Living Behind the Veil

I'm often asked what I wear in Afghanistan and what it's like to wear a veil. It's freedom. Freedom to have a bad hair day, freedom to arrange my chadar to conceal the curve of my breasts and backside, freedom to not be an expatriate for a little while. It means freedom to hide even on the street from the Afghan men's eyes which seem to strip me naked.
When I relax my shoulders and walk less purposefully, less confidently, my eyes downcast and covered by sunglasses, I pass for an Afghan woman. I hear the men whisper in Dari, "Is she a foreigner or local woman?" I chuckle but am silent. On the street, I'm also a free target....freely exposed to groping, sexual innuendos whispered to me as a man bicycles by, free to have stones thrown at me, freely seen as no one's wife, daughter, sister, mother, friend, or boss. I step inside my gate, and remove my chapan and chadar. Now I'm someone's boss, motherhood returns to me as little steps run to greet me, and I receive a kiss from my adoring husband. Now I'm free to his loving and gentle eyes which know and enjoy my curves, free to once again be under the protective umbrella of being a wife, mother, friend, colleague, boss, niece, sister, daughter, woman.

Depth Theology


ANNA'S VIDEO & AUDIO BIBLE TEACHING


Depth Theology: Leaving the solid ground of the superficial and 

gaining a foothold on the brink of the deep

   


If you had an opportunity to teach global servants you knew would face great suffering and possibly die tomorrow, what would you say to them? 


2018
In Summer 2018, Neal and I were the devotional teachers at tri-annual conference for a front line group focused on the Middle East and North Africa.  The audio recordings of our talks are available by writing to me and introducing yourself and requesting them.

The conference theme was "Endurance in the Wilderness While Waiting and Hoping."
This link gives the overview and powerpoints.
Neal - Endurance
Anna - Wilderness
Neal - Waiting
Anna - Hoping

2017
Faith Under Fire Sermon

You Only See When You Hear: Isaiah 58:10
A message to the women of Carmel Baptist Church in Matthews, North Carolina
  • Video of Anna's Message - Please contact me directly to receive the link. Also, this video includes the monologue of the 4 Afghan women who share their experiences of life in Afghanistan, 3 of whom choose to follow Isa Masih.
  • Power Point
 
What Pierces Your Heart? Luke 2:35 - Women's Missionary Luncheon, Oct 24, 2017

A Dying Man's Last Words, John 17 - Teaching at a Thrive Retreat in Dubrovnik, Croatia, April 2017
  1. What Jesus is Praying for Us: An Appeal to Intimacy
  2. What Jesus is Praying for Us: Petition of Unity in Action
  3. What Jesus is Praying for Us: Request for Protection in the Battle

Psalm 62 - Teaching at a ladies retreat in Cappadocia (Feb, 2017), I taught on two heart attitudes we need to cultivate to prepare for challenging times. 
  1. Silence -32 minutes 
  2. Unshaken - 42 minutes

2015
Meeting At The Well - Antalya, Turkey,  4 Spiritual Direction Questions: 
  1. Where Have You Come From and Where Are You Going? - Genesis 16:6-15 (not available for security reasons)   
  2. What Is Guiding You Right Now? - Gen 21:9-21- In Risk, it is important to discern what you are basing your life on.  What is guiding you?
  3. Is the Lord With Us or Not? Exodus 17:9-17 - In this teaching session, I detail one of two significant living word pictures that sustain us through living in high-risk environments and much more. 
  4. Costly Love: How Do You Experience the Father?- A teaching I gave in 2014 and 2015, based on Kenneth Bailey's work on the Luke 15 parable.
2014
 Teaching at Women's Thrive Retreat in Central Asia: Communion with the Trinity
  1. What is Guiding You Right Now?  
  2. Courageous Suffering Entering the Son's Experience
  3. Inner Intimacy: Communion with the Spirit - Exekiel 47 (not available)

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