always knew this day would come. He just never expected the situation to digress so quickly.

One of the American doctors Muhammad had assisted was working diligently to help him find a way out for him and his family. He heard of the open airstrip and contacted Muhammad. “It is probably your last opportunity to leave,” the doctor instructed them. “You need to decide. If you choose to go, you will have to find a way to get there on your own.”

Just the week before, Muhammad and his wife were tipped off of a raid in their neighborhood. They were able to escape. But it appeared the raiding party was searching for them.

Even knowing they were being hunted, their decision to leave wasn’t easy. They would have to leave behind many family members including Muhammad’s mother-in-law who was very ill in the hospital. Plus, although both Muhammad and his wife had passports, their children did not and none of them had visas.

To leave or to stay was a risk, but in the end, they decided to try to make it to the open airport. They made their way as quickly as possible to the small city over twelve hours away. They arrived safely and joined the other families who had already been waiting a week and a half for the hoped-for plane.

But last night, their hopes were dashed as the Taliban tightened their control over the airport enforcing international travel guidelines. The waiting families were instructed that now there were only two options left and even less safe.

They now must choose to either attempt passage through a risky route to a neighboring country where at any point along the way they could encounter Taliban and be apprehended or killed.

Or they could stay in the small city where they had already been waiting. They were given permission to stay one more week in hopes that something would change. However, if no plane or change came within that week, they would be required to return to their home or go to another place of hiding.

Contrary to official reports, there are still many American passport holders who were deserted by our government and left behind. But it is true that there are many Afghans who could have left, who have chosen not to, in order to share the Gospel to their needy nation. They know that with this choice they will mostly likely die as a martyr and have counted the cost.

How to pray:

1. For the ongoing safety, protection and provision not only for these waiting families, but for the many others like them in hiding and desperate for escape.
2. For God to blind the eyes of the Taliban and any others seeking to harm them and stop them from escape.
3. For routes of escape to open either through traditional or untraditional means so that our Afghan allies, who were promised our help for their service, will be able to get out safely. Also pray for the remaining American citizens left behind and Afghans seeking escape from the cruelty of the current regime.
4. For the brave men and women who have chosen to remain behind to share the Gospel. Pray that even within the Taliban, that eyes will be opened and hearts changed. We pray for revival and that these ministers of the Gospel will be protected as they share the love of God to those who remain in the country, terrified of what will happen from this hostile regime.
5. For strength, wisdom and favor for the ministries, ex-military and government officials working hard to break through the road blocks which the U.S. State Department has enacted against those needing rescue.
6. That the sympathy to the Taliban, shown by the Biden administration and our State Department, will be reversed and that we will do the right thing to assist the people that we put in crisis.

Are you concerned for the plight of those left behind? Share your prayer for their safe passage in the comments below.

Karen Hardin is a literary agent and writer. She is the author of “Infected: How to Stop the Global Spread of Rage, Deception and Insanity” and “God’s Justice after Injustice.” Her work has been published in USA Today, Western Journal, World Net Daily, Intercessors for America, Charisma, CBN.com and more. She is also the co-founder of the city-by-city.org prayer movement to take back our cities and nation.

(Photo Credit: Paula Bronstein/Getty Images).