Easter Celebration

We all met at one house, and used a couple cars with a hired taxi-bus to get the crowd out there. We had invited several friends, so the crowd was much bigger than it had ever been. And it was all about getting together to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord. The whole thing was very Central Asian. When we arrived by the river, we set down the sitting pads, and the women all sat around and prepared the food in one place, while the men got the cooking place ready and set up a shade tent.

When we gathered together, we sang songs – I was there with my guitar, but it was hardly needed. Instead Kashkdar rubab and the doyra (a stringed instrument and a drum) were enough. It started with one man singing a couple of Psalms he had put music. Then we read from Luke and another brother spoke for awhile – sharing the basics of what it means to have a risen Lord, and about the witnesses who saw it. After singing some more songs, and a prayer, we had a meal. At the end of the meal we heard another song – brand new that had been written that morning telling of the complete meaning of Easter.

The chorus was:
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, you died for us
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, you rose for us

I just sat back in amazement and praised the Lord. Oh, of course, in overall terms you might not be so impressed…25 people or so gathered by the river to hear a simple message from a man who had never preached before about the faith that he had found a couple years ago. Another man sang songs from the Bible about God and the death and resurrection of Christ. Many guests were hearing the gospel for the first time! And…it was completely Central Asian. Sitting on the ground, Central Asian food, Central Asian program (or lack of it!), Central Asian fellowship, Central Asian music.