Providing support for those in need of restoration is the focus of our work at Safe Harbor. In all the work we do, we seek to raise awareness of issues on every scale and provide a voice for those in need of a supporting platform. With consideration of the recent political and human rights conflicts in Afghanistan, we seek to create a safe place for processing emotions and connecting resources. Our 2021 interns created this blog post to share their thoughts and offer resources for all individuals and families that are impacted physically, mentally, emotionally, or financially by these recent events.

Sydni Brown, Web Design Intern

In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “ Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” In the year 2021, this powerful statement still holds truth and relevance. 

Afghanistan’s struggles are a distinctive cry of injustice from around the world that should not pass through our ears without sympathy. The changes in internal power have created an atmosphere of fear for safety and well-being amongst the Afghan people, especially the women and children. Their progressions in education, employment, self-determination, and overall individualism are at the risk of uncertainty. We should not become desensitized to issues of human rights for our own comfort. We must not neglect the concerns and feelings of people. The people of Afghanistan are hurting and scared, and we must not turn a blind eye to their cries. 

Likewise, we must also be present in support of American service members who have been impacted by the events in Afghanistan and within their service. This is a moment of conflicting feelings and emotions for many people. While we cannot control how someone feels, we can always attempt to have a proper, helpful response. Through this, we must seek ways to provide resources and support for those who make their own sacrifices for our freedoms.

What is happening in the hearts of Afghanistan’s people and in the hearts of our American service members should not solely have a political focus. There should be no debates about the sanctity of human freedom and health. As a society, we need to remind ourselves of the value of freedom, human life, and mental health.

I encourage everyone to utilize their platforms and privileges to stand as an advocate and lend both emotional and tangible support for all those who are holding onto a future of freedom, hope, and peace. 

I pray for protection and peace for all families directly impacted by the events in Afghanistan. May the lives of the lost, hurting, and broken be remembered and honored.

• Safe Harbor provides a resource list for a variety of needs. Visit our resource page https://safeharborim.com/resources/

Source: Sohaib Ghyasi | Unsplash

Elina Paraschou, Human Resources Intern

The collapse of Afghanistan has forced many Afghan families to abandon their country and seek a new home. However, women are the ones who will suffer the consequences the most. They have been fighting for their rights for the past 20 years and they have achieved access to education and employment. With the Taliban taking over one city after the other, women’s future is uncertain. When I was reading what women have to go through, it made me appreciate things in my life that sometimes I took for granted such as being able to wear whatever I want or walk outside without being scared. However, I feel that women now are not the same as they were 20 years ago. They will not stop fighting for their rights even if this means leaving their country or protesting in Afghanistan. 

Source: Nightmare, Afghanistan 2021 by Shamsia Hassani

Madison Ford, Office Administration Intern

As a human rights ally, I cannot describe the emotions I feel. My heart is broken from seeing all of the civilian lives lost and the many more that are displaced. I hate seeing people left in Afghanistan under Taliban control and completely at their mercy. I feel as if the collapse of the Afghanistan government has not only taken away lives but also various human rights. The right to education, movement, and freedom has been stripped away from the women of Afghanistan, causing a halt in progressive change. Female children have been taken out of school and placed in the house under a lock and key. The regression of Afghanistan women’s rights proves to be more than just a threat for them. It affects everyone in society. The women of Afghanistan are not backing down to the strict rule of the Taliban as they are fighting for their rights every day with demonstrations. It is important that we stand in strong support for Afghanistan citizens by providing resources that work to alleviate the problems that they face every day.

Source: Nordmannjj | Getty Images

Written by Sydni Brown, Madison Ford, and Elina Paraschou, interns at Safe Harbor International Ministries. For more articles please visit our blog page at https://safeharborim.com/articles/