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Cassell says relatives are well aware of the prayer efforts. "We have asked for prayer from everyone we know and have been told that people all over the world are praying for the detainees' release," she told Christianity Today.

Besides meeting with Afghan officials in Islamabad and Kabul, the women's parents also wrote letters to Taliban supreme leader Mullah Mohammed Omar, asking for "Islamic compassion." The Taliban says Omar will decide the aid workers' fate. On October 6 the Taliban essentially turned the arrested into hostages when it offered to release the eight if the United States "stops its mass propaganda of military action against the Afghan people." The Bush administration rejected the offer and launched its air campaign on October 7.

Taliban police claim to have caught Curry and Mercer showing a Christian film to a Muslim family. But sources close to the situation say the women were actually arrested outside an Afghan home as they were getting into a taxi. Taliban officials said they would protect the women from any U.S. strikes. They also said a military assault would not influence the verdict.

The trial resumed on October 7, but how and when it will be resolved is unclear. Unconfirmed reports say that many Taliban leaders had fled the country even before the attack.

Curry, who is from Nashville, was providing health care and education to street children. Mercer, who is from Vienna, Virginia, was assisting Afghans with practical needs such as food, water, and housing.

"[Dayna] is a very caring person who seeks to know God's heart and to show his love to others by the example of her life," Cassell says. "Dayna loves the Afghan people and is concerned about their great needs."

Now the Americans are in great need.

"Heather does have a very strong faith," Oddy says. "It is her faith that will get her through this."

Copyright © 2001 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

In Perspective: The Friendliest Murderous Militants in the World | The Soviet Union, United States, and others helped create Afghanistan's ruling Taliban. Will the world's most Islamic state backfire? (Aug. 30, 2001)

Aid Workers Held Captive | Taliban alleges housing group's staff engaged in evangelism. (Aug. 30, 2001)

Diplomats Receive Visas Into Afghanistan, but Will Only Meet with Officials | Over a week after the raid on Shelter Germany, future for workers still unclear. (Aug. 13, 2001)

The Web site for the German-run Shelter Now is regularly updated with releases on the prisoners.

The BBC profiled Afghanistan's ruling militia in "Who are the Taliban?"

Special Report: Afghanistan from PBS' Online NewsHour features in-depth, ongoing coverage.

For continuing coverage, see Yahoo's full coverage and Christianity Today'sWeblog.

Previous Christianity Today stories about Afghanistan and the Taliban include:

Books&Culture Corner: Myths of the Taliban | Misinformation and disinformation abounds. What do we know? (Sept. 24, 2001)

Taliban Threatens Death to Converts | Afghanistan's Islamic army also says it will kill any non-Muslim seeking converts. (Feb. 15, 2001)

Religious Freedom Report Rebukes China, Others | State Department finds many nations' religious freedoms deteriorating, but some are improved. (Sept. 7, 2000)

Religious Freedom Report Released | Afghanistan, China, Iran, and Iraq listed as some of most repressive countries. (Oct. 25, 1999)

New Unreached Group Targeted (Feb. 8, 1999)

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November 12 2001, Vol. 45, No. 14