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KAZAKHSTAN Fall 2007
A new day
Rediscovering cultural roots in a globalizing world
The Kazakh people are at a crucial stage in discovering and defining who they are. The end of the Soviet era took them by surprise. They found that they suddenly had a new identity and inheritance. With the dissolution of the Soviet Union the Kazakhs gained a land of their own, the right to choose their own political leaders and freedom of religious expression. Geo-political and economic development became the main focus and religious issues were largely left up to individuals as long as they did not cause strife or dissention.
“The Way of the Fathers” is a common Kazakh expression describing the search for religious heritage. Many Kazakhs readily acknowledge that the Soviet period successfully diluted and even destroyed their practice of Islam. In order to best define what they believe and practice, Kazakhs are increasingly looking back to their religious roots before Communism. There are those who believe the Kazakhs are on the road to re-establishing their religious identity. Others describe a thin veneer of religion behind which lies a secular mindset.
Unlike many of their Muslim neighbors, Kazakhs have not held strictly to the Orthodox expressions of Islam. In their minds however this does not make them any less Islamic; rather, they seem to pride themselves on having their own unique heritage.
Globalization and the new openness after communism has also seen the presence of Muslim missionaries who seek to make the Kazakhs more Islamic. Most of the new mosques and their leaders are financed from outside funding, and a growing number of young Kazakh men are being recruited for formal training in Islam.
Economic wealth, largely as a result of the discovery of oil, continues to grow in the country. Most Kazakhs are optimistic that the future holds growing economic prosperity. With this has come a desire by the government for Kazakhs and Kazakhstan to take a significant place in a global economic community. Rather than follow the more isolationist example of some Muslim countries, many Kazakhs prefer the example of countries such as Turkey where there is mutual accommodation between a secular government and a Muslim majority population.
If it is true that globalization has largely been driven by the West then this creates an immediate tension for Kazakhs as they try to re-establish a non-Western religious tradition. How do they have a good working relationship with the West on an economic level and yet establish a unique expression of who they are from a cultural and religious standpoint?
Unengaged: The Kazakhs of Turkmenistan
There are approximately 112,000 Kazakhs living in Turkmenistan. Turkmenistan is consistently listed among the top 10 countries that persecute believers. We have heard of believers amongst the Kazaks, but no one is able to confirm any numbers. The Kazak and Turkmen cultures are fairly close, so these believers are likely involved with any Turkmen Churches that exist.
The Kazaks in North West China
Please pray for the 1.3 million Kazaks living in NW China, most of whom are bound by fear of evil spirits, daily performing rituals to keep the evil spirits away. Pray that they will have opportunity to hear the Good News that Jesus has defeated the evil one and in Him there is no need to fear.
Pray for the Kazakhs
- Pray for Marriages
Pray that husbands will be the spiritual leaders of their home and overcome the common strongholds of alcoholism, spouse abuse and struggles with finances. Pray that women will become Godly wives and have victory over strongholds of nagging, gossip, unfaithfulness and lack of forgiveness. Pray for healing in Christian marriages and for them to be a light to their lost neighbors. - Pray for University Students
Christian University students have very few role models and face a minefield of spiritual opposition. The reaction from their family can include forbidding the new believer from associating with other Christians or attending Bible studies. Some have even hired hypnotists to reverse what they perceive as “brainwashing”. Pray that students will be discerning about how to respect their parents and obey God. Pray that local teachers would become believers and give guidance to these students and help the parents understand what it means to have a relationship with God through Jesus. - Pray for Pensioners
Older people are highly respected in the Kazakh culture and have great influence in their families. Pray that Kazakh pensioners will hear the gospel and accept Christ and that through them whole families will be saved. Pray for sensitivity for believers who seek to share Christ with older family members in a culturally appropriate way. - Pray for National Leaders
Pray for wisdom for President Nursultan Nazarbaev and the new Prime Minister Karim Massimov as they lead the country. We praise the Lord for the stability and peace that Kazakhstan has enjoyed and pray that it will continue. Pray for open doors for believers who seek to share the gospel with regional and national leaders. - Pray for Creative Outreach
Please pray for wisdom and many open doors for those seeking to reach out to the young people of Kazakhstan through creative venues. Pray that many students will come to Christ and grow to be great men and women of God, bringing light to a lost world. While today they are young students, they are tomorrow's educators, professional athletes, businessmen, and government leaders. - Pray for the Orphanages
Pray that the gospel will penetrate orphanages throughout Kazakhstan and that workers and children will come to know their Heavenly Father. - Pray for Business Development
Pray that we would be able to link up with like-minded business people who can assist us as we use business outreach opportunities to reach the increasing numbers of young, urban professionals. Many are finding prosperity, but they are still impoverished in their souls without Jesus. - Pray for Medical Outreach
A recent AIDS outbreak involving the illegal use of tainted blood products has the city of Shymkent reeling. Pray for the families who lost loved ones during the outbreak. Pray for those that seek to serve families by caring for them during illness, or by training other medical professionals.
Learn more about the peoples of the former Soviet Union
Kazakhs :: Kyrgyz :: Muslims of Moscow :: Tatar :: Turkmen :: Uzbek