Customer Reviews

Kabul 24: The Story of a Taliban Kidnapping and Unwavering Faith in the Face of True Terror

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Kabul24 is a story of faith in the midst of persecution and uncertainty. The setting is Afghanistan just before 911, the Taliban still reigned supreme and Al Qaeda had run of the place. Suddenly the Shelter Now organization who has been serving the people of Afghanistan faithfully for years is unwelcome. Eight foreigners and sixteen nationals are arrested and detained. And the rest of the book is the story of their imprisonment, their faith and their difficult path to freedom.

WHAT I LIKED

I loved the way the eight focused on God in their difficulties. They spent much time in prayer and Bible study, the six women even composed songs of praise and worship. They never seemed to lose their focus on God, the difficulties never seemed to shake their faith. For example they prayed that when they were rescued that it would be without any loss of life. Their determination to trust in God was such that they turned down a rescue because it involved the killing of guards.

The authors of the book were very effective in portraying the eight foreigners with honesty and integrity. At times they despaired of rescue, at times they grew frightened, sometimes they argued in tense moments, and they struggled to know what to do. They also faced the danger to exaggerate the danger of the story. They could have stretched the truth and described beatings that never happened, they could have hidden the kindnesses and breaks that they received but they did not, for that they have my appreciation.

NOT SO MUCH

To be honest the writing was clumsy at times (I`m the King of clumsy writing so I know it when I see it), particularly when trying to describe aspects of Christian life and culture to an audience that they apparently did not expect to understand such things. However, it wasn't distracting and as the pace picked up the book took on kind of a Grisham feel, which these authors were quite good at.

Probably my biggest complaint is that book was named the Kabul24 but they focused exclusively on the eight foreigners and virtually ignored the 16 natives. I understand that this was because the natives had never converted to Christianity and Christians are their primary audience but the story of the 16 sounded much more dramatic and desperate than the eight. Just would have like more info.

My last complaint is that their was a big recurring theme that the SNI workers were not trying to proselytize (share the Gospel with hopes of conversions) in Afghanistan. My response is that either this is a shading of the truth or they really weren't concerned about the Afghani's becoming Christians. And there were moments where they seemed to be ok with people being good Muslims. I simply cannot understand being that involved with people who need Christ for so long and not sharing the Gospel with them. But I don't pretend to understand the complexities of ministry in Muslim cultures. So I hope that I am simply misunderstanding the reality of the situation.

OVERALL

Good easy read. I have some questions that weren't answered. But it was enlightening. I learned a great deal about Muslim culture and about what some parachurch ministries are doing there. Not going to be a classic but a fun read.

Kabul 24, the story "of a Taliban kidnapping and unwavering faith in the face of true terror," by Henry O. Arnold and Ben Pearson, looked like it ought to be riveting. It wasn't as exciting or compelling as I had expected, though the facts were all there.
The true account of the Christian workers who were targeted by terrorists back in 2001 has been told by two of them -- Heather Mercer and Dayna Curry -- in much publicized books and tours. Maybe that's why a lot of this book felt like warmed-up leftovers.
One good aspect of going back to pick up the various loose ends that doubtless didn't figure into the two most prominent team members' accounts is that the OTHER 22 kidnap victims are given equal time. Honestly, until I encountered the book, it didn't really dawn on me that a large group of workers for Shelter Now went through the trauma that Dayna and Heather did. In that respect, I am glad for the book's publication.
The writer and reader in me did not like how author's tone frequently drifted into a "telling not showing" mode. It distanced me, the reader, from feeling the sense of suspense and urgency that was, I am sure, part of the original experience. Instead of flipping pages because I just had to know what happened next, I found myself bored and even resentful about the way the author seemed to command me to feel tense; it felt manipulative and forced. Many times, the text read a bit like a movie script. Since this is a tie-in with a film, that might be expected.
Bottom line: if you haven't already heard and read a lot of books about westerners caught up in terrorist situations, this story might be fascinating reading for you. But if you are familiar with those cultures and political situations, Kabul 24 is not going to deliver the suspense it promises.

The book Kabul 24 tells the story of eight western aid workers who were arrested in Afghanistan the month before the Sept. 11 attacks. Ostensibly arrested for attempting to convert Muslims to Christianity (by showing a DVD), the prisoners were kept in abominable conditions, interrogated repeatedly, and eventually put on trial. Their Afghan co-workers were also arrested, and were treated much worse by their captors, suffering beatings and torture. The book would be a harrowing account in the hands of more unbiased authors, but this book is so blatantly "us vs. them" that it's difficult to suspend disbelief long enough to get drawn into the story. The Christian aid workers are humble servants who only speak of their religion if asked. Their Taliban captors are illiterate, incompetent, brutal and cartoonish. While it's apparent that the aid workers suffered their captivity with grace and faith, a more balanced telling of the story would have let the reader form a more realistic opinion of the actions of both the captives and their captors. As it is, we are left to marvel at the strength of character of the captives who never lost their faith in extremely trying odds.

I kept going back and forth with this book. While I liked it, there were several things that threw me.

This book focuses on the activities and imprisonment of some Shelter Now International (SNI) employees by the Taliban army. The story in and of itself was sad and gave you a bird's eye view of what it really means to be held in a prison with no real laws for 100 days. And while the experiences are something that very few people would have been able to endure, it felt like it was told as a shock value rather than a learning one.

The book was written to explain how the employees faith in Christianity made it possible for them to remain strong, but we rarely saw that. Instead we were slapped in the face over and over with the pain and indignities they had to endure. And while this must be written about, this goal of the book and the final result didn't see eye to eye.

While I enjoyed reading the book, it didn't scream out at me. Shock value and constant downers only go so far.

In August 2001, 8 Christian aid workers are arrested by the Taliban in Afghanistan. At the same time, 16 Afghan workers of the same Christian organization are also arrested and imprisoned. The charges appear to be somewhat flimsy, and when the US is attacked less than a month later, the meaning becomes more clear.

Yet, the fate of these 24 individuals hangs in the balance - what will become of them? They try to hold onto their faith in the midst of trial and chaos, and are determined to live out their faith in the midst of their enemies.

Overall, this story - which I vaguely recalled from 2001 - was interesting and inspirational. I felt that I came to know the 8 aid workers, and the conditions of their imprisonment. It did seem as if the story was told from the perspective from one individual - Georg Taubmann - which was interesting in itself. However, it would have been a more robust story to have gotten the story from at least one of the 6 women who had been imprisoned.

The real missing piece in this novel are the 16 Afghan workers and their experience. I'm not sure they simply were not available to be interviewed, or if there was fear of reprisal in their case. However, without their story being told, this really seemed to be "Kabul8" instead of "Kabul24." Perhaps this opens the way for a sequel?

Still, even with the missing perspectives, this story is touching to read. The experience of these 8 people is compelling and inspirational. To draw on the faith and hope of the inner spirit of one's self, and to trust oneself to one's God for guidance, all the while not really knowing what the ultimate outcome might be. The type of book to draw faith from.

As a historian and political scientist who loves international relations I knew I needed to grab a copy of Kabul 24 when I saw it on Thomas Nelson's page. I am definitely glad I did. This book brought a distinctly different perspective to this event that I remember seeing on the news in 2001. Kabul 24 also gives the reader a unique and intimate view of what life was like for Afghans(particularly females) under the Sharia influenced Taliban regime. Honestly, this is what I was most interested in. I wanted to read about the implications of the Taliban on Afghan society and all else was secondary. Kabul 24 is a testament to the stories of the 24 captives. By the end of the book, I was in absolute awe of the provision of God during times that could best be described as horrific and trying.

The book begins by describing life under the burka. Life oppressed. It preserves anonymity and oppresses. There are "..no physical marks made visible to distinguish her beauty, no bright smile to share with others, no voice to speak to her character. She was simply a burka..a tented cyclops.." The book highlights a point that the presence of women in a soccer stadium must be an affront to Allah. A shock to our Western sensibilities but a part of life in Taliban ruled Afghanistan. Hope comes in the form of committed aid workers, an author, and eventually a book. This book. Ben Pearson, one of the authors of Kabul 24, is told that "God has sent you. God has sent you to us to tell our story. Their story is a wonderful story of contradistinction. A story of betrayal, hurt, long suffering, trials, oppression and hope...always hope.

Heather and Dayna, aid workers, are arrested for proselytizing by showing the "Jesus" film to a curious Afghan family. In the aftermath of their arrest members of the organization they were working with were also imprisoned by the Taliban.Throughout the story the chronicling of life in Taliban controlled Afghanistan for these Christian aid workers takes a backseat to the provision of God which can be seen at almost every turn. There are members of the Taliban government that help the captives with information and dealing with the government on their behalf and there are various miracles that happen throughout their captivity. They realize that they are not alone and that there are people all over the world praying for them and trying to secure their rescue from prison. When they feel most alone they realize they are not alone. Neither God nor the world have forgotten them. Freedom would finally come in the harrowing days of the American invasion that ousted the Taliban. God's provision saw the captives through imprisonment, mistreatment at the hands of their enemies, bombings, and finally to freedom. The faithfulness of God and his nearness to us even in the most deepest and darkest moments is the central message of this great book. God will bring us from the depths of our despair to the freedom of a new day. In this story he does this literally. I learned in a very concrete way that God is with us. Even in moments when we feel like no one or nothing can help God is there. You are not alone. There is hope.

Member of Thomas Nelson's Book Review Bloggers

August 4th 2001 began as most days for the eight staff members of "Shelter Now International." Devoted to their God-call they, and their crew of 16 Afghan workers, were engaged in various activities to help the people of Afghanistan. Then, in a bizarre twist of events, 24 innocent people were "arrested" later becoming "hostages" of the Taliban. Quickly their desperate plight became a cry for help heard around the world.

Kabul 24, by Ben Pearson and Henry O. Arnold, chronicles the kidnapping, terrorizing, and ultimate release of the SNI workers. While exposing the deeper plot behind the actions of their captors it reveals the providence and provision of God in the lives of these hostages who exhibited unwavering faith in the most inhumane of circumstances. Faith that amazed even their captors allowing them to display courage, kindness, and compassion despite unimaginable sufferings.

There was a great deal of media coverage during the hostages 105 days of captivity. Prayer vigils were held world-wide. In ways that are nothing short of miraculous prayers for the safe release of all of the captives were answered; in the nick of time in the most unusual of ways. Because we rarely get "full access" to stories from the press I found Kabul 24 to be both informative and inspirational. It is one of those books that you wish never had to be written yet are so grateful for the opportunity to read. It made me very thankful for the freedom that I possess as a United States citizen and a child of God.

For those interested in the "whole scoop" I highly recommend this book.

Kabul 24 recounts the story of eight international workers (from Germany, the US, and Australia) and their 16 Afghan coworkers as Taliban officials arrested the individuals, eventually holding them hostage. The title is misleading because Kabul24 (eight workers plus 16 Afghan workers) does not dedicate much of the book to the Afghan workers themselves. Presumably, this was done to maintain safety of these Afghan workers, since they were connected to the Westerners through their employment with Shelter Now International, a non-profit which developed several projects in Afghanistan to help the Afghan people.

The story focuses on the experiences of a few of the Westerners employed by Shelter Now International (SNI), and though several of them had lived in Afghanistan for several years doing good work for and with the Afghan people, they did experience a harrowing journey when under the control of the Taliban. They were interrogated and transferred to multiple prisons, all the time denying they broke the law by working for SNI. They were held captive for over 100 days in Afghanistan.

Though I would never want to discount these individuals' experiences or faith, I felt the authors didn't do a very good job explaining enough background information about Afghanistan. We don't know or understand enough about Afghanistan's history- it is too easy for us to make harsh judgments that "they" are all like "that", and though the authors might have tried to demonstrate this by mentioning the Afghan workers, I feel most Westerners would simply slough off this information. Just as all religions have their extremist and fanatical groups, so does Islam- but we are already so prejudiced against Islam that it is too easy for us to believe the Taliban and al-Qaeda are representative of the entire Muslim population.

The other thing in which I was disappointed was how the authors retold the experiences of the Westerners. The book is advertised as a tale of faith, but the focus seemed to be more about relating the horrors of the experience instead of how the hostages remained faithful and how the Lord provided for them and ultimately saved them from death at that time. I don't believe these individuals were not strong in their faith; I just feel the authors focused more on sensationalism instead.

In 2001, Afghanistan became a place of terror for a group of Shelter Now organization workers. This book, Kabul 24, covers what happened to the group of Christian workers who were captured by Taliban. The book began in an intriguing way, considering I had not done any previous reading on what happened during this time period. The workers in Afghanistan were treated very harshly during their time of imprisonment. Accounts of intense interrogations and unjust treatment help the reader to better understand what was happening to these aid workers during this time. Sadly, the book never draws the reader completely into the story, as much of the book becomes fact instead of storytelling and much of the information feels repetitive. However, the faith of these aid workers is never questioned. Their faith seemed strong and growing, even in the midst of terrible trials and injustice. As one who did not know much about what was going on during this time frame in this part of the world, I felt this was a good book to read and learn from. Perhaps other books involve more information, but this book carries with it the heart of this group of aid workers who were seeking to do the most important work they could ever do-share the Gospel with a lost and dying generation in Afghanistan.

This is the story that gained worldwide attention when an international aid agency's workers were arrested and tortured by the Taliban in Afghanistan, accused of paying people to convert to Christianity and other illegal activities.

Under the Taliban onslaught against this volunteer service agency, food centers and occupational training projects, were destroyed by the rabid Taliban regime, while national governments attempted to gain access to their imprisoned citizens, being held incognito and incommunicado, along with their Afghani Muslim employees and protectors.

Georg Taubman, German Director of Shelter Now International, presents a quiet assurance and persistent appeal to the truth of their innocence and their transparent intentions to serve a needy populace because of their faith in Christ, without coercion or discrimination.

American readers will remember the two American members of the arrested group, Dayna Curry and Heather Mercer, who were acclaimed as heroes by their nation upon their final release by their Taliban captives. These two Americans became the focal point of the move against Shelter Now. This agency has a policy against proselytization, but can express their Christian convictions upon request.

A trap was set when the Taliban regime forced a family to put pressure on Shelter Now members to provide a Bible and show a film of the life of Jesus, not illegal, but contrary to the normal practice of the agency.

Under persistent entreaty from members of the family, to whose home they were invited often, the two American women finally agreed to meet in the home of their Afghan friends for a private showing, which was allowed under then-current Afghan law. The family turned them in, under threats of reprisal if they refused to betray their foreign Shelter Now contacts.

SNI's loyal and protective Afghani friends are admirable in their steadfast defense of their international Christian friends. The authors are well-known writers and filmmakers who produced the film version of this story under the name Kabul24. These authors relate the story of the terror experienced by these dedicated Christian volunteers.

The story details the amazing deprivation and torture some of them underwent. Their strength of character is impressive. These dedicated servants of the Afghan people displayed a personal integrity and a steadfast faith that enabled them to withstand the pressure.

All the while they honestly but respectfully defended themselves and their intentions and maintained their total innocence of any crimes against the nation, the people or the faith of Islam. They demonstrate a deep awareness of and appreciation of Islamic and Afghani custom. They detail the torture and terrorization they endured under the Taliban, and the violations of Sharia law pursued by the Taliban regime in pursuit of their frame-up of these foreign benevolence volunteers.

The policies and practices of the agency honour the indigenous culture and reflect community-guided strategies to meet felt needs. Shelter Now seems committed to common cross-cultural principles and indigenized approaches to community service.