California Dreamin'

California Dreamin’

Greetings from Almaty on this glorious spring day - barren trees are budding and many flowers are in bloom. Our faithful God has given us a new season of life. We are eager to seize the opportunities for Him in the six weeks we have remaining before our home leave. We are grateful for your prayers.

Mark spent last week in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan teaching “Old Testament Prophets” to twenty-three young ministry leaders. They are enrolled in the East West ministries extension school and gather every couple months for weeklong intensive courses. There are about 120 students in six different extension schools in key cities here in Central Asia. They are busy in various ministries in their churches in their cities. In Bishkek some lead house groups, several evangelize on university campuses, a couple are worship leaders in large growing churches, one has a ministry to the deaf, one is reaching his Uighur kinsmen. All of them were enthusiastic and fun to teach. We discovered how the ancient message of the prophets speaks with relevance and power today. Here are some of their comments:

“E” a young man who serves the Lord on the university campus said, “I used to think the ancient world was more righteous and obedient to God. But I now realize there is not much difference between our times. As I have received God’s word, I need to believe and obey.”

“A” a young preacher to the people of that land was “impressed by God’s great love to all nations and how He is calling all to Christ.”

“H” a young wife who is taking the course with her husband – and serving in their local church – “wants to be more devoted to God in the light of His great blessing and faithfulness.”

“F” a young preacher to his Uighur people had real insight. There are several million Uighurs scattered throughout Central Asia. But they are a minority people in each country, including Kyrgyzstan. They are an ancient people with a rich culture and history, but have no homeland – no UighurSTAN. He realized his people are “in exile” much like ancient Judah in Babylon. He told us he “prays that God will give Uighurs a homeland on earth, but most of all that they’ll find their real citizenship in heaven. Through this course I now realize that God speaks to all nations. Jeremiah 29 is a great message for God’s people in exile in this world.” 

“L” a petite young woman who carries a large responsibility as Worship Leader of a dynamic church in the city said, “I was sobered to read about God’s wrath, and see it as a warning to myself and all people today.”

“N” who is a dancer in the Worship services “L” organizes - and also a leader in youth and house church ministries – was “amazed at how God loves us despite all our sin. I do not understand why Israel was so stubborn to obey despite all the prophets who came and preached to them. God’s love is so patient. I do not want to be so stubborn.”

You can imagine the joy of teaching such open hearts and willing servants. They are on the “front lines” in strategic places in that nation. As “E” concluded, “many different prophets have a different impact. Some were given direct access to kings, others were banished and beaten, ignored by their people. Whatever our calling and opportunities, may God find us faithful.” Amen and Amen.

While Mark was away, Dayna was especially busy with work in Tien Shan School. As the school year draws to a close there are lectures, exams, end of the year activities, and plans to be made for the coming year. In early May the kids had a great Spring Banquet. (Amazing to discover how many lovely young ladies and handsome young men have been hiding behind those grungy t-shirts all year!) Now spring soccer fever has caught on with the boys and girls.  Our boys team has the privilege of being coached by a team of men from Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Germany, and Holland. They’re all doing great. This “volunteer” school in a distant land is rich with such people. Several key staff are leaving and others are en route. Pray that the Master Teacher will help each child to know Him, His Word, and His world. Only eternity will reveal the impact these 120 kids from 11 nations will make. It is thrilling just to imagine.

We all missed some fun in the Karoke Bar in a sanitorium (“conference center” in American) in the foothills of the Tien Shan mountains a few days ago. Our Aaron, and Nathaniel his Australian buddy, were there last Saturday. They were conferencing with their high school for a weekend retreat. The Kazakhstan National Wrestling Team was also in the house; that is their training center. Aaron and Nat were “cruising the joint” one evening and found the muscle men with their cauliflower ears crooning to the Karaoke. When the team spotted our guys they compelled them to come in. I suppose those guys would be hard to refuse, but I know Aaron is always eager for new adventures. They found them stumbling through the song “California Dreamin’” by “The Mama’s and the Papa’s” – all the classics are here in Kazakhstan. So the team learned how it really should be sung from Aaron and Nat. When I asked Aaron if he got in trouble from their counselors for singing in the Lounge he said, “No, it was our free time.” They certainly know how to pack a lot of fun into those free moments! When they weren’t singing Karaoke, the kids had some great time in fellowship and studying God’s Word.    

Hope this finds you growing in that same Word. Thanks for remembering us before Him.

We seek His grace to finish this academic year and term of service well. There is much to be done here in the next six weeks thanks for standing with us.

Wedding in Korean Presbyterian Church in Almaty

Easter in Almaty, Kazakhstan

Yesterday we had a wonderful Easter service at International Christian Fellowship in Almaty. More than 300 people met into the beautiful hotel ball room where we meet for worship. People gathered from around the world, every continent except Antarctica was represented. A number of people were first time visitors.  Some mission workers from other cities in this huge nation – who do not have services in English – were thrilled to praise the Risen Lord in their “heart” language. Some who had never before visited a Christian service of worship left pondering His claim on their lives. Many who knew the “old, old story” were “hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest.” Mark preached from Paul’s message of Jesus and the resurrection which he addressed in the Areopagus in Athens almost two thousand years ago. In that sacred text Paul announced,

“In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.  For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead."                       Acts 17.30

As that solemn day draws ever closer, we must tell the world about our Risen Savior and Lord. Yesterday we echoed God’s command to repent in our multi-national assembly. Then one Kazakh young man stood and gave personal testimony of his faith in the Risen Lord and was baptized. He preached the best message as he narrated his faith journey and pledged his trust in Christ. His atheism was cracked when he “happened” to see the “Jesus” film on state television on Christmas day several years back. What God began that Christmas we sealed in baptism this Easter.

For two days before Easter Dayna and Mark joined the teachers of Tien Shan school for a retreat. Twenty plus people met in a sanatorium high in the Tien Shan mountains.  This year the cold temperatures have lingered into the spring. We had fun on snowy slopes in the day and warmed to a crackling fire at night. Late at night we had “treat” which is highly prized in this part of the world - a hot sauna followed by a cold plunge into an ice pond! Our speaker was a woman who leads an MK school in another country here in the CIS. She is a great communicator with much wisdom about the special students we have here – “TCK’s - third culture kids.” A TCK’s primary connection is not to their home country, or their country of residency, but to a “third culture” forged through their wide experiences in different cultures. Often such kids excel in life, although like any child they need TLC – “tender loving care.” Of course, our immediate reference for prayer and concern are our own three sons, but we pray God’s blessings on all our TCK’s here.

One wonderful benefit of overseas service is having a front seat to witness God’s unique work. We have seen an encouraging work of God just outside our window. Perhaps you remember when we moved into this apartment about two years ago we lamented that our neighbors do not always place their trash in the receptacles. Well that is the nice way of saying it! As more than six months out of the year, the trees are frozen and barren, sometimes all we seem to see is our “trashscape.”  A couple times we have cleaned the area. As we cleaned more than one passing neighbor questioned who gave us “permission” to clean, but a few other neighbors joined us in the task.  Not long after each clean up, the refuse reappeared. Well our last work outing, in which several neighbors spontaneously joined us, appears to have succeeded! We made a huge pile and some government authority came the next day with a mechanized scooper and dump truck and hauled the pile away. They also posted a sign forbidding dumping, which has been obeyed! Now spring has come and a field of grass has emerged from the former trashscape. One man’s trash has become another man’s fertilizer. We thank our Heavenly Father for this new vista to His working, right outside our window.

“The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it”    Psalms 24.1