I have known Alibek, as we call him here, for more than ten years. Alibek and his son once stayed at my home during a visit to Denmark. He leads a group of churches that share God's love in Jesus with the predominantly Muslim majority in Kazakhstan and travels frequently in the other countries of Central Asia.
We meet via video connection, with Danish European Mission's local project coordinator interpreting. During the conversation, Alibek sometimes squints his eyes. You can tell he is thinking while he speaks.
From atheist to Muslim national identity - in just 30 years
"I see a great revival among Muslims in Central Asia," Alibek exclaims. "It sounds crazy, but look, 30 years ago Central Asia was communist. But in just 30 years, the region has gone from being governed by an atheist ideology to being predominantly Muslim. Thousands of mosques have been built in that time."
"In the spring, I stood in the central square of the city of Nukus in Karakalpakstan (an autonomous province in northwestern Uzbekistan). People didn't speak Russian like their grandparents. I stood there thinking: There is a mighty harvest of people coming into the Kingdom of God. But the church in Central Asia is not so big, it is not so strong. But we have a hope that God has given us through the prophet Zechariah (4:6): "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts!"
Babushka met Jesus in a dream
"Two days ago, I was sitting in my office at church. A babushka (babushka means grandmother and is a nickname for an elderly woman) about 70 years old came in. She wanted to convert to Jesus. I asked an assistant pastor to talk to the woman and pray with her. He came back after half an hour and told me that the woman had been a devout Muslim. But she said, "Jesus appeared to me in a dream. Jesus said: 'You must believe in me and go to church'". She googled church and the name of our city and our church came up. She took the bus and drove 25 kilometers and told us about her dream."
I see a thirst and a search in some people. They go to mosques, but they don't get what they long for. - Alibek.
Read also: The burning heart of God
Muslim: "I like how you sing Jesus"
"We got a similar request via Instagram from a Muslim. He said: 'I'm Muslim, but I want to know more about Jesus. 'Can I come to your church? I like how you sing Jesus.' Of course I said he was welcome to join us. I see a thirst and a search in some people. They go to mosques, but they don't get what they long for. One of the ways we preach is through the internet and social media. In Facebook groups, hundreds of Muslims come to prayer meetings. A radical Muslim who was a Salafist has converted to Jesus and been baptized. But it's still a small number of radical Muslims who come to faith in Jesus."
Ask God to give people faith through His Spirit so that a mighty harvest may come into His kingdom. Amen. Amen.
