Central Asia (MNN) — Believers in the five countries known collectively as “Central Asia” find themselves in a difficult position.
First, “these (Central Asian) countries hate this war,” Noel Becchetti with A3, formerly known as Asian Access, says.
“They’re all taking in thousands of Russian men who have fled the country to avoid the Russian draft as refugees.”
At the same time, few in Central Asia can afford to take sides. “They’re all very poor. Migrant laborers go to Russia and Ukraine because those are the two richest countries in the region, and that’s where the labor is,” Becchetti says.
No matter how they feel about the war, most people in the region – including believers – cannot escape the effects.
“When sanctions are put upon those countries, or the war devastates cities in Ukraine, their relatives [lose] their jobs. And now there’s not much money coming home to feed their families,” Becchetti says.
The war is also hindering Gospel work. A3 plans to start new projects in four Central Asian nations this year, but “I was in a key meeting of leaders last year, and they said, ‘We cannot have any conversations about the current situation,’” Becchetti says.
“‘With the war, it’s just so complicated. We’re not going to get anywhere.’”
Pray for an immediate end to the war. Pray A3 can begin work in Central Asia. “People there feel like they’re forgotten in the world,” Becchetti says.
“We hear about Russia and Ukraine, which we should, [but] you don’t hear about the impact on all these other countries. Pray that God would help these people know that people like us are praying for him and we care about them.”
Header image is a representative image of Central Asia. (Wikimedia Commons)
