Tajik family turns to Christianity after father’s death

Amir doesn’t know if his father became a Christian. But he does know that without his father, Amir – a Tajik from Afghanistan – never would have known Jesus Christ.

His father, a physics professor in Afghanistan’s capital of Kabul, exposed his son to Christianity by bringing home books and materials about Jesus and His teachings, along with various other world religions.

Amir’s father wanted him to be able to compare other beliefs to Islam, the traditional religion of his family.

Soon life in Afghanistan changed radically. In the fall of 1996, the Taliban, a strict Islamic group, took over Kabul. In their zeal to control Afghanistan, the Taliban specifically went after the country’s intellectual elite – people like Amir’s father.

One night, shortly before the Taliban took over Kabul, Taliban soldiers entered Amir’s house. They took his sister and killed his father.

But before his father died, he told Amir about a place he could go and learn about Christianity. Although he was skeptical, Amir was eager to learn more about the religion his father had introduced to him.

He began meeting with a Christian regularly for Bible study.

Like most who disagree with the Taliban’s political and religious philosophies, Amir finally was forced to flee from Afghanistan to a neighboring country.

Tajiks remaining in Afghanistan live as prisoners of the ruling Taliban party. For the Tajiks of Afghanistan, no earthly hope exists.

But for Amir and other Tajiks who have met Jesus Christ, no matter who controls their homeland, their hearts belong to God. (BP)

EDITOR’S NOTE – The names of people have been changed for security reasons.