While most of our family’s ministry has been in Africa, we were alerted to the needs of Central Asia about two years ago. A friend of ours set up the trip for the four of us and did a great job. For two weeks we traveled through three “Stan” countries. It was exciting! We will always remember that trip. My wife and I have never found missions to be dull! All ministry for the Lord is exciting, but I think some things are more challenging than others. 

One can search online and find statistics about the countries we visited, but there is nothing quite like rubbing shoulders with people there—such as in the malls. Yes, there are some malls! Nor is there anything quite like zooming across the open plains on graveled roads in your Russian-made vehicle, racing neck-and-neck with (wild?) horses or crawling up the steep mountain roads behind innumerable dump trucks! My impression of those lands? Well, for me—in one word—Russia. Why? There is a shadow left on these lands from the former days when Russia ruled them. Let me share a few of my memorable experiences on that trip.

Eastern hospitality and what a little time can do

We had finished a meal in a local restaurant and afterwards decided to get ice cream. There was actually a McDonald’s up the street. (We never saw another McDonald’s after that!) I had not gotten the knack of ordering via the machines with screens, so we thought ordering would be a good way to see if any of the young people there knew some English. Some of these young university students did speak English, and they helped me. We suddenly became the center of the show! “These men speak English, and they are Americans!” Perhaps a dozen young people were there. We were introduced as “celebrities” to several of them! As we were leaving, two or three of them lined up and hugged our necks as a show of endearment! It was just ten minutes, but they and we enjoyed the moment very much! 

We love Eastern hospitality. That one incident tells us there should be good opportunities in university towns where one could “plant” himself or herself, teach English, and teach the Gospel too! I don’t know for sure if this is possible, but I strongly believe it could be. Even one year of this kind of ministry might make a difference in someone’s life and probably in more than one person! 

I recall once asking a young believer in Turkey how he came to understand the Bible so well. He said a young man had come for a few months and taught him. I thought, “Wow! What a difference such a concentrated period of time helping young Christians could make!”

Coming alongside national professionals

On one occasion I listened as my son-in-law talked with a doctor who was a believer. The doctor had opened a clinic, and his wife, who is also a doctor, ran it while the husband opened a second clinic. They are training sorely needed national doctors. The doctors who are being trained are not necessarily believers, but they are given Bible lessons as an evangelistic effort in hopes that they will go out and do the same work that these doctors are doing.

This husband-wife team was self-supporting, receiving very little outside help and none from the USA.   The doctor, perhaps in his early 40s, would love to have other believing doctors come and minister alongside him. For the few minutes I was there listening to the doctor talk, I felt a kindred spirit toward him as I saw his heart for ministry.

Ministry through business

Hostels are a welcome sight in a strange land. Through one of these accommodations, we saw that the owner and his wife (Americans), have “planted” themselves in one of these countries. They also run a tourism business. When we met them, they had already been in the country about six years. Was their focus a challenge? Yes, and they are making the most of that life. They have many contacts with the local people and even employ some of them. This has allowed them opportunities to be a witness for Christ.

We had the privilege of attending a church service where the family of the tourism business regularly attends. As far as I know, those leading the service were indigenous to the area. A translator was used to benefit those who were of another ethnic group. The church met in a relatively nice building. Obviously, they were allowed by the government to meet openly. We were told that there are many house churches unregistered with the government. About 75 people attended the service the Sunday we did.

Opportunities in out-of-the-way places

One of our overnight stays was situated in an out-of-the-way village. It was not primitive. They had electricity, modern conveniences in the homes, and tractors for farming. However, it was also evident that the area was not affluent. The man who ran the tourism business had accompanied us and arranged for us to stay at this “Airbnb” (I guess we would call it that). The grandmother of the family “Airbnb” was our host. Living with her were two youngsters whom I presumed to be her grandchildren. The mother of the children had died a couple of years before, and the father was away working in another country. My impression was that this circumstance was not abnormal.

I asked how many children attended the local school. They said about four or five hundred. I thought, oh, my wife would love to spend a summer in this village and get to know these people and their children! What a great opportunity it would be to serve the Lord in a village like this. Now, to be honest, if you were to ask some people in the larger cities if such an opportunity for ministry were possible, they would probably say, “no,” assuming the government would not allow this. But if the Lord allowed this, it would be possible!

All three of the countries I have mentioned have evangelistic works ongoing. Their ministries were incorporated into their “tentmaking” ventures.

Only a few weeks after my return from that trip, I met a missionary family staying near us in a missionary housing complex. We asked them what their field of ministry was. It was one of the “Stan” countries that we had visited! I thought, “No way!” Yes, they were awaiting an opening to return there, because they were held back by COVID restrictions. They were working as construction workers helping people learn how to better insulate their homes, and they were located close to the border with Afghanistan. They were a young family with two or three children. They loved their work and were anxious to return to the field. Yes, there are ways to get into these countries. 

May the Lord help us to reach out to the people in “hard to reach” regions. May we believe that with the Lord all things are possible!