October 10, 1999

Killing Horses in Kazakhstan


Winter Greetings from Almaty, Kazakhstan                                                  October 1999

            Three bright eyed Blair boys look out their 11th floor bedroom window at the magnificent Tien Shan mountains every morning to see how much more “awesome powder” God has sent for their snowboards to sail through. Their parents look out their window at the same spectacular sight and calculate how many layers of clothes to put on for the day. The summer clothes are packed away, the winter clothes are back out, and a new cold season has come. Year two has begun for the Blair family in Almaty.




            


















Mom and the guys are again busily involved in Tien Shan School. Dayna is High School co-ordinator, teacher of three subjects, School Board member, and everybody’s “Mom” - especially to two of her twenty students - Nathan (10th grade) and Josiah (9th grade). Aaron is now in  Jr. High,  the 7th grade. We are thankful for their great teachers who are academically and spiritually gifted to help them discover how “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ” (Colossians 2.3). The boys converse in Russian with increasing fluency to the various drivers who taxi them across the city to school every day. They and their dad are involved in a Boy Scout troop which has been lots of fun. Nathan has been elected to Student Government and has become quite disciplined to carry his heavy academic load - Physics, Algebra 2, Geometry, Literature, Biology, Russian 2, Bible, and Tae Kwon Do. His studies get him to bed most nights after his parents. Josiah is finding the adjustment to High School academics difficult. His aspiration is still to play in the NBA, but he now realizes he will need some “smarts” to manage his basketball millions. Aaron is still the life of the party. His studies, and most of what he does, comes rather easy for him. If he does not know the subject, he tries to “schmooze” the teacher! In last month’s Sports Day Aaron painted his face the color of his team - blue - and went on to win all the foot races in his division. His parent’s faces went red as he would throw his hands up in victory and smile at the crowd - even before crossing the finish line. We thank God for His many blessings on our family. We ask your continued prayers for wisdom for our guys as they encounter the challenges of the teen years, multiplied by the complexities in a strange land.

Only 6,000 out of 10,000,000 - that’s only .0006% so far!

            The recent  Kazakh Partnership meetings focused on how to reach Kazakh’s with the message of God’s saving love. Mission workers and church leaders gathered for a time of sharing, strategy, and seeking God in prayer. As they have done for the previous five years, this year they again tried to  calculate how many Kazakh’s are now committed  followers of Jesus (using active church involvement as a standard). This year’s number was six thousand, up about one thousand from last year. Yet it remains a very small part of the population.  There are about 8 million Kazakhs in this nation and about 2 in China. There are still many towns and village were there is not any known church - or believer.

            Our Kazakhstan Evangelical Christian Seminary had an important role in this Partnership. From the opening program where our students led in songs of worship, to the closing program where one of our Kazakh pastors led the communion service. During the final business meeting, Mark, two graduates, and our translator were all voted on to the Steering Committee. It is an honor to be a part of this school which is training Kazakhs and Russians to reach their people for Christ here in their homeland.

Summer Safari

This year Mark has become the on-sight leader of the Seminary as  Pastor Kong, our President, is on a much deserved year long sabbatical. Before his departure, he and Mark  traveled to the south part of this big country to see the work of several of our graduates in ministry. We traveled more than 1000 miles was on trains, vans, and taxis. At one train station we were told  the train tickets were “sold out,” then the clerk directed us the conductor who “privately” sold us tickets. This scam both supplements their meager salaries and reveals why the salaries remain so small!  Our trip through the desert in the heat of summer was in a winterized train car, with the double glassed windows sealed shut - a real “hell on wheels” experience. We joined the gasping multitude around one train window which did open.

It was worth the discomfort to finally arrive. We went first to a campground where 102 Kazakh children were attending the first ever Kazakh language Christian camp in that area. Several of our former students were camp leaders. It was a great joy to see their bright faces singing praises to “Kodai” and “Isa” (God and Jesus in Kazakh). There was a wonderful freshness in their singing, as most of them were new in faith, and all of the songs they sang were newly composed or translated into their heart language. Now they are back home with these sacred melodies forever in their hearts as they live for Jesus.



















We traveled further south to a city which is probably the strongest Islamic center in the nation. Hundreds of mosques reflect the strong presence of Islam throughout the southern part of the nation. Most of these centers were built in the last few years with funds from neighboring Islamic states. However, few worshippers faithfully attend these houses of prayer. Kazakhs are much more animist than Muslim. They are more concerned about the spirits of their ancestors than the teachings of Muhammed. While touring a very beautiful 12th Century shrine of an Islamic saint we saw dozens of worshippers straining to capture something of his spirit through their gestures, offerings, and prostration before his crypt. In all our travels I never saw one recognizable church, not one sign, cross, or outward marker to signify the meeting of believers in Jesus. God has used one of our graduates to lead 43 people from this city to faith in Christ  in the last few months. Ten have dared to be baptized in the city. Christian baptism has never happened before in this city, at least since the Nestorians who were there almost 1500 years ago. Another graduate now pastors a church in a nearby village. He has baptized 50 new believers this year alone.

Seven hot hours further down the road, we came to another village where God is at work. Here a Kazakh church is led by a pastor from Maldavia. He faithfully serves with his wife and five children, together they form their own musical ensemble. It was our joy to deliver a gift from believers in Korea and the States to buy a house and land for their church. With most of the members unemployed, this church land will give them a place to grow needed crops for their survival. The members are almost all unemployed due to the complete economic collapse which came with the downfall of the USSR.

It was a privilege to see our graduates, and those whom they have reached with the love of God. One morning we ate with 2 graduates reflected with appreciation  on their studies. They also spoke of being part of a “family” of other graduates all around the nation. In six years more than 175 have been sent out from KECS to reach their countrymen. Seeing some of the vast expanse of the territory, I realize these are just the beginning of the great need. Pray with us that He will continue “establish the work of His hands.”

Things are not always what they seem…

            And because they’re not, we had a completely new beginning to our Seminary year this Fall. In September we examined the character and personal life of all potential students in a Residential Discipleship Course (RDC). Kazakhstan church history was made! More than 80 men and women lived together, Kazakhs, Russians, Koreans, Uzbeks, and Tadjiks, from 32 different churches. Their ages ranged from 17 to 51, with most of them in their 20’s. This group of strangers survived cramped quarters and people problems for a month, their only common bond being faith in Jesus.

            God blessed us with a very cooperative,  hard working and teachable group of students. There were daily lectures about the basics of the faith. (Truths which “everyone” learned in Sunday school elsewhere, but new believers and churches here have not had the privilege of such a heritage.)  Students were formed into small groups where they prayed together, prepared meals, cleaned the facilities, and did other helpful tasks in the campus and community. In one month we learned more about one another than we could in  years of  sitting in the classroom. It was a great joy to witness the way God broke down barriers between denominations and nationalities and manifest His one Body in Christ.

            One student who proved not all he seemed was Ashur. We were especially happy to receive him as our first student from Tajikistan. His country has had much less exposure to the Gospel than even the minuscule amount in Kazakhstan. We were deeply moved by his dramatic testimony. He told us how his own dear wife had been martyred for her faith in Jesus and he was forced to flee his homeland. He asked to use this time in “exile” to train for ministry. Not long after the term began we were visited by three pastors from Uzbekistan who had just been released from prison (there is active persecution going on against church leaders there). They and Ashur were all quite surprised to see one another! Through them we discovered that our Tajik “hero of faith” was a fraud. He willing left his wife and 2 children in their peaceful Tajik village. He made the circuit across churches in Central Asia, moving people to tears with his well rehearsed lies.  Then when their eyes were filled with tears, he would steal from them (plus $ 100 from one of our pastors in Almaty). He also stole sexual favors from a number of women. In one Uzbek village where he was caught stealing, all the believers in Jesus were fined by the police to repay his theft. He admitted to these acts and was released him from our course. Pray for Ashur  as he makes his way across Central Asia, hopefully back home to his family, and His God. 

            A twenty year old Russian young man named Yura looked to be a good student, almost too good. Soon we wondered whether came to study or teach. He quickly made it obvious that he knew more than any other students, and most of the teachers. There wasn’t a Bible verse he could not exegete or a problem he could not analyze. The students tolerated him quite patiently.  I began his end of the course “exit interview” fully expecting to send him packing. I did not really expect an answer, when I asked, “Have you had any problems with people here this month?” To my surprise he quickly began to admit - and apologize for - his haughty attitude. Through his transparency I saw that he is teachable and growing. Now after a month as a regular student, he continues to demonstrate a willingness to grow in knowledge and maturity. Pray for Yura to keep growing into a good servant-leader for God’s Kingdom.

            -----, an attractive Uzbek young lady, was very quiet for most of the month long course. Her academics were above average, her work ethic was high, and her attitude and cooperation were fine. During her “exit interview” I learned the reason behind her quiet seriousness. If she did not get into the seminary course, she did not know where else to go. Her father is the Muslim “Mullah” (teacher/leader) of their village. Her decision to follow Jesus has become the scandal of the village. She has endured beatings, shunning, and complete rejection by the whole village - including her family. Central Asia, especially Uzbekistan, is a long way from “freedom of religion.” Pray that God would comfort and guide

            This month long experience was a chance for students to discover what seminary life and training are all about, and it is not for everyone! Out of the 80 plus candidates we choose  60. We sent the others home with our prayers for their continued growth in grace and hope we may seem them again after some more maturing.

            Sergei, passed through the RDC, and we were happy to invite him to study in our Russian language department. Considering the matriarchal Russian society, it is great to have a Russian man, especially a mature man in his early 50’s like Sergei, train for church ministry. But we sadly learned that the one month course was not “fool proof.” He managed to survive the month apart from his mistress and his bottle of booze, but the siren song proved to strong for him to keep away. Sergei became the fourth student I have had to release because of a drinking problem in my year here. Alcohol really is a terrible scourge across the face of this society. Pray for Sergei.

            In October we began the more typical seminary academic program.  Mark is teaching an Old Testament Introduction and Survey course, and Dayna teaches Christian Education. This year she will teach one day a week at the seminary, and four days with her High School students. We are thank God for His blessing on the RDC course. Yet we are very aware that at best we can only see the “outward,” God sees the heart.  Pray with us for His blessing on the rest of the year. Things are not always what they seem.




 MY SUMMER EXPERIENCE   by Aaron Blair

People often comment about the sights which our children get to see living in a foreign country, here’s one unique example: 

(WARNING - Not to be read by the queasy of stomach)
     One morning I traveled the local bus about 15 minutes from where I live to play with my friend at his place.  Upon arriving, it seemed like the tenants of the  whole building  were out to watch a big truck bring a black, male horse - about three years old  in human years - into the middle of the apartment house courtyard. As they unloaded this good looking horse, many  Kazak people embraced it  and said goodbye. I thought it was strange for them to do this. Then the last Kazak man came and sliced the horse across its jugular. The poor animal jumped up for awhile and fell down to the grassy (more like weeds to me) ground. Then six men with hatchets quickly cut  the horse’s legs from the knees down. They then began  to slice the skin off the dead horse as its head hung from its neck. This execution team pulled the whole fur off the body and held it up so it could dry.  Next they cut open the belly and took out the rib parts and hung them up as well. Kazak kids, holding branches they had pulled off the  nearby trees, tried to fan off the many flies which swarmed around. Soon the air was really smelling bad!

            All of the team  knew what they had to do. One Kazakh man grabbed the long intestines and blew in them, making a huge long tube of air. Yuk ! They use these to make sausage skins. Then the  Kazak women came and laid a large piece of plastic under the animal. With their bare hands, they cleaned out the guts and whatever meats they were going to cook. The children continued to beat the flies as the men removed the horse’s head. They even used a blow torch to burn its head until it was black as black. They then cooked the meat in huge pots of water right in the open as if  you were at a camp cookout.  Everyone was invited to the feast in memory of a deduchka (grandfather) who had lived in the building. This was the one year remembrance of his death, celebrated in traditional Kazakh style.  I didn’t stick around for eating of the horse, I lost my appetite watching the whole preparation!  

We are so grateful for your prayers and support, Mark, Dayna, Nathan, Josiah, and Aaron Blair

No comments: