Horse meat, babies & Bibles …
Before leaving for Central Asia, I asked all ZEELO Champions to pray. What follows are specific, tangible answers to those prayers.
Travel connections: Despite rising escalation across much of the Middle East, there was a clear sense of peace about making the trip, including connecting through Türkiye on the way to Central Asia. Flight connections in Istanbul—both coming and going—happened without incident or delay. Every leg of travel unfolded just as planned. Answered prayer.
The week prior to our arrival, the weather in the region had been warm and sunny, with temperatures in the upper 60s. We landed to subfreezing temperatures and woke up the next morning to falling snow. This forced a change to our schedule. We delayed our long drive through the Chuy Valley by one day in hopes of better conditions. That proved to be a wise decision.
Border Crossing: We had been advised that crossing the border could be “challenging,” though no one could quite define what that meant. We found out soon enough. I typically fly into a country and pass through Customs and Immigration at the airport. It had been years since I’d walked across a border—exiting one country and immediately entering another—and more than 20 years since doing so in a former Soviet Union context. I was, in many ways, unfamiliar with the process.
Everything went smoothly until the final step—scanning our luggage at Customs. Before we even placed our bags on the scanner, one of the uniformed soldiers began shouting “Книги” (knigi), the Russian word for “books.” We did, in fact, have a number of books with us—specifically, the kind of “Books” you might expect me to carry. Apparently, we looked like the type. LOL!
The soldiers motioned for us to open our luggage. We complied. One of them picked up a box, (with Books in it!) looked at me, and gestured for me to open it. I had packed carefully—bundled, boxed, and taped thoroughly to ensure everything arrived intact. As I took the box from his hands, I found myself quietly praying, “Lord, blind their eyes.”
In the middle of opening suitcases, unwrapping items, and inspecting what we had brought, not a single one of those books was discovered, even those that where in their hands! It was a surreal moment. I couldn’t help but think of the stories I heard growing up about Brother Andrew—“God’s Smuggler.” I never expected to find myself in anything remotely similar, yet there we were, witnessing something I can only describe as a miracle through God’s quiet intervention.
Once we arrived at our destination, our friends asked about the border crossing. When we told them about the soldiers calling out “Книги” and inspecting our bags, and opening packages they shared something we hadn’t known. Just the week before, the government had sent a message to all foreigners stating that bringing religious books into the country would result in confiscation. It was part of a broader crackdown on religious activity. The country is working to position itself as progressive, secular, and business-minded, and is increasingly restricting visible expressions of faith. Answered prayer.
Provide exceptional care: In addition to bringing resources to the four families ZEELO serves in this region—two indigenous and two expatriate—there was also a regional conference to attend. Beyond that, our primary aim was to provide pastoral care and encouragement to these leaders who are serving in some of the most difficult and isolating contexts imaginable.
We often refer to these trips as “place-sharing” experiences. Over the years, we’ve learned that those we serve genuinely value hosting us and allowing us to step into their daily lives. They want us to see what it’s like to navigate their roads, shop in their markets, attend their gatherings, and meet the people they are reaching. Being present with them matters.
That includes sharing meals—yes, even horse meat, which, for the record, was nearly identical to a good roast beef—celebrating a baby’s first birthday, and participating in a local fellowship gathering. These shared experiences help us understand more clearly how to pray, how to shepherd, and how to serve them well. Answered prayer.
Connecting leaders: Another important outcome of this trip was connection. Prior to this visit, none of these leaders knew each other. Now they do. Though they serve with different organizations, they are now connected as friends and co-laborers. This is one of ZEELO’s primary objectives. Over the years, we have seen real fruit come from these connections—greater synergy, increased effectiveness, and longer-term sustainability in their ministries. Answered prayer.