Prayer for Women's Missions and Ministries

 

        From July 15 - 25, we were blessed to host a great 6 member team from Arkansas who came to lead a week long English Conversational Course and it was awesome! 155 students were enrolled for the 5 days of intensive English study and each of the 6 Arkansas teachers did an outstanding job of connecting with their students and sharing the love of Christ with each and every one!

        During the week, they taught 3 times a day to 3 different groups of students. On Wednesday, the pastor from the church came and greeted the students and spoke about the ministry of the church. On Thursday, each of the teachers shared their personal testimonies with all of the students during large group time and offered each student the chance to have a New Testament in Russian, Kazakh, a new translation developed for Russian Speakers of Central Asia, and in English. Several New Testaments were taken home!

        On the last day of the English Courses, 100 students filled out evaluation forms that asked several questions, including a question that reads, "As you have heard Don and your teachers talk about Jesus in their life, have you asked Jesus into your life?" 60 students indicated that they asked Jesus into their life and 33 indicated that they wish to continue in Bible study!         We will make sure that information about these who indicated such things are followed-up on as soon as possible by some national leaders who are looking to start home groups!   

        Because Diane and I will not be able to do follow-up with these students, we were also able to share with each of them about two excellent options here in Astana for their continued study with "like minded" friends. Some of the students have already made contact and are getting involved!  

        We are so thankful to Bob F., missions partnership leader for the Arkansas Baptist Convention, who after hearing of our desire to hold such an English course, stepped up and said, "We'll bring a team from Arkansas if God provides!" And God provided 6 outstanding folk from across the state who came on mission to Astana.  

        We also send a big THANK YOU to Ellen R., who put together the teacher's material for this team. Ellen and her husband, Barry, were part of the English team two years ago.

         

        This past July 27 - 29, we traveled to the resort area of northern Kazakhstan called Borovoye, where we were able to take along with us one of our national church planters and his family for three days of R & R, encouragement, and training. While there, we had some fun climbing a local mountain which overseas a beautiful lake. We also dressed up in national outfits and to everyone's enjoyment, had some photos taken. We ate out often and had some really good meals. Pastor Roman's wife, Victoria, said that the best part of the trip was not having to cook or clean up afterwards! It was the first time for their son, Timothy, to stay in a hotel! A gift from the Arkansas English team made much of what we did in Borovoye possible. Thank you Arkansas team!
 

        Yesterday, August 1, we had the chance to drive out to the rural village of Lugovoye for worship. Diane played her flute and I had the opportunity to preach. At the end of the service, a young man named, Sergei, publicly repented and accepted Christ! After the 2 hour worship service, we took a 5 minute break and then had a 1 hour service where three candidates for baptism were questioned one at a time as to their preparedness for baptism next Sunday. Several questions regarding many aspects of one's personal Christian life were asked, as well as several questions about their understanding of church life and the ordinances of the church (baptism and the Lord's supper).

        While in Lugovoye, we were also able to give a large financial gift to Pastor Talgat and his wife, Svetlana, that is to go towards the purchase of a car/minivan for their personal and ministry use. This was a gift from the members of First Southern Baptist Church in Garden City, KS, where a good friend of ours, Rick D. serves as pastor. Bro Rick and a deacon named Tim, came to Lugovoye last October and ministered there and then returned to Garden City and for the past several months have led their church folk to pray for the people in Lugovoye. One result of their prayers was the desire to help Pastor Talgat purchase a car for personal use as well as for use in ministry as he can now travel to surrounding villages and share Christ.

The church members in Lugovoye were so touched by this expression of love from their brothers and sisters in Christ in Garden City. Tears of joy were shed by many that God blessed their church on one day with a new believer, Sergei, three candidates for baptism, and then the gift from Garden City. Pastor Talgat gave me a great big hug and kiss, so now I have a "man kiss" to pass on to Pastor Rick the next time I see him! It was a great day in Lugovoye! 
 
Children's Camp Cancelation

        Originally, our plans were to leave tomorrow and drive three hours south to take part in a children's camp for 4 days with over 200 children. But, during a different camp held at the campgrounds last week, many children became very ill and 5 had to be taken to the hospital, with the result that the government health department shut down the campgrounds for the foreseeable future. This meant that this week's camp had to be cancelled. It is a shame that the children from around this part of Kazakhstan will not have a camp experience this year.
 

What's Still to Come?
        Our next team arrives on August 11 and will be with us until the 18th. This will be a group of 8 women from Illinois who are helping lead a national women's conference here in Astana. Around 300 women from all across Kazakhstan will be here for this conference in celebration of 10 years of women's ministry in Kazakhstan. Diane has taken the lead in this team's planning along with the national women's leader of Kazakhstan and the woman's leader from Illinois. Together, they have planned an awesome conference and we look forward to seeing how God will bless this time.
 

And then?
        The women's team departs on August 18 and follow shortly after them by flying to Moscow on the 19th. We'll remain there until we return to Astana on September 7 so we can meet our last team coming here from September 8 - 17. This 3 member team from Mississippi is coming to work with our three national church planters in Pavlodar, Karaganda, and Almaty.

        After they depart, we'll say our goodbyes to our friends here and depart Kazakhstan ourselves on September 19 or 20 and move to Moscow for the foreseeable future.
 
One day, we'll have the opportunity to fully understand the impact that our time here accomplished. Until then, we give it all to The Lord and thank Him for the chance to have served Him here in Central Asia full time.  In the years ahead we plan to maintain visas for Kazakhstan and return a couple of times a year to continue with the ministry here as we can.

 

        * Pray for the 155 students, most of whom heard the clear message of the gospel that they will think about what they heard in regards to their personal lives.

        * Pray that they might have the desire to continue in their study of English with our other like minded friends in Astana.

        * Pray that those who took New Testaments home will have the desire to read them!

        * Pray for the work in Lugovoye that God will bless their evangelistic outreach with more souls won and that God will lead Bro Talgat to the appropriate car/minivan to purchase.

        * Pray for Pastor Roman and his family that they would be encouraged in their work in Pavlodar in the church that they have planted there.

        * Pray for the next two teams as they prepare to come and serve "on mission" in Kazakhstan.

 

        * Pray for us as we sell and give away most of the things we have here in Astana so we can pare down to 6 or 7 suitcases of stuff to take with us on our move to Moscow.

        * Pray for our hearts, as this is not an easy move away from these to whom we have lived and worked among these past 3 years. It is really difficult and our hearts are heavy.                    Regardless of how positive we try to be, it is really difficult as we find oursevles going through days of grief and sadness amidst the days of joy and celebration.