Podcast: Download (Duration: 4:41 — 3.2MB)
“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, especially to those who belong to the household of the believers” (Gal 6:10).
We have ample opportunities to do good. Those who keep their eyes open will always find possibilities. Serving believers is especially valuable in this regard. The following report tells us how a group from Germany responded to this call:
It is by God's grace that He grants us the opportunity to do good to other people, especially our fellow believers. Thus, on June 22nd, a group of five sisters and eight brothers from several congregations in Germany were able to embark on an 11-day mission trip to East Kazakhstan.
The aim of the mission trip was to visit local congregations, offer them spiritual support, and provide assistance. We also wanted to serve families in need and share the Gospel. In the region of East Kazakhstan, there are congregations of our fellow believers in the six cities of Oskemen, Syryanovsk, Ridder, Shimonaikha, Belousovka, and Pavlodar, which we visited and supported financially.
The tour group
Our journey to East Kazakhstan began in the capital city of Astana. After a long flight, we were greeted in Astana by several brothers. Together with them, we drove for about five hours to the city of Pavlodar, our first destination. Upon arriving at the church building in Pavlodar, the local members welcomed us warmly. That first evening, we served the congregation with a sermon, singing, and sharing our testimonies.
The following day, our group traveled seven hours by car in a Mercedes Sprinter to Ust-Kamenogorsk (Öskemen), the capital of the East Kazakhstan region. There, we purchased groceries and assembled food parcels, each containing 2 kg of rice, 3 kg of sugar, 3 kg of flour, 2 kg of pasta, and 5 liters of sunflower oil. These food parcels were intended for members of our congregations and for impoverished families. In Ust-Kamenogorsk, we also attended a church service and participated with a sermon and singing. To be more effective, we split into two groups after the service. One group conducted a children's service for the local children. The other group visited needy families in and around the city, distributing the prepared food parcels and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.
The next day, we continued our journey for three hours by car to the city of Syranovsk. There, too, we experienced the warm hospitality of the members of the congregation. In Syranovsk, we also had the opportunity to serve in the worship service and experience God's blessing. Not far from Syranovsk are the villages of Zubovka and Boyanovka. In these villages, the people gathered in the streets, and God enabled us to evangelize. They listened to the word and song with great interest and asked us to come back and share more about God.
Prepared food packages
After our blessed time in Syranovsk, we traveled for about four hours by train to a remote location in nature for this year's youth retreat, where young people from various towns and communities in Kazakhstan came together. This, too, was a special experience for us. The guiding verse for the retreat was: "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" (Matthew 6:33).
Here we served and actively participated in the organization of the youth retreat. After the retreat, we travelled by train to Ust-Kamenogorsk, where we held a closing service together before our journey home. From Ust-Kamenogorsk, we flew home.
During the trip, we witnessed God's wonderful guidance in everything. The local brothers and sisters are very grateful to God and the mission. A total of 7.5 tons of food were purchased and distributed. All glory to God!
David Stadler
Municipality of Bielefeld
More information about the project and the opportunity to donate: