Photo via trekearth.com

CURE Hospital staff concerned as suicide bombers strike Kabul

The world community is denouncing recent attacks in Afghanistan that have claimed lives, injured innocent people and instilled fear among many of the population, reports MNN.

Suicide bombers attacked a United Nations guest house yesterday killing 11. Earlier this week, a roadside bomb killed eight American soldiers.

How is all of this violence affecting outreach?

CURE International operates a hospital in Kabul. CURE is passionate about the physical and spiritual healing of disabled children in developing countries, including Afghanistan. CURE's Erin Card says, "CURE International runs a 90-bed hospital and a large out-patient clinic in Kabul. And we employ about 300 staff members, many of whom are being trained to take on leadership roles in the hospital, in their community and in their nation."

With the recent violence, are CURE staff members safe? "Thankfully," says Card, "CURE personnel and their family members have remained safe, as far as we know. Though, obviously for those coming and going every day, security and safety continues to be a major concern."

Card says they are trying to be prepared. "CURE has a series of protocols and personnel dedicated to helping us promote the safest hospital possible for our patients and our staff."

CURE is focused on providing medical care for disabled kids and training Afghan medical professionals. Card says the violence isn't affecting that. "In spite of maybe a general sense of an escalating conflict in the country, we now have more Afghans in leadership positions training others, teaching them how to practice proper medicine, and truly healing and providing hope to many of their own people."

Card is asking Christians around the world to pray for their staff. "As they come and go from the hospital, as they're moving about in the community largely unprotected, pray for their safety. And then finally, for our patients, that they will continue to have the freedom of movement to come to CURE to get the healing that they need."

Some families have to make their way through Taliban-held areas of the country in order to get treatment.

Obvious security concerns make CURE's work challenging. Pray that many with whom they work will begin asking important life questions and that the team will be ready with life-changing answers.

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TAGS: Afghanistan CURE Hospital CURE International American soldiers suicide bombers

[10/29/2009]

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