Peace to you, brother or sister, who reads this text! I still don’t know if anyone reads these articles, but I continue to write at least the main updates in our life in Tajikistan.
With this little person, of course, a lot has changed in our family. But our desire to draw closer to the Lord and carry His light from heart to heart has not changed at all.
So, let’s start with the good news: a family of our friends has decided to bless us financially every month, and this amount is enough to pay for our apartment. This is exactly what we have been praying for long time — stable financial support so that we can focus more on ministry. God has answered our prayers, and this is a great joy for us! Especially for Sergey, who is responsible for providing for the family.
Sergey was so excited, and he started going to one village every Friday to teach electronics classes at our friends’ school, and playing board games with the kids and teachers. This really inspires us! The children are very open and love Sergey, and he can use his gift as a teacher there. Of course, Sergey has to work on other days. In November, he had a two-week business trip to the south of the country. But we are ready to devote all our time to ministry when our basic needs will be satisfied.
Another joy is that I have completed my training as a childbirth preparation course instructor, thank God! To receive my certificate, I need to complete some assignments (write reviews of 10 books, prepare a presentation, and make one class with pregnant women). But the main stage of training is complete, and I can now start organizing courses for pregnant women. However, I am not the type of person who can decide, organize, and negotiate everything on my own. I wait on the Lord and ask Him to go before me and open the necessary doors. He has repeatedly confirmed that He is leading me in this direction.
I received one of His confirmation at a seminar for pregnant women when the main speaker did not show up. The organizers dragged things out as long as possible, and I saw that God had created a situation in which I could be the answer to their need. I offered my help, the organizers agreed, and I conducted a short practical breathing exercise for the pregnant women who had gathered. Of course, without preparation, it seemed chaotic, but I was very happy that the Lord had given me this opportunity, and I saw that I can do it! The organizers promised to call me again in January and give me more time so that I could prepare a class for pregnant women. I don’t know if this is a “Tajik” invitation or if they will really invite me, but we’ll see how God leads. I’m not in a hurry; this is not my ministry, but God’s, and I will move forward as He leads.
And another joy — the board game club has finally taken a new turn! We changed locations — instead of the unsightly cafe next to our house, we moved the games to a new KFC fast food cafe in the city center. This place attracts many young people every evening. On our eldest son’s birthday, we also went to this cafe and saw the perfect table for our games there! It is large and separated from the rest of the room. Sergey talked to the manager, and we were allowed to gather there every Saturday on the condition that each visitor would order food and drinks. And immediately, new people started coming to this place for board games, thank God! Of course, we have to spend extra money on taxis to the city center (in the evening, minibuses no longer run) and on drinks and snacks (it’s more expensive than tea in a regular cafe), but God blesses us. I also started going to the board games with my baby sometimes, as girls started coming there, and that’s a separate joy, because before it was mostly guys who came.
Briefly about the unpleasant events… In November, our whole family got very sick, and even injections and IVs did not help me. I only began to recover after my husband returned from his business trip. But we saw such wonderful unity during this period! Our brothers and sisters from our church, from the Baptist church, and foreign missionaries supported us and visited us. It was so beautiful! Once again, we were convinced that we are all one big family in Christ Jesus, and that all these divisions into churches, communities, and denominations are only earthly conventions.
We also continue to pray for a sister we know who was admitted to a psychiatric hospital after giving birth with a diagnosis of “postpartum psychosis.” We are convinced that this is a spiritual problem, frankly speaking, an obsession. All the signs are there. I corresponded with her on the first day when it happened to her, and Sergei helped take her to the hospital and also saw with his own eyes the obvious manifestations of demons. But alas, we have not yet had the opportunity to visit her to pray for her deliverance. Of course, we pray at home; for God, there are no distances. But she is still not getting any better. She has been insane and aggressive for a month and a half now. By the way, the local psychiatric hospital is a horror show… In short, this is a very difficult situation that pains our hearts greatly. But we believe that God will be glorified through all of this.
As I write this article, I see again and again how good the Lord is! How interestingly He leads us! My heart is overflowing with gratitude… God reveals and shows us so many things, changes our hearts, changes the people around us; it is God’s beautiful work.
Please continue to pray for our family, for God’s guidance, for wisdom, and also for unity within the family. Let’s be honest: with the arrival of our baby, we rarely pray together as a family, although we used to pray every evening and read God’s Word. We hope that this period will pass and we will resume regular family prayers, because it is really important.
With love in Christ, the Alekhin family from Tajikistan.