5.19.08
Since my access to internet will not be consistent, I’ll try to keep an updated journal on my laptop and will post it to my blog when I can :o).
Well, my long anticipated 30 day outreach has begun. I’m not even sure if I believe that it is actually happening yet. Who would have imagined that God would orchestrate things as such and send me to Kyrgyzstan to be a part of His work here?!? I feel so blessed that He would speak to me in such a special and undeniable way, and then amaze me with His provision. He is so good and so faithful and I stand in awe of Him!
The trip has been interesting….lol. Wendy and I slept in the Budapest airport last night (with another student who was leaving the same morning to go back to the states). Other than being extremely cold and uncomfortable, it was laughable to wake up and find Wendy huddled in a blanket, a jacket, a hat, sprawled on top of her luggage…we looked homeless, haha. I knew it was bad when I was looking forward to sleeping on the plane!
We had a seven hour layover in Istanbul, Turkey, where we were so thankful to find that beautiful green sign that promised us a taste of home: STARBUCKS! We sat there for most of our layover :o).
Flying into Kyrgyzstan, was, for the most part uneventful, arriving at the airport at 4:30 in the morning. The US airbase is also stationed at the airport, so flying in a seeing our military planes on the tarmac was comforting in a way. In flying into Afghanistan, most military will travel through Kyrgyzstan, with it only being a country away. It was a reminder that the fight for freedom still continues and reignited my pride in my country and the men and women who serve to protect our freedoms and to give freedom to those who have never experienced it before. And just as they enter the battle field ready to fight for that cause, so I too was being called to enter a battlefield to fight for freedom, but this one for the hearts and souls of men and women who are enslaved in the bondage of sin and darkness. The hold on their hearts is just as valuable as their physical wellbeing, and I feel so blessed to come and help fight in that battle. I don’t ever want to take that lightly or ignore the reality of spiritual warfare that we will encounter as we fight in this battle.
“For we fight not against flesh and blood....”
Since my access to internet will not be consistent, I’ll try to keep an updated journal on my laptop and will post it to my blog when I can :o).
Well, my long anticipated 30 day outreach has begun. I’m not even sure if I believe that it is actually happening yet. Who would have imagined that God would orchestrate things as such and send me to Kyrgyzstan to be a part of His work here?!? I feel so blessed that He would speak to me in such a special and undeniable way, and then amaze me with His provision. He is so good and so faithful and I stand in awe of Him!
The trip has been interesting….lol. Wendy and I slept in the Budapest airport last night (with another student who was leaving the same morning to go back to the states). Other than being extremely cold and uncomfortable, it was laughable to wake up and find Wendy huddled in a blanket, a jacket, a hat, sprawled on top of her luggage…we looked homeless, haha. I knew it was bad when I was looking forward to sleeping on the plane!
We had a seven hour layover in Istanbul, Turkey, where we were so thankful to find that beautiful green sign that promised us a taste of home: STARBUCKS! We sat there for most of our layover :o).
Flying into Kyrgyzstan, was, for the most part uneventful, arriving at the airport at 4:30 in the morning. The US airbase is also stationed at the airport, so flying in a seeing our military planes on the tarmac was comforting in a way. In flying into Afghanistan, most military will travel through Kyrgyzstan, with it only being a country away. It was a reminder that the fight for freedom still continues and reignited my pride in my country and the men and women who serve to protect our freedoms and to give freedom to those who have never experienced it before. And just as they enter the battle field ready to fight for that cause, so I too was being called to enter a battlefield to fight for freedom, but this one for the hearts and souls of men and women who are enslaved in the bondage of sin and darkness. The hold on their hearts is just as valuable as their physical wellbeing, and I feel so blessed to come and help fight in that battle. I don’t ever want to take that lightly or ignore the reality of spiritual warfare that we will encounter as we fight in this battle.
“For we fight not against flesh and blood....”
5.20.08
I don’t think I have slept so much in my life! We arrived at 4:30 in the morning, an hour later arrived at Paul and Melanie’s house and went straight to bed. Around 2:30 we got up, and my biggest concern was that I was not going to be able to get over my jetlag due to how much I had just slept during the day….but that evening proved me wrong as I slept like a rock straight through the night…lol! Apparently the trip was more exhausting than I had realized.
It was a fairly relaxing day. We talked with Paul and Melanie, played with their little boys (Titus-2, Timothy-18 months, and Nehimehia-4 months), had dinner with a Kyrgyz couple from the church and had the opportunity to meet three of the girls from the outreach team that is hear from Ukraine. It was interesting to make the connection between different people that we all knew, either from the Bible College or from my ten day outreach to Ternopil, Ukraine…such a small world!
In talking to Paul and Melanie, it was interesting to find out more of the culture of the Kyrgyz people. Having been a part of the former Soviet Union, most people speak Russian, however with their close proximity to different Asian countries, the Kyrgyz people tend to look very oriental. And while 85 percent of the country is Muslim, they are also a very nomadic people, and because of this, when the Muslims came in, in an effort to convert them to the religion of Islam, there was never a strong rooting of the conservative Muslim traditions that occurred because they were constantly moving and changing locations. Today this translates into a culture that holds their Islamic beliefs very loosely. There are def those who are conservative in their faith and ascribe to their religion with tenacity and fervor, but for the most part, the Kyrgyz people are nominal Muslims. One of the biggest fears they face is the kidnapping of girls to become brides. There is no law against such practice, and for this reason we cannot go out on the streets by ourselves past dusk, because the threat is as real for us as for the Kyrgyz women.
The blessing, though, is that many have been coming to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, but due to their nominal belief in Islam, they can sometimes have the same attitude towards their Christianity. Two of the women who have just become believers in the last several months are such an encouragement to me. They are so excited about the things of the Lord and desire to serve Him in whatever capacity they can. May my heart continue to reflect that same love and adoration for the One whose love for me is without compare.
5.22.08
This morning we (the team from Ukraine, Jed,
Paul, Michelle, two of the girls from the church here and myself) left bright and early to head into the mountains to the region of Talas. There is a family there who are believers from the states who are “working” in a village there and after not making much headway in a year asked Paul and Jed if they could bring a team in to do some ground breaking and seed scattering. Even though I was still a bit jet-lagged, I was so excited to see more of the country and to be a part of an outreach in a new area. The team from Bishkek has been praying about a possible church plant in that region, and this was a great opportunity to see the land and pray over the city.
The trip through the mountains took five hours, and although an extremely bumpy ride :o), it was breathtakingly beautiful! I have never seen mountains like that before, or been driving on a road at 180 kph through herds of sheep, cattle and horses! It was an experience I will not soon forget! Along the way we stopped at one of the groups of nomad homes and had sour horse milk….um, I think my picture will say it all…haha!
Once we arrived in Talas, we met with the family, their friend Nancy (who is from Glenside, PA…small world), and another believer, Lily, who has become a Kyrgyz grandmother to them…so sweet. After praying, we set out to talk to people on the streets and invite them to come over for dinner the next night to get to know us and the family there in the village. We spoke with a few people in the village, even encountered a group of Muslim men who wanted to debate about the trinity. Thankfully we left them on good terms, even though the discussion seemed to get a little heated.
After eating dinner back at the house, myself and six other people from the team headed to Lily’s house to spend the night. With no running water, using an outhouse and a pump for our water was an adventure....but Lily made up for it all with her desire to love on us and be our Kyrgyz grandmother while we were there. Her only request was that we remember her as we pray and to pray for the other believers that are in Talas, and to not forget them!
I don’t think I have slept so much in my life! We arrived at 4:30 in the morning, an hour later arrived at Paul and Melanie’s house and went straight to bed. Around 2:30 we got up, and my biggest concern was that I was not going to be able to get over my jetlag due to how much I had just slept during the day….but that evening proved me wrong as I slept like a rock straight through the night…lol! Apparently the trip was more exhausting than I had realized.
It was a fairly relaxing day. We talked with Paul and Melanie, played with their little boys (Titus-2, Timothy-18 months, and Nehimehia-4 months), had dinner with a Kyrgyz couple from the church and had the opportunity to meet three of the girls from the outreach team that is hear from Ukraine. It was interesting to make the connection between different people that we all knew, either from the Bible College or from my ten day outreach to Ternopil, Ukraine…such a small world!
In talking to Paul and Melanie, it was interesting to find out more of the culture of the Kyrgyz people. Having been a part of the former Soviet Union, most people speak Russian, however with their close proximity to different Asian countries, the Kyrgyz people tend to look very oriental. And while 85 percent of the country is Muslim, they are also a very nomadic people, and because of this, when the Muslims came in, in an effort to convert them to the religion of Islam, there was never a strong rooting of the conservative Muslim traditions that occurred because they were constantly moving and changing locations. Today this translates into a culture that holds their Islamic beliefs very loosely. There are def those who are conservative in their faith and ascribe to their religion with tenacity and fervor, but for the most part, the Kyrgyz people are nominal Muslims. One of the biggest fears they face is the kidnapping of girls to become brides. There is no law against such practice, and for this reason we cannot go out on the streets by ourselves past dusk, because the threat is as real for us as for the Kyrgyz women.
The blessing, though, is that many have been coming to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, but due to their nominal belief in Islam, they can sometimes have the same attitude towards their Christianity. Two of the women who have just become believers in the last several months are such an encouragement to me. They are so excited about the things of the Lord and desire to serve Him in whatever capacity they can. May my heart continue to reflect that same love and adoration for the One whose love for me is without compare.
5.22.08
This morning we (the team from Ukraine, Jed,
Paul, Michelle, two of the girls from the church here and myself) left bright and early to head into the mountains to the region of Talas. There is a family there who are believers from the states who are “working” in a village there and after not making much headway in a year asked Paul and Jed if they could bring a team in to do some ground breaking and seed scattering. Even though I was still a bit jet-lagged, I was so excited to see more of the country and to be a part of an outreach in a new area. The team from Bishkek has been praying about a possible church plant in that region, and this was a great opportunity to see the land and pray over the city.The trip through the mountains took five hours, and although an extremely bumpy ride :o), it was breathtakingly beautiful! I have never seen mountains like that before, or been driving on a road at 180 kph through herds of sheep, cattle and horses! It was an experience I will not soon forget! Along the way we stopped at one of the groups of nomad homes and had sour horse milk….um, I think my picture will say it all…haha!
Once we arrived in Talas, we met with the family, their friend Nancy (who is from Glenside, PA…small world), and another believer, Lily, who has become a Kyrgyz grandmother to them…so sweet. After praying, we set out to talk to people on the streets and invite them to come over for dinner the next night to get to know us and the family there in the village. We spoke with a few people in the village, even encountered a group of Muslim men who wanted to debate about the trinity. Thankfully we left them on good terms, even though the discussion seemed to get a little heated.
After eating dinner back at the house, myself and six other people from the team headed to Lily’s house to spend the night. With no running water, using an outhouse and a pump for our water was an adventure....but Lily made up for it all with her desire to love on us and be our Kyrgyz grandmother while we were there. Her only request was that we remember her as we pray and to pray for the other believers that are in Talas, and to not forget them!
To see more pictures of my time in Talas:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=125367&l=de67b&id=551790426
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