Kazakhstan
Summary
Ethnic Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes with additional Persian cultural influences, migrated to the region in the 15th century. The area was conquered by Russia in the 18th and 19th centuries, and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1925. Repression and starvation associated with forced agricultural collectivization led to a massive number of deaths in the 1930s. During the 1950s and 1960s, the agricultural “Virgin Lands” program led to an influx of settlers (mostly ethnic Russians, but also other nationalities) and at the time of Kazakhstan’s independence in 1991, ethnic Kazakhs were a minority. Non-Muslim ethnic minorities departed Kazakhstan in large numbers from the mid-1990s through the mid-2000s and a national program has repatriated about a million ethnic Kazakhs (from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Mongolia, and the Xinjiang region of China) back to Kazakhstan. As a result of this shift, the ethnic Kazakh share of the population now exceeds two-thirds.
Kazakhstan’s economy is the largest in the Central Asian states, mainly due to the country’s vast natural resources. Current issues include: diversifying the economy, obtaining membership in global and regional international economic institutions, enhancing Kazakhstan’s economic competitiveness, and strengthening relations with neighboring states and foreign powers. [1]
📷: Wikipedia
Statistics
From the The Joshua Project [2]
In the News
📷: Flikr
Prayer Guide
The expatriate Christian community is very diverse. Many speak Kazakh and are committed to long-term work in Kazakhstan. Russians, Americans, Koreans, Germans and many other nationalities all enrich the ministry in their own way. Pray for humility as they serve the indigenous Church. Thank God for the coordinating work of the Kazakh Partnership. There are many needs – reaching the unreached, training, discipling, tentmaking as well as business-as-mission and work focused on material needs. The government can be suspicious of and hostile to the presence of missionaries – pray for the doors to remain open to minister. The threat of intimidation, expulsion and even violence exists, even if it is not common.
Christian mercy ministries. There is widespread dysfunction and brokenness in many Kazakh families. Alcoholism and drug addiction are widespread; heroin is as easy to obtain as alcohol. Family breakdown and widespread corruption exacerbate the suffering of many. Pray for Christians to have a powerful transforming effect on society as they demonstrate Christ’s love. There are increasing numbers of ministries focusing on these needs. One of the most remarkable is Mission Agape, a live-in programme where addicts are discipled and trained – over 100 have become missionaries and church planters. [3]