Dayna Curry
Encyclopedia
Dayna Curry is an American
citizen, who was held a prisoner by Taliban government of Afghanistan
in 2001.
Curry was raised in Tennessee
. In 1989, she graduated from Brentwood High and went to Baylor University
in Waco, Texas
. A social work major, Dayna volunteered at the Waco Center for Youth (a residential facility treats teenagers with emotional and behavioral problems) while she was attending Baylor. After graduation, Curry took a job as a social worker at a high school for troubled teens in Waco.
Dayna Curry and Heather Mercer
got to know each other in Waco when they both joined the Antioch Community Church, an evangelical
, non-denominational
church.
In 2001, Curry and Heather Mercer, along with four German
and two Australia
n aid workers were arrested with them. The aid workers, who were employed by the German based Shelter Now International, were arrested in Kabul, Afghanistan on August 3, 2001 by the ruling Taliban regime. They were charged with preaching Christianity
in the strict Islamic state. The two were visiting a private home in Kabul when they were arrested. The Taliban, which forbid foreigners from visiting local homes, allege that the two women went beyond their activities with helping the needy and began spreading the Christian
gospel, a crime under Taliban law. The women had been showing the Jesus film.
A joint trial for the imprisoned aid workers began September 1 in Kabul. At first, it appeared that their punishment might be minor, a short time in prison followed by expulsion from the country. Then came the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks on the World Trade Center
and The Pentagon
. Their trial was suspended, and their relatives were ordered out of Kabul. After more than three months of confinement in Taliban prisons they were freed from their cells November 15, 2001, by the U.S. military.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
citizen, who was held a prisoner by Taliban government of Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
in 2001.
Curry was raised in Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. In 1989, she graduated from Brentwood High and went to Baylor University
Baylor University
Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:...
in Waco, Texas
Waco, Texas
Waco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. Situated along the Brazos River and on the I-35 corridor, halfway between Dallas and Austin, it is the economic, cultural, and academic center of the 'Heart of Texas' region....
. A social work major, Dayna volunteered at the Waco Center for Youth (a residential facility treats teenagers with emotional and behavioral problems) while she was attending Baylor. After graduation, Curry took a job as a social worker at a high school for troubled teens in Waco.
Dayna Curry and Heather Mercer
Heather Mercer
Heather Mercer is an American Christian missionary. She was one of eight aid workers on trial in Afghanistan for preaching Christianity...
got to know each other in Waco when they both joined the Antioch Community Church, an evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
, non-denominational
Non-denominational Christianity
In Christianity, nondenominational institutions or churches are those not formally aligned with an established denomination, or that remain otherwise officially autonomous. This, however, does not preclude an identifiable standard among such congregations...
church.
In 2001, Curry and Heather Mercer, along with four German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and two Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n aid workers were arrested with them. The aid workers, who were employed by the German based Shelter Now International, were arrested in Kabul, Afghanistan on August 3, 2001 by the ruling Taliban regime. They were charged with preaching Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
in the strict Islamic state. The two were visiting a private home in Kabul when they were arrested. The Taliban, which forbid foreigners from visiting local homes, allege that the two women went beyond their activities with helping the needy and began spreading the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
gospel, a crime under Taliban law. The women had been showing the Jesus film.
A joint trial for the imprisoned aid workers began September 1 in Kabul. At first, it appeared that their punishment might be minor, a short time in prison followed by expulsion from the country. Then came the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks on the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
and The Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
. Their trial was suspended, and their relatives were ordered out of Kabul. After more than three months of confinement in Taliban prisons they were freed from their cells November 15, 2001, by the U.S. military.