Seeds in Oblaststan are Growing!

As most of you know since the late 90’s most of us that were working within the country of Oblaststan lost our visas and it has been very difficult to continue ministry to Oblaststan people. We have had to look to other areas in Central Asia where there is a large population of Oblaststan people or some other way to continue a ministry among these people. I would like to relate a story that we became aware of this past week while talking with some of our dear friends from Oblaststan. During our time living in that country we became very close to three of our national employees. Eventually they became believers and in fact I had the privilege of baptizing one of them. When we were forced to leave Oblaststan these three formed their own company and continued the work that we and others had started. We have been able to assist them from our base outside of Oblaststan to draw up project plans and obtain funding. We have, in the five years since we had to leave Oblaststan, had the opportunity to meet about three times a year with one, two or all three of these particular believers. We not only assist them with the continuing of the project work but counsel and mentor with them spiritually.

Now the wonderful news. Later this month in Oblaststan one of these three, one woman, will be leading a retreat for 7-10 new female believers. They are all village women and will meet at a secure location to grow in their new faith in our Lord. This entire retreat, the planning, funding, and teaching is being done by those we left behind. This is exactly the way it is suppose to work. We went (and others), we planted the seed in some and even reaped a harvest among some. We have been able from afar to continue the process of mentoring and now they are taking over. In that harsh and repressive land, the church not only survives but it is growing.

Note: Oblaststan is not an actual name of a country in Central Asia, but it represents a real country.