March 7, 2002

From Fur to Flip Flops


“From the Tropics to the Tundra”
An Update from the Blair family in Kazakhstan
                                                                                                June  2002

E-mail:   blairstan@hotmail.com - Do you get our e-mail prayer bulletins?

Mailing address:                                                         Mission: (please note, new address!)
c/o KECS                                                                    Pioneers
P.O. Box 244                                                              10123 William Carey Drive
Almaty 480000                                                           Orlando, Florida 32827-6020 USA
Kazakhstan                                                       www.pioneers.org
Phone  (7-3272) 550128

Our Church: International Christian Fellowship, Almaty   www.icf.nursat.kz (check this out!)
 
Aloha from Almaty,

We traded the fur lining for flip flops, summer is here. And season by season we are rejoicing in the God of all grace. We are so thankful for your gracious support and faithful prayers. We continue to be mightily blessed by Him in all our life and work. The media may no longer tell you about Afghanistan every day, but may the Holy Spirit do so! He has given us a front row seat to see His Kingdom advance across Central Asia. We hear great reports of Gospel progress in formerly closed lands. These are times of historic opportunity for all the “stans” (lands of the peoples), but not without hardship and even bloodshed. Fervently pray.   

One Flies out of the Nest

We will soon bid a bittersweet Ahui Hou! to our eldest son Nathan. He graduates from high school this month and heads home to University of Hawaii, Hilo in August. His brothers are too soon to follow. Josiah will be a senior and Aaron a sophomore here this fall. They have had a good year.  We recently received the following letter of recommendation for Nathan from his Principal, Gillian Mawson. Pardon us as we brag on our son… 

It is indeed a pleasure to write this letter of recommendation for Nathan. I have known Nathan for four years. He is an exceptional young man and it has been a privilege to serve as his principal during his High School years. Nathan is a leader among his peers. I have enjoyed seeing him grow and mature as a strong young man and in his leadership roles.  This year he was elected as Chairman of the Student Council and demonstrates a natural ability to lead.  He is greatly respected by all the staff and students and has a natural warmth and ability to relate to a wide variety of ages.

I have observed excellent character qualities in Nathan. When faced with a challenge he perseveres to reach the goals set, achieving sound academic results in his studies. He shows particular talent in expressive writing and I have always thoroughly enjoyed reading his writings.  He is to be commended for his persistence and diligence; even in subjects he finds more challenging. Nathan responds respectfully to correction or input. He makes wise choices and is willing to make a stand on personal convictions and beliefs. Living in Kazakhstan is not always easy and often stressful.  Despite the limited supplies and resources Nathan has made the most of the opportunities available to him. 

I would describe him as an excellent all-rounder. I have watched Nathan throw himself into everything he does from snowboarding to taking part in school drama productions.  He is also a singer in our school’s music group. Living in a foreign country has enabled Nathan to have an opportunity to relate to many different cultures. He has also tackled the learning of the Russian language and his achievement has been commendable allowing him to relate easily to the local community.

Gillian sent this letter from her home in New Zealand where she is on leave, now Dayna is Acting Principal. She has tackled these added duties with grace and diligence; although she will be grateful to see Gillian return in August. Both Gillian’s parents are not well, pray for them. Two other urgent issues for prayer for Tien Shan School, 1) Paying off the final $74,000 toward their new building fund, 2) We need 3 elementary teachers, JH/HS Science teacher, JH/HS Math teacher for this coming fall. You may contact them directly at tienshan@pactec.kz

Church is Fun

Perhaps that sounds strange, but International Christian Fellowship here in Almaty has been just that for our family. We are privileged to be part of a team of leaders who enjoy serving God and one another. We are stimulated by people and cultures from around the world. Mark preaches (every other week usually) to a congregation whose Bibles are open and eyes are attentive. We moved to a new site, a large hotel meeting room in November. After several weeks of using just half the ball room, the dividing wall is now open. Every Sunday we’re about 250 people, 50 are kids under 10 years old who attend Sunday school. Dayna leads a bunch of parents/teachers who willingly take their turns without cajoling! One recently asked to take all the kids for a whole month and organize a Children’s Musical. We are blessed each Sunday by different worship teams whose music and praise leads us into the throne room of God. We give away more than 70% of our offerings to ministries here. We’re a bunch of people from different countries and denominations, busy in lots of different ministries, wanting to raise a banner for the Lord Jesus Christ. Nobody wastes time with petty Churchianity, it really is fun. Easter was especially fun. About 350 people came. We baptized nine people, seven of them were new converts – an Englishman, a Kazakh, five Russians - two were MK’s, including our son Nathan.  Pray that as we focus on Him we will continue to major on the majors - Jesus, His Word, His mission.  Our venue is a good platform to reach out to many in the largely untouched business community. We are thinking about launching a Russian language service, with their own pastor and leaders, to reach even more professionals. Pray for wisdom and fruitful labors.

The Net of Complicity

“Three of our seminary students raped a school girl in the next village some months ago.”  My colleague’s face winced in pain as she whispered this tragic news. Shock, anger, disappointment, hurt, betrayal, punishment, all raced around in my mind. How could such students have found their way into a seminary?  I honestly did not know what step to take. But my class was waiting for me, so I went to teach “Preaching.” As a strange twist of fate, one of the accused was the student preacher for this hour. I sat back in my chair with my arms tightly folded across my chest, fists clenched. I seethed inwardly, certain that this creep would make a fool of himself. He read his text, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and we will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners…”  (James 4.7,8) “Wow!” I was shocked, “Does this hypocrite have no shame?” Hypocrite or not, the guy preached a good sermon; correct understanding of the text, insightful applications, and even a very transparent confession of his struggle to submit to God. During the group critique after the message I asked, “Why did you select that text?” Without hesitation he responded, “Because I know I am not good at doing this, and I want to improve.” I did not know what to think. He could talk the talk, but did he walk the walk? That night I struggled to sleep. “Rape! Oh my God, that poor girl, those wicked boys, what a scandal for our ministry, what shame on the name of Christ. How many people know this, or will know it? How can we redeem our testimony? What am I doing as a seminary director here in Kazakhstan?”    

Riding to the seminary the next day I wrestled with my plan of action. What would I do first? I should go to the local school and meet the principal, apologize, and ask to meet this girl. I should go to the police department and confess our students deed, and invite officers to arrest them. I should do both, but in which order? When I arrived I invited key members of staff for a meeting, including the member who first brought this news. As seven of us gathered behind closed doors I prayed, beseeching our God of Truth, Light, and Love.  The member of staff who dropped this bomb apprehensively explained she had not really heard this news directly. It was relayed from her sister in law, who had heard it from another student, who had heard it from another. As a matter of fact she could not remember if this event happened two, three, or maybe four months ago – but she was sure it was a Friday night. Someone suggested we follow this rabbit trail from the sister in law, to one student, then to another. Cooler heads said we should talk directly to the three culprits. But, how? Some adamantly preferred individual interrogations to prevent corroboration. I suggested we hold them innocent until proven guilty and invite them together - as students whom we have known and trusted all year long. We did this.

Thanks be to God, they were not wicked - but one was very stupid – yesterday’s preacher.  About three months ago, in a moment of perverse bravado, he bragged he and his mates had done a dastardly deed. It was, he explained, “A joke!” What a joke it was. A joke that almost landed them in prison, or at least beaten severely by the police. This joke terribly damaged the reputation of our students, our seminary, and our Lord. The two friends woven into this story were ready to attack their Joker. What should I do? Nothing in the Student Handbook discussed such jokes. The two leaders we met with suggested confession before the seminary community, I agreed. I added that he should also confess before the village church – perhaps their members could help douse the rumor fires. But surely the retraction never travels as far and fast as the “Joke.” Then our seminary staff gathered to meet. I reminded us of a Scripture I often cite, Matthew 18.15-18. We read Jesus’ very simple formulation for dealing with such jokes and the storms which follow. Go right to the person and try and sort out the problem, if there is no reconciliation, take a few friends along; if even that does not work, tell Blair the Big, Bad Director. (That’s kind of a paraphrase.) Tears were shed, confessions were made, and absolution was granted. What am I doing here? As this slice of life reveals, the work is tough, dirty, and wonderful. There are many such stories to tell, good and bad. We see God transform Jokesters into Jewels in His crown. We try to model the Grace we want them to preach. He uses us sinful leaders to mold these midwives for newborn saints. Honestly, it is not always fun, but often rewarding. On June 7, 2002, twenty-three students (including one Jokester), graduate from Kazakhstan Evangelical Christian Seminary. May you send them out with your prayers? Central Asia’s multitudes wait. 

Summer Travels

Before Nathan heads off to University, we will take a family vacation. The boys want to go to their homeland. So in July we’re heading down the hill – sort of – to Uganda. We have several friends, church leaders and missionaries, who have written and asked us to come. We want to be an encouragement to them in their service. We look forward to rekindling precious friendships. We five will be accompanied by a teenage Korean MK from here, Ji You Kim. (He is the faithful friend who helped Nathan with his dislocated elbow in November at “Crazy.”) We ask prayer for safe travels, good ministry times, refreshment and renewal, and that God may kindle a vision in the hearts of our boys for this big world that needs Him.

Yours in His service, Mark, Dayna, Nathan, Josiah and Aaron Blair





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