The People —Pashtun, Afghanistan, Pakistan

Percent Muslim: 99.9%, Percent Christian: 0.0006%, Church growth rate: 17%

The Pashtun are the indigenous people of Pashtunistan, the area of southern Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan. Numbering about 51 million worldwide, Pashtuns are one of the largest unreached tribal groups in the world. Although most commonly associated with Afghanistan, about 70% of the Pashtuns live in Pakistan.

Pashtuns live by the Pashtunwali code, which highly values honor, pride, autonomy, vengeance, forgiveness and hospitality. Known as fierce warriors, no conquering force has ever been able to occupy their country indefinitely. This has been the common experience of Alexander the Great, the British Empire, the Soviet Union and the United States.

There were no known native Christians in Afghanistan in 1952, when God called Dr. J. Christy Wilson and his wife Betty to go to the country as “tentmakers,” or self-supporting missionaries. Through the intervention of President Eisenhower, King Zahir Shah granted permission to build a Protestant church in Kabul. The alabaster cornerstone read: “To the glory of God ‘who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood’ this building is dedicated as ‘a house of prayer for all nations’ in the reign of H.M. Zahir Shah, May 17, 1970 A.D., ‘Jesus Christ Himself being the Chief Cornerstone’.”

In 1973 however, the government moved to demolish the building. An international Christian asked the mayor not to proceed with the demolition since the Bible says “If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him” (1 Corinthians 3:17). But the authorities proceeded to demolish the church. Hearing of the “underground church,” they bulldozed down six feet to be sure to destroy it as well!

On the day of the demolition, July 17, 1973, the King’s cousin, Mohammed Daoud Khan overthrew Zahir Shah, and the 227 year old monarchy of Afghanistan forever came to an end. That date marked the beginning the modern troubles of Afghanistan, which had previously enjoyed a period of peace. In spite of great persecution, the number of Pashtun Christians is now in the thousands and the church is growing rapidly.

The Painting

Oil on linen, 24 x 30 inches

The painting depicts a Pashtun shopkeeper with one of the famous “War Rugs.”