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Profiles of Regular Attenders 2006 Last Updated 1/20/2008 |
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Byeram and I do all of the physical work on the Church. He leads worship and prayer time and shares in teaching our men's group. He is the gentle and non-combative one in the family, but he keeps his cool no matter what people do to him. He was a brawler and full of anger before he was saved. He was poorly taught at the local seminary and by a good friend of his. He has begun to teach and profess only what the Bible teaches. He has only an eighth grade education but he is working very hard to master basic Bible teachings. He hopes to take on more and more responsibilities in the church as time goes on and if his giftedness proves to be in teaching.
Goolmira wanted to be a doctor. She had been accepted to medical school and was walking to her first day of class when Byeram abducted her and negotiated with her parents to marry her. (This is still a common practice in some parts of Kazakhstan.) Byeram did not know her at the time and they were both unbelievers. Byeram did not allow her to attend medical school. 3 years later Byeram was saved and his life and heart dramatically changed. It took another 2 years before Goolmira was saved.
Goolmira shares teaching of the ladies group and helps prepare our weekly Sunday fellowship meal. She is a tough-girl who refuses to back down from God's word no matter how she is pressured. Her family's opposition has made her stronger and more sure of God's word. Although she was not able to continue in school because she married young, she is sharp as a tack and loves to study the Bible. We have loved seeing her progress in knowing what God's word says and being able to quote it whenever she needs to. She helps Byeram when he is preparing to teach. She has also begun to confront false teaching among their friends and acquaintances from the seminary.
Eyedana is thoughtful, athletic, an excellent student, and a faithful witness for Jesus Christ. She plays with Lucy, Amanda, and Noah and loves to mimic their English phrases. Moldir (the youngest) is nicknamed "grandma Moldir" because she maintains a steady chatter and gives her advice every few seconds.
Byeram came to Kazakhstan from Uzbekistan when he was 10. He has two brothers, one sister, and two half brothers and one half sister. His father has mafia ties and lives in Uzbekistan. His mother and all of his full and half brother's and sisters profess Christ, but have poor witnesses.
Goolmira has 1 living brother and 7 living sisters. They all live in the far west part of Kazakhstan near the Caspian sea. When here father died, her brother became the leader of the extended family. 2 of her sisters profess Christ. |
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Goolnoor returned to her village in mid-April after spending 8 months here. She has told Goolmira that she believes in Christ, but she is returning to a hostile place for a Christian. Pray for her to stay strong during persecution, and that her new faith will strengthen. When she arrived 8 months ago, all she wanted was a rich husband. Now she see's that a good husband is one that knows the Lord and lives by faith. She is learning to look at the inner quality of people and not at the outside appearance -- another gift from the Lord. She brought back a small Bible that she can hide. She is like Goolmira in many ways. She is tough minded and immovable. She understands quickly and well. She remembers almost everything she hears and reads. Keep her in your prayers. She is already saying that she wants to come back to Almaty to visit or to live. |
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Click here to see more photos of Liza and an account of her birth
Yulia was the first and best friend we had in Petropavlovsk during our first year in Kazakhstan. She met Misha in 2001 when she moved to Almaty. They studied at The Master's Mission in 2003-04. Now they are attending our fellowship. They were also our church caretakers/guards until June of 2006.
Misha works for the USAID, is studying for his Bachelors in economics, and gives private lessons in English language. Yulia works at the International School here in Kalkaman. Click here to see photo of school)
Yes it is unusual for Russian speakers to be attending our fellowship. They looked for a Russian church that teaches the Word but couldn't find one. Yulia already knows Kazakh well enough to understand my sermons and Molly's ladies Bible study. Misha is still learning but I give him a copy of the Sermon notes in English and Molly translates for him.
Misha owns our truck and car. We have to carry a notarized contract that has been approved by the city police department in order to drive the vehicles. Nationals also have to do this if they drive someone else's car. If we owned them we would have to go through the 1 month process of getting a new license plate every time our visas expired.
In March of 2006 Yulia and Misha bought a house near Kalkaman. (See photo at right.) Yulia's mom is a Jehovah's Witness. She lives in Petropavlovsk 1100 miles north of here. Her sister (Alona) and niece (Katya) are unsaved. In June of 2006 they moved in with Yulia and Misha. Katya attends school here in Kalkaman with Byeram's daughter. She is one of only two Russians in her class. The rest are Kazakhs. Misha's only living relative is his older sister. She lives in Almaty with her husband and daughter. They are unsaved.
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Pictured left: Left to Right. (Moldir and Goolnara)
Pictured Right: Kooderbye. Check out his Bibles. They don't sit on the shelf!
Update on Goolnara and Kuterbye 2005. Kuterbye was the first person in Kalkaman to profess Christ during our ministry.
Kuterbye and Goolnara both entered alcohol rehab at different centers in September of 2004. They had both professed Christ and planed to marry after their 18 month treatment. They weren't allowed to talk to each other in all of that time. They were also restricted to the grounds of their respective centers for 1 year. During the 2nd year they were given a 24 hour pass one day a week. They attended our church during that time.
Goolnara's family really supported her. Their visits and support were a great encouragement. She started drinking in 1987 years ago when here husband was knifed to death. At that time she had a new born boy and a 2 year old girl. She lived in Semipalatinsk 800 miles to the north east of Almaty. With the help of her husbands mother she continued working as an accountant and picked up a second job washing floors. But she began drinking heavily and eventually lost her job, abandoned her children, and was barred from the family. She moved to Almaty in 1997. She has 11 brothers and sisters 8 of which live in or near Almaty. By the time she had gone into the center treatment they had disowned her. She was homeless. She finished her 18 months as a patient and worked another 6 months as an intern in detox. Goolnara resigned in September. She is looking for work. In late October she went to visit her son and daughter in Semipalatinsk for 2 weeks. Pray for their salvation. Marriage plans to Kooderbye are on hold until they can both adjust to normal life. Praise God for her strong testimony and changed lives. Three of her sisters have professed Christ. Two of them attend our church. (See next photo section)
God brought her into our lives through Kooderbye. She was his live in girlfriend. Kooderbye was born in Uzbekistan like Byeram. He moved to Kazakhstan when he was 10 years old. He has been an alcoholic since he was a young man. He is 56 now. He has four relatives. His one aunt, one female cousin, and the son of that female cousin live nearby. His older brother (who is 67) still lives in Uzbekistan. Kooderbye was also technically homeless. Like many alcoholics here he "worked" as a night guard for an unfinished house. He lived for years with no heat, not water, one light bulb, a hot plate, only plastic sheets for windows in one corner of the shell of a house.
Kuterbye stuck it out in the treatment program for the full 18 months. He graduated in April of 2006 and worked another 6 months as an intern at the treatment center with the children of the patients who are in the men's program. Kooderbye's relatives thought he had died when he went into the center. A second aunt and her son did die while he was there in a fire in a restaurant. When he showed up on a pass after 18 months they nearly fainted. He has reconciled with the relatives who live near by. He has mad inroads with the little family he has here, witnessing to them and trying to convince his cousin's son to begin to receive treatment for alcoholism. He is currently working to restore his birth certificate, passport, and other documents he needs to get a good job.
In October Kooderbye's older brother came for a visit and to bring documents that Kooderbye needs to get an identity card and passport. Pray for reconciliation with this brother. Pray for Kooderbye to finish the process of getting his documents in order. He has already spent 6 months on it. He is 7 years away from social security. Pray for his health. Pray for the salvation of his surviving relatives.
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  Gowhar and Zhanar. Two of Golnara's sisters have professed Christ this summer and are attending our church with their two grade school age girls.
Left: Gowhar with here daughter Aseeya.
Right: Zhanar and her daughter Asel. |
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He has 3 sons and 2 daughters none of which are saved. He lives with his wife and an unmarried son. The reset of the children are married with children. |
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A third daughter lives with her but she suffers from chronic depression. Her son also lives at home. He has a finance degree and works with an investment fund management company here in Almaty. He is hoping to study in France next year. He professes Christ but does not find the time to attend church. He does not help when things break around the house as they often do here. Pray for physical strength for Goolmira Apai. Life is physical here. Things break every day and need to be fixed. It is difficult without a man around or a more helpful son. She is teachable and in many areas has been taught correctly. But not attending church for such long stretches has taken it's toll. Pray for her husband's salvation. His name is Maidan. Pray for spiritual growth and discernment for her and her children. |
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Like many 25 year-old single men, he is praying for a wife. He bought a car this year so his travel time has been cut from 2 hours to 1 hour each way. He lives with his mother and younger brother. He attends youth group at another church where his mother and younger brother attend. He but does not want to join that church because of the inexperience of the leadership and some past problems that the church has had. He has some discernment and not a lot of baggage in life or in wrong teaching - a rarity in Kazakhstan. We thank God for the opportunity to teach him as long as God permits! He is part of our unofficial youth group (see picture below) that meets before and after service to play table tennis in the church basement. He has bonded with our three kids. Pray that he will desire to please God and submit to the authority of God's Word. |
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Above: Our men. Left to Right: Byeram, Bakut Djan, Kereah Ata, Kevin, Misha.
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Left: The Heinz Family. Seated Left to Right: Kevin, Molly. Standing Left to Right: Noah (9th grade), Amanda (11th), Lucy (College Freshman).
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Right:
left to right: Byeram, Goolmira, Moldir, Eyedana. Byeram is our
full-time ministry partner. He did the preaching during the summer
when we were on furlough. He is one of two men in Kazakhstan that we
trust. He owns the church building, and the ministry center, and
will own our house. Foreigner's cannot own land here. Pray that
God would continue to give grace to him.
Goolnoor.
Goolnoor is Byeram's wife's (Goolmira's) younger sister.
Goolmira's family lives a 3 day journey to the west in a village near
the Caspian Sea. She comes from a large family but she only visits
every 2 years. Goolnoor came to Almaty for treatment of TB.
When she came, she was not a believer, but she has been attending Sunday
services for months. We have been covering the Gospel and
evangelism. She lives with her older brother who is strongly
against Christianity. He told her when she came that she had
better not come back a Christian or else. Or else means he won't
support her. 
Right. Left to Right.
Misha and Yulia Pankov. Yulia and Misha are now the
proud parents of Liza Pankova born Nov 4, 2006.
Kereah
Ata. Kereah's grandmother had a Bible and turned it in
to the soviet authorities. Since that time he wanted to know more
about Jesus Christ. His wife is a devout Muslim. His
children are lukewarm on spiritual things. One is the manager of a
publishing house. Kereah is a faithful attender. He arrives
2 hours before service every week. Because of his cataracts he can
only read very large print. I print out special large-print sermon
notes for him which he reads before service. He refuses to have
surgery despite all our efforts for the last couple of years to convince
him to have it done. We are not sure if he is saved or not.
He professes Christ but it is evident that his understanding of
spiritual things is not strong. However he listens attentively and
is growing slowly in his understanding.
Goolmira
Apai. Goolmira Apai. her son, and two daughters were
saved and baptized in the early 90's. Her husband is not a
believer. Two of her daughters both married believing French men and
moved to Paris, France. Goolmira Apai is not permitted
to attend church when her husband is here. He is currently
visiting his daughters for a year. Goolmira Apai visited her
daughters last year.
Bakut
Djan. Bakut Djan is a cousin of Byeram. He (like
Byeram) was born in Uzbekistan and came here for a better life.
He is hard-working, ambitious, and practical. He works for an
artificial limb manufacturer 9 months a year. He went to school
when he arrived in Kazakhstan about 4 years ago to learn the trade.