Early February 2002

Welcome to the IMB Collegiate eNewsletter for early February 2002. This month's eNewsletter focuses on the Uzbek people of Uzbekistan and Central Asia.

What's Inside: People Group Info: Uzbek of Central Asia, Prayer Points, Mission Projects in Central Asia, Fast Fact: Mosques Increasing, Ad: IMTIs, God's Heart for the Nations Bible study

Unreached People Group (UPG) focus: The Uzbek of Uzbekistan and Central Asia

The Bread of Life in the Camp of Despair
By a Christian worker in Central Asia

The "plastic" section of the refugee camp was where all the families were living under plastic covered "tents" - if the dwellings could be called by so grand a name. When my friend, a resident of the camp, and I entered the area, the entire camp turned out to catch a glimpse of me -- this foreign lady who had arrived. A man came to me straight away (quite unheard of in this culture), pulling me to his family's tent and saying "You must see this sick person!" My friend repeated over and over, "She is not a doctor; she is not a doctor," but he would not be deterred.

I walked into the tent and stopped in my tracks. I saw what looked like a dead person under 3 blankets. "Is this person sick or dead?" I asked blunty. The lady in the tent beckoned me in and said, "She is blind." I was told that this old lady was found wandering around alone. She had relied on the benevolence of others to get her to our town and this family had allowed her to stay in their tent with them.

I had no way to help this woman except to pray for her. I asked her permission and the permission of the man who dragged me there. Both consented and the man promptly left the tent, leaving me, my friend, the lady of the tent and the sick woman. I was completely overwhelmed, but could sense the Holy Spirit very strongly. I told them I wanted to pray in English. They bowed in their way and I in mine and I prayed specifically for the Lord to show Himself to that camp. I asked that this woman be healed of her sickness. I asked that Jesus be glorified in that camp and that these people would understand that non-government organizations can't help them like Jesus can. Through tears, I begged the Lord to help me know how to help these people. Once I was finished, I looked up and there wasn't a dry eye in the tent. They had not understood my words, but they had understood my heart.

As I left the tent, the "chiefs" of this particular group were waiting for me, summoned by the man of the tent. I was rather nervous. One by one, each man put his hand to his heart (a symbol of respect) and thanked me for coming.

I was relieved, but my heart still ached. There were people standing at all points of the camp, staring at me. As I stood there just staring back, all I could think of was, "Lord, these are my people. They are starving. They have no homes. I am overwhelmed as to what to do. Please help my people." (continued below)

Interview with a Christian Worker Among the Uzbeks

What is the life of an Uzbek like? 

When they are not ravaged by war, most Uzbeks of Southern Uzbekistan and Northern Afghanistan are stationary farmers and small herdsmen. They tend to settle outside cities, preferring life in villages. Most are illiterate, but even if they could read, their language is not standardized, so there is much confusion about what proper "southern Uzbek" language is. This inconsistency is leading us to focus more on radio rather than the printed information to sow seeds and build foundations. We also want to try to help standardize the language through literacy programs that would also be used to build relationships. We need people to teach conversational English.

How had life changed for the Uzbeks because of all of the unrest in Central Asia during the last 10 years?

In the past ten years, the Southern Uzbeks have gone from being a people who had a leader and their own land to being the victims of genocide, homelessness and tragedy. Many have had to migrate to the last safe place in Afghanistan where they now live without any contacts or relatives. Without these connections, they have no way to work themselves into city life, so there is not a great chance that they will get jobs or help.

Has their desperate situation opened any doors to share the hope of the gospel? 

Their destitution and hopelessness has had SIGNIFICANT implications for the gospel. Many are disillusioned with Islam, yet they do not know where to turn for truth, nor how to seek the truth. So many people are here from so many different locations that if His Spirit really moved among these people it would penetrate every aspect of the culture as well as every people group represented in this country and the country south of here, very much like Pentecost in Acts 2. This would not have happened if things had not been so bad. The Lord can bring glory to Himself even through tragedy and hopelessness!

Have most Southern Uzbeks heard the gospel, even if they still follow Islam? 

The Southern Uzbeks really do not have any concept of the gospel, but we are learning that many, after more than twenty years of war and desolation, are seeking something to meet their spiritual needs. They know Christians exist, but they do not know what we believe, or why.

A worker in my building is a believer and he recently gave my language teacher a portion of the Bible. My teacher told me a few days ago, "If someone would live by the words I have been reading, he would be a good man indeed."

How do the Southern Uzbeks practice Islam? 

These people are serious about following Islam and we have to earn the right to be heard. They practice the 5 Pillars of Islam religiously and make other Islamic people groups look as if they are only go through the motions. A western approach to presenting the gospel here (like the Four Spiritual Laws or Evangelism Explosion) will at least get you kicked out and at worst get you killed.

If anyone comes here without first laying their lives on the altar, they have not seriously and soberly thought through what they are doing. Osama Bin Laden has placed a $50,000 bounty on the head of any American. Anyone could come to our city, watch what we do, and on any given day, shoot me outside my home, and claim the money. The cost is high. We must be willing to pay the same price that our Savior did if we desire to claim his rewards as well. We cannot ask someone here to lay down his life by following Jesus if we are not willing to lay ours down with him!

If an Uzbek could be killed for following Christ, how do you disciple new believers to share their faith? 

I encourage new believers to share their faith through their lives. Relationship is everything here. If believers here gave sacrificially and helped others, people may not like them because of their faith, but they would at least say "no one else helps us like these people do."

We are seeing that first-hand. People in a village sought to drive some believers out of the village and to turn public opinion against the believers, but most of the villagers said exactly what I quoted above! No matter how young the new believers are, if they have the Word and the Holy Spirit, they only need help in how to use these tools. God will give the increase!

Bread of Life (continued)

"I have prayed for the situation in the camp and I have asked you to pray. I want to tell you what God has done. My friend who lives in the camp came to my home to tell me, "You know that lady you prayed for? She is better! She is well! She is up and with the help of others is being led around and able to walk." Praise the Lord, her health had returned!

"The second thing my friend said was even more amazing. After I left the camp that day, my friend told people in the camp that I prayed in Jesus' name (my friend is not a believer, but she knows what I believe). My going to the camp caused much conversation and so did my praying in Jesus' name!

"Two days after my visit, two different NGO's came and gave out cards for the
people to receive bread each day and for many of the families to receive rice and oil. As the cards were being distributed, many people ran to my friend's tent. They all began to weep and say, "God has seen us. He heard that foreigner's prayer!"

"The people living in the plastic tents are all convinced that it was the prayer of this broken heart that got them their food. They are all giving glory to the Lord for the food that was sent. They all realize that I prayed to Jesus and still they are sure that it was that prayer that sent them their food.

"As you intercede for these people and other unreached peoples of the world, PLEASE KNOW THAT YOUR PRAYERS ARE EFFECTIVE!! Know that God is listening. Please keep praying for my people."

Prayer Points:

• Pray that God would draw them to Himself and reveal Jesus to them - especially to the men who are the influencers of their families and their communities.
• Pray for a refreshing peace in their souls that they have never had before.
• Pray for a sober understanding of the cost of following Christ, and an embracing of that cost!
• Pray for wisdom like a serpent, yet gentleness as a dove.
• Pray for a supernatural, Holy Spirit- led ability to forgiver Afghan factions/leaders/movements in order to bring about national reconciliation for those Uzbeks living in Afghanistan.
• Finally, pray for a driving, overwhelming passion to share their new-found truth with other people in this area.

For more info about praying for the nations, go to www.imb.org/CompassionNet/default.asp 

Project List

• Details on all projects are available on the web at www.thetask.org/students on the mission projects link.

• For more projects in Central Asia, check www.thetask.org/students/projects
• For more information about Uzeks around the world, go to http://www.bethany.com/internet/profiles/a_colde/index_p.html 

Mosques Increasing

Over the last 10 years, the number of new Muslim mosques in America has increased by 42%. In comparison the number of new evangelical churches increased only 12% during that same time.

-- From the Pastor's Weekly Briefing December 14, 2001, reprinted Feb. 2002 in Campus Ministry Update by The Ivy Jungle Network

Bible study:  God's Heart is with You

In my spiritual pilgrimage, I have responded to my privilege and responsibility to tell the world the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ in one of three ways: (1) Let's go! (2) I'm really not a good salesman, so they wouldn't listen to me anyway; and (3) I don't really have a testimony to share. Regarding the last two responses, I know in my head that I'm supposed to share, but when I respond that way, it's a sure sign that my confidence - in myself and in God - is at an all-time low.

Being a good salesman (or not) is really beside the point. As Keith Green, one of contemporary Christian music's pioneers, once sang, "There's nothin' no one is tryin' to sell you, 'cause Jesus' love is free." After all, no one can come to Jesus unless God draws them (John 6:44), and it's the Holy Spirit's job to convict the world of guilt in regard to sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8). That means that my job is not to save anyone, but merely to share what God has done in my life.

And God has done something, right? So what's my excuse about not having a testimony? Just because I didn't have a "Saul to Paul" conversion like Clint, my summer missions partner doesn't mean I don't have a testimony.

I think the real issue here, though, is my confidence hitting that low. At those times, I don't need to go street preaching to pump up my spiritual self-assurance. Instead, I need to get by myself with God and His Word and let him remind me that my testimony is that I am well-loved and the apple of His eye (Ps. 17:8)

In Matt. 6:21 Jesus warns his followers not to store up worldly riches in lieu of spiritual wealth because where their treasures were there hearts would also be there. The Bible tells us over and over again that we are God's treasure.* According to His own teaching, then, His heart is with us.

So many students on campuses are quietly crying for someone to give them a sense of self-worth. God can give them a never-ending self-worth. I am God's treasure and His heart is with me. The people in the "plastic" section of the Uzbek refugee camp had been brutalized and left homeless in a strange land. Their sense of worth must have been diminishing as their children starved and they slept in the mud on their "tent" floors. Receiving the food rations proved that "God has seen us." It proved that He cared - that His heart was toward them. I am God's treasure and His heart is with me.

I have a testimony to share with hurting hearts and lonely people anywhere - I am God's treasure and they can be, too if they only follow Jesus. Talk about a confidence booster!

* Ex. 19:5, Deut. 7:6, 26:18, Mal. 3:17.