Crowns of Courage: Serving the Lord in Temporary Bodies

 Source: ICC

04/29/2024 Afghanistan (International Christian Concern) – For those who choose to work and serve in modern Afghanistan, there is no mystery as to the severe risks involved. Yet for many brave believers, the importance of their mission far outweighs the dangers.

This was the case for Gayle Williams, a 34-year-old aid worker with SERVE Afghanistan of British and South African nationality.

Leading up to her work in Afghanistan, Williams worked in Pakistan, serving displaced Afghans living in refugee camps. As her love for the Afghan people deepened, she persevered in her journey to serve in-country and eventually made her way to southern Afghanistan in 2006.

Here, surrounded by Taliban violence, she humbly served disabled children and those who had been injured in the conflict. While SERVE Afghanistan is Christian in its beliefs, it was not evangelistic in nature, focusing more on tangible relief projects than gospel outreach. Williams’ colleagues recalled that she was personally very cautious not to openly share her faith with Afghans.

Yet, despite its efforts to keep a low profile, SERVE Afghanistan still attracted the attention of local Taliban militants. Their targeted violence against the organization and other Christian groups sought to deter aid workers from the region and undermine the government’s security efforts.

Shortly before her own death, Williams grieved at the funeral of a colleague. Here, she told a friend that she hoped to be buried in the same Christian cemetery in Kabul and said, “These bodies are only temporary. When I get to heaven, I will have a new body.”

Sure enough, only a few weeks later on October 20, 2008, Taliban militants fatally shot Williams as she walked down a quiet street in the capital city of Kabul.

The Taliban claimed responsibility immediately for the attack. “This woman came to Afghanistan to teach Christianity to the people of Afghanistan,” Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid told The Associated Press. “Our [leaders] issued a decree to kill this woman. This morning our people killed her in Kabul.”

Around the world, family, friends, and world leaders grieved the senseless murder. Coming down harshly on the attack, the UK Secretary of State for International Development said, “Her killing was a callous and cowardly act by people who would take Afghanistan back to the dark days of the Taliban tyranny which scarred the country for so long.”

Perhaps most touching, Gayle’s sister Karen expressed that she and her family had forgiven the assailants because they knew Gayle would have done the same.

While the work in Afghanistan remains perilous, hope is not lost. As long as there are brave men and women like Gayle Williams bringing light into the darkness, the gospel will continue touching hearts in the most difficult places on earth.