January 31, 2001

Meet Mels!


February 2001
Aloha from Hawaii!

Switching from snowboards to surfboards, we are on home assignment for a few months.  We spent one month in California and have now been in Hawaii for a month. In California we shared about our ministry in 38 places. We met over meals with old friends, with churches that have faithfully supported our ministry, and with new friends who encouraged us with their interest. Now we’re sharing here in Hawaii. It is great to be home.  We are so grateful for the kindness and love of many.

It’s All in the Name

One cold December evening we were invited to dinner at the home of some Kazakh friends. Upon our arrival we saw frozen pieces of carcass in buckets on their back porch. (During the winter the porch serves as a big refrigerator. In fact, everyplace is a big freezer!) As our host warmly greeted us he pointed to the buckets saying, “Yesterday we cut horse!” We then knew we were in for a culinary treat! Joining us for the meal was our host’s father, Mels. After our horse feast we had an interesting conversation over tea.  I asked Mels about his name. He said, “It’s a common name, many people have it.” I then asked it’s meaning. It is an acronym for Marx, Engles, Lenin, and Stalin! Then he shared more interesting names from their Soviet past. Some of the more popular women’s names were, and still are, Revo and Socia. That’s just the short version, the full names are Revo-lution and Socia-lism! I could easily understand, my new President is named after our first President – George W. 

Kazakhstan Ministries Report

God’s work in Kazakhstan is moving forward. We are thankful for the good friends who are continuing the ministries we have served. Please join us in praying for them. The news from Tien Shan School is that they are still struggling to acquire the building they rightfully purchased two years ago. Recent intervention by the Ambassadors of our student family’s homelands seems to have helped. Please continue to pray for justice, that the school will soon be able to use this needed facility. Perhaps you know someone who can serve as a teacher there in the coming academic year. They would love to hear from you at tienshan@pactec.org  Please see the seminary building report in this mailing.

Systematic Theology for the Man on the Bus

Last Fall I had the privilege of teaching a course on “Systematic Theology” to our seminary students. As we began to study God, I asked the Kazakh students what they would say to “the man on the bus.” What if this “man” has learned that they’re a seminary student who studies God all day. “Oh, good!” he replies, “I have always wanted someone to tell me about God.” Now for “privatized” Americans this might seem quite contrived. We would never share our faith on a “public” bus. Religion in America is, after all, a private matter. But for Kazakh Christians a bus is a rolling congregation, just waiting for a sermon.

Soon the first student shot his hand into the air. “Kazakh’s need to know that God is Holy!” he confidently asserted. Several “Amen’s” affirmed his opinion. “O.K. - what exactly do you want to say about this Holy God?” I asked. Around the room Bibles began to open and pages were quickly turned. One person quoted Isaiah who saw God “high and lifted up” with angels declaring that He is “Holy, Holy, Holy.” A young lady cited John’s Revelation seeing His throne room and hearing He is “Holy, Holy, Holy - the Lord God Almighty.” We saw from Scripture that “holiness” is “separation” - a dimension of God’s transcendence and majesty. We realized that, like Isaiah, we are far from holy. Our lips and our neighbors are unclean. We rejoiced that Jesus died to make us holy and that His Spirit continues the cleansing process. We resolved to seek His power to “be holy in all we do.”

This was a wonderful day, like so many we have had in our teaching ministry in Kazakhstan. Thanks to my translator, Sandugash, this room full of Kazakhs could share with an American our God. Some attack “Systematic Theology” is an old Christian relic, built on ancient Greek philosophy and Jewish Scriptures. Others question whether it has any place in the 21st Century, especially among Central Asian villagers. But as far as I could tell, we were “doing theology.” We searched through our Bibles and tried to apply its message to the Kazakh man on the bus. I found it especially interesting that a young Kazakh student - raised as a Muslim in a remote village of this massive nation - first mentioned “Holiness.” If you open a Theology text, anywhere in this wide world, you’ll read that “Holiness” is the attribute of God most often cited in Scripture. And my student thought this was the most important news for the man on the bus, even without reading those massive tomes. Could it be that the same HOLY Spirit who instructed those learned doctors was speaking a similar message to the young Kazakh theologian I am privileged to teach? As we all submit to the HOLY Scriptures I think so. Systematic Theology in Kazakhstan just keeps rolling along.      

In Case You Were Wondering

Since we have come on furlough, we have often hear the following questions: 

“Where have you folks been, I haven’t seen you for a long time?”

As much as it may burst our bubble, we realize not everyone knows that our family has been working in Kazakhstan for the last two and a half years. (Some people think we’ve been in Africa, where we had the privilege of working in the 80’s.) Dayna has been teaching at Tien Shan School, where our three sons study. It is an English language school for missionary children. Both Mark and Dayna are working in Kazakhstan Evangelical Christian Seminary, training leaders for the growing church in Central Asia. Also, we are all involved in the International Christian Fellowship where Mark serves as the co-pastor.

“Where is this Ka…, Kaaaa…., what is it again?”

Kazakhstan is a new country, formed when the Soviet Union broke apart. It is south of Russia, and west of China. Below Kazakhstan are several other “stans” you may have not heard of – Uzbekistan, Kyrgystan, and more. As you look at a map, if you put your finger on the tip of India, and go straight north, you’ll probably hit our city – Almaty (or on some older maps, Alma-Alta). When you see how big Kazakhstan is, you may be surprised that you never noticed it before.

“Oh! I thought you were in a small village!?”

No, we live and work in the largest city in Kazakhstan, Almaty. There are about 1 and a half million people there. Until 1997 it was the capital city, but they’ve made a new capital city in the center of the nation – Astana. (On older maps, Astana was called Akmola “white tomb”.) There is a general idea that most missionaries are in remote villages, living in huts. But most of the world’s people live in big cities and we need to share God’s good news with them.

“Do you like it over there?”

We are enjoying our life there. We have all made a number of good friends. The boys have a good school to attend. Best of all, we are privileged to play a small part in the growth of the newly forming Christian Church in Central Asia.

“What’s the weather like?”

The winter is cold – lots of snow and ice. The summer is hot – and far from any ocean! The Spring and Fall are very pleasant but too short.  If we were looking for great weather, we’d stay in Hawaii!

“How about the food?”

Not exactly a reason to move over there either! The best of the Russian influence is lots of fresh breads. They also make some good soups and stews. We’re still wondering what is best about Kazakh food. They love meat, especially sheep and horse. Horse is not really that bad….tastes like….chicken!? There are lots of restaurants in Almaty, with foods from around the world, some of them are not too bad. We’re all thankful that Dayna is a great cook, so we usually graze in our own pastures.

“Do you have a house?”

We do not have a house, or even a car! We live in an apartment like the vast majority of the citizens. We had three bedrooms which is larger than most. We can travel across the city on buses and taxis very reasonably.

“What do you do for fun?”

Like any big city, Almaty has lots of things going on. The boys have played Little League baseball in the summers. Our church has indoor soccer games weekly. We especially enjoy the Symphony Orchestra. They give world class performances, at just $1 for front row seats! Once in a while the theatre plays English language movies. We especially enjoy the magnificent Tien Shan mountains, the peaks are over 17,000 feet and just 30 minutes away. They offer lots of great hikes in the summer and snowboarding in the winter. 

“Are you going back again?”

Yes. We plan to be in Hawaii until early June. Then we go to California for another month. We are booked to head back to Kazakhstan in July. We plan to stay there for at least another two years. And we are open for a longer stay if the Lord leads. 

“How is the new building for the seminary?”

The construction is finished. There are still some rooms to be painted and fixtures to be hung, but the heat is on and everything looks great. Of the approximately $ 300,000 USD needed for the project, more than $ 250,000 has been raised by God’s grace. We are thankful for those who are giving now to help us close the gap.

Another urgent prayer concern is for final permission from the government to use the new facility for ministry. This entire project was prompted by a government inspection one year ago which found us guilty of several safety and fire code violations. We apologized and promised we would fix everything. At each point along the way we sought and received permission to continue the work. Now we trust they will give the final green light. Yet, the underlying force prompting the inspection a year ago was pressure from Islamic leaders in the village where the seminary building is located. Frankly, the Muslims are now more unhappy because we have such an excellent facility to train Christian leaders! Pray that Government officials will acknowledge the standard of our work and ignore the slander of our critics.

What now remains is the making of needed furniture for the building – beds, desks, wardrobes, dining tables and chairs, study desks, library shelves, and computer work stations.
 


We are in urgent need of $ 30,370 to finish the new building for Kazakhstan Evangelical Christian Seminary. We praise the Lord for all He has done thus far. Can you consider helping us with these interior furnishings?

I received this list just yesterday from our team in Almaty. They wrote, "The end is very close. You will see this beautiful building. We need to pray for good students and pastors in Kazakhstan. We thank you very much for your ministry in Kazakhstan.We need $ 30,370 for building materials, labor, and furniture. Here are the specific needs and costs -

Building Materials:            Total - $ 16,050
Linoleum (1st and 2nd floors)                          $ 6430
Glue for linoleum                                                 250
Floor boards to hold linoleum                              560     
Ceiling (1st floor)                                                1300
Wood for window shelves                                   650
Sinks                                                                    500
Taps for sinks                                                      400
Light fixtures                                                     1500
Heating Oil (5000 liters)                                    1300
Water Pump                                                         600
Fire Alarm System (50% paid)                          2000

Labor / Installation:                Total - $ 7000
Painters                                                              1200
Carpenters                                                          1000
Tile                                                                       400
Electricians                                                         3500
Linoleum                                                             900

Furniture                                 Total - $ 7320
Classroom desks (60)                                        1520
Kitchen counters, shelves, cupboards                1300
Dining Room (15 tables, 60 chairs)                   3000
Work Stations (12 computer tables)                  1200

Funds for this project may be sent to our seminary's founding organization:

In Christ International
12550 Brookhurst Ave. Suite E
Garden Grove, CA 92840-4834

You will receive a tax-deductible receipt. Please help us finish this strategic ministry center.

This is our present itinerary for our home ministry. We are looking forward to seeing many of you. 

December 17 - Grace Covenant Church, Vista, CA
December 24 - Montrose Community Church, Montrose, CA
December 31 - El Segundo First Baptist Church, El Segundo, CA
January 7 - La Canada Presbyterian Church, La Canada, CA
January 14 - Biola Congregational Church, Biola, CA
January 28 - Kalahikiola Congregational Church, Kohala, HI
February 4 - Puna Congregational Christian Church, Keaau, HI
February 11 - Hilo Missionary Church, Hilo, HI
February 18 - Spring of Life Church, Pahoa, HI
February 25 - Waioli Huia Congregational Church, Hanalei, HI
March 4 - Central Kona Union Church, Kealakekua, HI
March 11- Living Waters Assembly of God, Hilo, HI
March 18 - open
March 25 - Windward Missionary Church, Kaneohe, HI
April 1 - Hawaii Kai United Church of Christ, Hawaii Kai, HI
April 8 - Holualoa Chapel, Holualoa, HI
April 15 - open
April 22 - Waimea Assembly of God, Waimea, HI
April 29 - Wailuku Union Church,  Wailuku, HI
May 6 - Hale Halawai O Holoaloa - Kailua-Kona, HI
May 13 – Hilo Missionary Church, Hilo, HI
May 20 - open
May 27 - open
June 3 - open
June 10 - open
June 17  - In California - open
June 24  - In California - open
July 1     - In California - open
July 8     - In California - open
July 10 - Leaving Los Angeles for Kazakhstan
We still hope to schedule meetings in the open dates.

Yours in Him,

Mark and Dayna Blair

Please respond to us at blairstan@hotmail.com

Aloha from Hawaii! In January we traded the snows of Kazakhstan for the sands of Hawaii. We are having a great visit with family and friends here in Hilo. Our sons are enrolled in schools here this semester. Aaron (8th grade) attends Haili Christian School, with some classmates he’s been with since pre-school. Nathan (11th) and Josiah (10th) study at Christian Liberty School. They have also been reunited with several long time friends. We are grateful for these fine schools. Their teachers have been very supportive, helping our boys transition into the semester. In addition to the classroom studies, the boys are also enjoying sports, drama, surfing, and youth group. 

Until June 10 our telephone number is 808-964-2201, cell phone 808-987-2968. Our mailing address is 190 Ululani Street, Hilo, Hawaii 96720


We are in urgent need of $ 30,370 to finish the new building for Kazakhstan Evangelical Christian Seminary. We praise the Lord for all He has done thus far. Can you consider helping us with these interior furnishings?

I received this list just yesterday from our team in Almaty. They wrote, “The end is very close. You will see this beautiful building. We need to pray for good students and pastors in Kazakhstan. We thank you very much for your ministry in Kazakhstan.We need $ 30,370 for building materials, labor, and furniture. Here are the specific needs and costs –

Building Materials:            Total - $ 16,050
Linoleum (1st and 2nd floors)                          $ 6430
Glue for linoleum                                                 250
Floor boards to hold linoleum                              560
Ceiling (1st floor)                                                1300
Wood for window shelves                                   650
Sinks                                                                    500
Taps for sinks                                                      400
Light fixtures                                                     1500
Heating Oil (5000 liters)                                    1300
Water Pump                                                         600
Fire Alarm System (50% paid)                          2000

Labor / Installation:                Total - $ 7000
Painters                                                              1200
Carpenters                                                          1000
Tile                                                                       400
Electricians                                                         3500
Linoleum                                                              900

Furniture                                 Total - $ 7320
Classroom desks (60)                                        1520
Kitchen counters, shelves, cupboards                1300
Dining Room (15 tables, 60 chairs)                   3000
Work Stations (12 computer tables)                  1200

Funds for this project may be sent to our seminary’s founding organization:

In Christ International
12550 Brookhurst Ave. Suite E
Garden Grove, CA 92840-4834

You will receive a tax-deductible receipt. Please help us finish this strategic ministry center.

This is our present itinerary for our home ministry. We are looking forward to seeing many of you. 

December 17 – Grace Covenant Church, Vista, CA
December 24 – Montrose Community Church, Montrose, CA
December 31 – El Segundo First Baptist Church, El Segundo, CA
January 7 – La Canada Presbyterian Church, La Canada, CA
January 14 – Biola Congregational Church, Biola, CA
January 28 – Kalahikiola Congregational Church, Kohala, HI
February 4 – Puna Congregational Christian Church, Keaau, HI
February 11 – Hilo Missionary Church, Hilo, HI
February 18 – Spring of Life Church, Pahoa, HI
February 25 – Waioli Huia Congregational Church, Hanalei, HI
March 4 – Central Kona Union Church, Kealakekua, HI
March 11- Living Waters Assembly of God, Hilo, HI
March 18 - open
March 25 – Windward Missionary Church, Kaneohe, HI
April 1 – Hawaii Kai United Church of Christ, Hawaii Kai, HI
April 8 – Holualoa Chapel, Holualoa, HI
April 15 - open
April 22 – Waimea Assembly of God, Waimea, HI
April 29 – Wailuku Union Church,  Wailuku, HI
May 6 – Hale Halawai O Holoaloa – Kailua-Kona, HI
May 13 – Hilo Missionary Church, Hilo, HI
May 20 - Puna Congregational Christian Church, Keaau, HI
May 27 - open
June 3 ­- open
June 10 – open
June 17  - In California - open
June 24  - In California - open
July 1     - In California - open
July 8     - In California - open
July 10 – Leaving Los Angeles for Kazakhstan
We still hope to schedule meetings in the open dates.

Yours in Him,

Mark and Dayna Blair

Please respond to us at blairstan@hotmail.com




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