Sergey: His new work schedule.

I have come to truly embrace the truth that people are the highest value - not work projects, statistics or in-depth Bible study. This has led me to evaluate how I spend each week - is it meaningful? am I meeting with people on spiritual issues, especially evangelism and discipleship? With our current refocus of the organization, we are no longer in the office 5-days a week, but rather are active in ministry for 40 hours a week, but more flexible to be available for lunch or evening meetings while giving time to our families during the day.

This has allowed me to now have 4 different standing meetings each week with 6 different disciples (some 1-on-1, some by 2). With these meetings happening every week we are able to talk about real life, about integrating Scripture into our lives. Besides this I still continue to lead one small group for our Dostar church, and participate in our leaders meetings and our elders meetings.

I continue to stay in touch with our Tajikistan partners by way of a Skype call every week.

And, of course, continue with our organization leaders regular meetings, weekly prayer and accountability with our organizational teams and leaders.

All I need now is a part-time job.

Sergey: 4 guys and a testimony

From: Sergey

It was amazing meeting with these 4 business leaders. They asked kind of harshly, "Well, what is best for your organization?" So I knew they were just OK guys. But as they looked around at all the people we have here and the situations that we work under, they asked me quite seriously, "Aren't you faced with sexual temptations? It just wouldn't be possible to work with women and not feel anything." So I had the great opportunity to share with them about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit - not using those words, of course. But they gave me their attention as I shared how free I was in Christ and how having his strength keeps me from these struggles. They were amazed by what God could do. What a charge for me to share with them.

Trip: Zharma village, Marat, 18-Dec-2008

From: Iman Zholy Church (Marat)

Trip Purpose:
Encourage and train believers

How does this trip fit our vision and purpose:
Build relationships with believers in remote areas and encourage spiritual growth.

Situation:
Our brother Erlan lives in the village Zharma. He has a wife and two little daughters. His wife so far disbelieves in Jesus, but is very open to discussion. Erlan pastures horses.
The nearest church is 90 km from his village, in Georgievka, and Erlan desparately needs fellowship with other believers. When we arrived, we stopped at his home and had a wonderful time. We shared the word of God, and encouraged him. And honestly we got the greater encouragement from him.
In spite of the fact that in this village Erlan is the only one who confesses Jesus as Lord and Savior, he has given away spiritual literature to all habitants of his village. Now the children are beginning to come to him. They ask all kinds of different questions and request books.

Personal testimony or story:
One night Erlan dreamed a strange dream. Motor cycle horse thieves arrived and began to threaten him with a knife, saying that they will put him to death. In the dream he gave them a length of fabric and they left him.
He woke from fear. It was three o'clock in the morning, and a frightful snow-storm raged. In the morning ten horses were not in their stall, and in the snow were motorcycle tracks. With help from the Lord Erlan found the horses between two mountains, where they were hidden by the thieves. All the horses were accounted for and unharmed.
This story affirmed the faith of Erlan and also encouraged our team.

Prayer requests:
o Gratitude to Lord who does not abandon us and in all situations is with us
o Please pray for his family. Erlan does not want to pasture horses and even thinks to move closer to the district center, to the church.
o For that his wife, Tolkyn, will also find faith.

Trip: Semey Rehabilitation, Marat, 19-Dec-2008

From: Iman Zholy Church (Marat)

Trip Purpose:
Conduct seminary “Meeting with God”
Encourage believers, who have gone through rehabilitation

How does this trip fit our vision and purpose:
Encourage believers through conducting seminars.
Development of relations for further partnership

Situation:
In Semey we traveled with a team of four persons. In general it was a difficult two days. We stayed at Sergey’s home. He is the director of the rehabilitation center there.
For his ward we conducted a seminar “Meeting with God.” 28 persons participated in all. Many of them former alcoholics, drug addicts and bums, which our society long ago “waved off”. But we saw their hearts open to God’s word and burning with an enormous desire to become a blessing for others.

Personal testimony or story:
A year ago our church solicited and sent two persons on treatment in Semey. It is wonderful to see the transformation of their lives.

Marat was a former alcoholic and vagabond. Completing the course of treatment in this rehabilitation centre, he went for spiritual teaching in Almaty. Now he is Sergey’s assistant.

We became acquainted quite by chance with Gulmira. Last year she was drunk during our seminar in Tavriya. She cried and asked for help to change, because she was already tired of such a life. That very day we got her to the rehabilitation center. A year passed and once again, but already in another situation, she participated in our the seminar. Both days she was in tears, but now they were tears of gratitude for her changed life. Now Sergey recommends her to study in Almaty, with subsequent plans to minister to others with broken hearts.

Now in the center are five individuals which our church literally picked up off the streets of Ust'-kamenogorska.

Prayer requests:
o For the spiritual growth of Marat and Gulmira
o May God bless Sergey and his rehabilitation center.

Additional comment from Eldos: As an example, in Almaty there are a few rehabilitation centers, organized by churches and at a cost of treatment of 50.000 tenge a month (the price before our financial crisis). Thus treatment lasts no less one year. Compare that with what Sergey and his team do, is based on their complete personal enthusiasm.

Trip: Uhlan Bator, Mongolia, Marat, 19-Nov-2008

From: Iman Zholy Church (Marat, Asem, Clara)

Trip Purpose:

Visit believing Kazaks in the city of Uhlan Bator with the purpose of encouragement, evangelize and develop ministry to the elderly.

How does this trip fit our vision and purpose:

Kazakh ministry – know new groups and churches in unreached areas and further development of partnership with them. The purpose of this visit was to teach Kazakhs in Mongolia evangelism through a meeting of friends to help them in opening of groups.

Situation:
Because there is no direct flight from Oskemen to Mongolia and it is impossible to buy tickets in Kazakhstan, our route lay through the city of Novosibirsk. When we arrived at the station we had only three hours before our train departure remains, and the international cash desks were almost closed. It is a big two-story station and we had to run some times from one floor on another to find the necessary cash desk. All cash desks were packed, and cashiers shouted to turn back since they were taking nobody else. Thanks to the hand of the Lord, in the last 10 minutes we were able to buy the final two tickets to Uhlan Bator.

But that was only the beginning of our test. Because now we had to get our cargo across 7 railways to reach our desired Mongolian train. Praise God we were in time and safely began the three-day journey from Russia in Mogoliju.

Our God was very kind to us and our fellow travellers. In our car there were many Chinese. Of them we could get acquainted with some and have told them about Jesus. One of the Chinese works as a doctor in Irkutsk and has a business bringing in medicine. Another is engaged in transportation of building materials. A third works as a translator at a university. As we found out, all of them were heading home for the holiday.

In our car were alson some Russians and we could build a relationship with two Russian women and have shared with them about God’s love. In the end we exchanged addresses with everyone.

In Uhlan Bator we stayed with one sister named Saule. Her husband Shampan while yet a non-believer, is very open to dialogue. He works as a geologist, is very hospitable and a very kind soul. Our fed and clean bodies wished to sleep. But our spirit was invigorated and we visited until almost to two o'clock in the morning on spiritual themes.

All our time was spent in one church for Kazakhs. We saw firsthand their need to develop a system of ministry. Because they need training in even elementary things, as for example how to conduct a Sunday service. In this church there are many women over forty and widows. We taught the sisters how to minister with women. We helped conduct Sunday school for children. There are approximately 15 children and only one teacher with no assistance. There is a need to learn how to evangelize, to build groups.

There are also many physical difficulties. The house where they gather has only two rooms and it is very cold.

But despite these deprivations they do not focus on the problems but wish to serve others who as yet do not come. Sister Saule has told about their ministry at a Hospice where there are many Kazakhs without any hope of their healing.

Personal testimonty or story:
As we returned back to Kazakhstan there was with us another family in our compartment. Evidently the husband had once visited a church in the Mongolian language. He began to study the Koran because he had no Scripture in the Kazakh (local) language he left that church. Then he went to attend a medresse in Shymkent to become a religious man. After he completed his study he has obtained Kazakhstan citizenship and began working in one Turkish company.

We established an excellent relationship. He had many questions and was very opened. Upon arrival in Oskemen they have invited us and we could continue our relationship.

One of episodes of this of stories was that they could test on themselves wonderful healing of the Lord. When we had only gotten on train his wife fell very ill with the flu and we prayed for her. The next morning she awoke completely healthy and vigorous and was full of gratitude, testifying that we truly are children of God.

Prayer requests:

• Praise God for the family family which has completely footed the bill for our trip
  
• Please pray for churches in the Kazakh language. For their formation and ministry to Kazakhs which live in Mongolia
  
• Pray for the church where we were, and others like it, for needed ministers.
  
• Pray our church has the possibility to make periodic trips to this region for encouragement and to offer help.
  
• Sister Saule asks for prayer regarding the possibility to purchase a house for ministry to people from the Hospice
  
• May the Lord will bless you, Asem and Clara.