Help the Persecuted: Afghanistan
On today’s episode of the Wiser Roundtable Podcast, Casey interviews Mary O’Brien from Help the Persecuted to talk about their work and impact. They also discuss what’s happening in Afghanistan and opportunities to help.
Listen on Apple Podcasts or watch on YouTube:
SUMMARY:
Casey begins the podcast by introducing Mary O’Brien from Help the Persecuted. Mary is the Senior Vice President of Engagement. Help the Persecuted started in 2011 as a small part of a larger ministry called Leading the Way. In 2018, the group spun off to form their own ministry with the realization of how much persecution is growing each year worldwide. They work through field ministry teams and trusted partners in the Middle East and North Africa.
Christian Persecution
Many people in the countries they serve are converts to Christianity from Islam. These converts face persecution from their own families, lost their jobs, been ostracized in their communities, and faced pressure from their own government and police. These people need help and support. Help the Persecuted offers food, help with basic living expenses, safe housing, medical assistance, pastoral support, and trauma care. In 2020, Help the Persecuted was able to help over 46,000 persecuted Christians.
Afghanistan Crisis
It is no secret that many people have been left behind in Afghanistan. So far, over 200 families have reached out to Help the Persecuted for assistance, but there are probably still thousands of Christian converts and ethnic minorities still over there. These groups of people are hated and persecuted by the Taliban.
They have found a way to get money into Afghanistan and distribute it through trusted partners to people in need. This money is used to help families with their immediate needs, such as getting them minutes for a cell phone so they can communicate. The larger issue they are facing is transportation. There are areas in Afghanistan currently where flights are going out, so it is important to try and get people to those locations. If people cannot get on a flight, the goal is to get them across the border to a neighboring country.
It is important to help get these people out of Afghanistan, but it is also just as important to keep helping them once they are out. Help the Persecuted often continues to support these people through providing living expenses, medical care, housing, and any other needs that arise once they reach a safe place.
TIMESTAMPS:
0:45 What does Help the Persecuted do?
11:10 Afghanistan Crisis
LINKS:
Learn more about Help the Persecuted.
Opportunities to help Afghanistan.
Learn more about Casey Smith and connect with him on Twitter.
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