CENTRAL ASIA: ‘YOU DID NOT COME EMPTY HANDED’

This Christmas, local partners in Central Asia are sharing God’s love through various festive initiatives, including the distribution of thousands of Christmas gifts. The visits last year led to some precious moments, as told here. Please pray for similar encounters over the coming weeks.

When a local Open Doors partners knocked on Ludmilla’s* door for a Christmas visit last year, they found her crying.  Ludmilla explained that her husband had died and her children had gone to Russia for work, but she hadn’t heard from them for two weeks. 

“Last night, I had a dream,” she went on to share. “A man in white came to me and said that He wouldn’t leave me. I realised that He was a prophet of the Almighty. Now that you have told me about Jesus, I understand that it was Jesus who came to me and sent you to me.” 

After the local partners prayed for her and gave her some food and a Christmas gift, Ludmilla gave her life to Jesus. 

CHRISTMAS VISITS

This visit to Ludmilla was one of many made by local partners over Christmas last year, in what has become an annual tradition in the region. Teams visit homes, kindergartens, schools, colleges, orphanages and hospitals across the region to share the love of God through Christmas gifts, festive performances and other activities. They are doing similar events this year, with the aim of distributing thousands of gifts to children.  

The importance of these initiatives cannot be overstated. It’s the only time of the year when some families open their homes to visitors. They also enable the teams to visit orphanages, schools and hospitals when they otherwise might not be able to, offering a great opportunity to encourage children from Christian families, many of whom live in places that can be hostile to their faith.  

BRINGING HOPE TO CHILDREN

“Today was a wonderful day, as you gathered children from different villages and many children came,” says Abdul*, another recipient from last Christmas. “No one has ever come to us with such gifts like you. Our children sometimes do not receive joy, love and attention, but you’ve given them attention, care and joy today. 

“Thank you for the care you give us. Thanks for travelling to us and helping us; we see in this the love of God that you told us about. No one comes to our poor village except you, and even more, you provide such care and love.” 

Malika* observed a similar impact in his local area. “Children in our village have never experienced such a wonderful holiday. In our village, there is no playground and no entertainment. But they heard music and felt joy and warmth from you. You did not come empty-handed and brought these beautiful Christmas gifts, calendars and books.  

“Now my faith has been strengthened even more that there are good people in the world whom the Almighty Lord sends us. You told us the story of how Jesus came into this world and what He did for us. I now believe that He is still alive. 

“Glory to God that, we as church, with the help of Open Doors, could buy food and make 600 Christmas and New Year gifts for children in our region. We wholeheartedly thank the entire Open Doors team and their supporters, who do everything, so that we can celebrate these holidays, and through these gifts tell people about the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” 

These precious encounters could not happen with your support – thank you! As teams again go out to share the love of God with people over Christmas, through gifts, performances and other activities, please pray for yet more people to be impacted in such beautiful ways.   

*Names changed for security reasons