Christian parents in Kabul have said the birth of their daughter on the evening Kabul fell to the Taliban was a sign "God had not given up on their country."
A local source reported the hopeful comment to Open Doors, a charity serving persecuted Christians worldwide.
The outlook for Afghanistan's small, secretive Christian community is currently bleak.
"Sources on the ground confirm that the Taliban are going door to door to weed out 'unwanted elements,'" says Jan Vermeer, Communications Director for Open Doors Asia. "That includes everybody who collaborated with the West and Christians. Anybody who is exposed as a Christian faces severe punishment: kidnapping, torture, or even execution."
"Everybody is afraid; however, each responds differently. Some try to escape the country, while others decide to stay where they are and remain secret believers. Others want to escape the country but can't. Others are unsure what to do."
The couple's new daughter could face a dangerous future as a girl and a Christian.
However, it is female converts from Muslim families that have most to fear, according to an Open Doors report. "Incarceration by family/house arrest is an invisible and acceptable means of putting a Christian woman under pressure, as is the threat to divorce her. Women can be sold into slavery or prostitution, beaten severely, or sexually mishandled."
In spite of this, the unnamed couple are choosing to hold onto hope.
"The birth of this baby in a Christian home reminds us that God can bring life in the midst of the deepest darkness - that he can bring hope. My prayer is that he will protect this family, and despite the challenges cause them to witness to Jesus, the hope of Afghanistan. I also hope Christians everywhere will be prompted to speak out and campaign for freedom to return to this deeply troubled land," Jan Vermeer added.
For years the country has been number two on the Open Doors World Watch List of 50 countries where it is most difficult to live as a Christian, second only to North Korea.