Hello everyone! I wanted to share a bit about what has been happening these past few days! Our team officially made it to our first country about 4 days ago. We are all exhausted and trying to adjust to the 11 hour time change!

Our hosts were so kind to give us a few days to adjust and become acclimated to living in Bishkek, and we will start our orientation tomorrow to learn what ministry will look like in the next three weeks. At the moment we are under the impression that we will be working with the local college doing English lessons, talking club, and a volleyball ministry on Saturdays!

Along with this, we have started making connections with locals who work at the stores in our cities! Specifically, there is a coffee shop 10 minutes from our house that we have been routinely going to and starting to make strong relationships with the baristas who work there! A group of us have heavy hearts for this coffee shop and really believe the Lord is going to move and work and do a radical thing in the lives of the workers of this shop.

The other day, I met a former muslim who is now a devoted Christian. She is beautiful and she is one of many who are learning and following God, the one true king. She is  twenty years old, and is risking everything to follow  God. She is such an encouragement, and I am excited to get to do life with her more over the next few weeks. In Kyrgyzstan it is illegal to convert people, but it is not illegal to be a Christian. The people who are Christian do suffer a lot of persecution from their friends, family, and spheres of influence.  Pray for strength and an increase of community for those who have given their lives to Jesus and as a result have lost everything.

We are so excited to kick off official ministry this week and see how the lord is going to work not only in our hearts but the hearts of the people of this beautiful nation.  There is still so much to learn and experience. You can be praying for boldness and shrewdness as we walk and bring the light of Christ in this country. Our squad has been really sensing a strong grip of depression, anxiety, death, and coldness in this land. With this, we believe there is so much power in prayer and we have started heavenly interceding on behalf of this county and the beautiful people who live here. We are praying for a flood of warmth to breakthrough this city. Please intercede for this land and the people. The Lord has also been speaking to our group through dreams and visions. Continue to pray that we will continue to have Holy Spirit discernment and act accordingly when the Holy Spirt prompts. We believe the Lord is shaking this atmosphere and tearing down idols. Idols in our lives and the many idols that have manifested this country and culture. We are rooted and grounded in the one true stable foundation. When the winds blow we will stand firm, but the mess is still around us. Pray that we will stand firm as a group and we will keep our eyes on the face of Jesus.

Thank you guys!