Tolkyn grew up in a big city in eastern China, though his people consider the northwest of the country to be their home area. Despite not being especially religious or traditional, he considers himself a Muslim. Like many younger-generation Kazakhs, he’s living abroad. Work, study, family connections, and immigration are common reasons for this phenomenon.
Kazakhs who travel out of China tend to be ambitious and prize worldly wisdom. Having escaped many limitations by coming out of their country, they recognize the relative freedom they’re enjoying. At least some of their dreams are coming true, though their happiness is often mixed with heartache over separation from relatives still in China.
Tolkyn is pursuing advanced studies and thinking seriously about marriage to his girlfriend, Saule. Through Saule, he met some Jesus-followers in the city where he lives. He had read some of John’s gospel in Chinese years ago, but it didn’t make much of an impression on him. Saule’s friends, however, in a conversation about how a husband and wife relate to each other in marriage, brought up the passage in Ephesians 5 where it says, “Husbands, love your wives…” This really made Tolkyn think. The fact that this scripture was in Kazakh, and not some other language, also got his attention— so much so that he got a copy of the Bible in Kazakh for himself.
How to Pray
- Pray for Kazakhs living abroad to feel a longing to know their Creator that nothing else (education, career, money, emigration, even family) can satisfy.
- Pray for Kazakhs to meet Jesus-followers along their paths in pursuit of worldly ambitions.
- Pray that Kazakhs would have the opportunity and desire to read scripture, and that they would receive understanding through the Holy Spirit.
I celebrate every Muslim and their families receiving the great love and gift of salvation. _Jesus. In his name we are now children of God. i praise the Lord our God who daily feeds us with the word illuminating our eyes and heart with hope, peace and Love.