Region / Country: Eurasia

Working among the unreached

Every city in the world needs Christians committed to living out the gospel. But the overwhelming majority of graduates end up living in a city where there are already many Christians and thriving churches, while millions of unreached people continue to live beyond the reach of the gospel. Staggeringly, a third of the world’s population are still living outside the reach of a church.

Some graduates have prayerfully and proactively chosen to live and work in places where they can bring God’s light to those living in darkness. Read on to meet graduates who have done just that.

by Cory Schadt on Unsplash

East Asia: A new direction

After graduating Sophie* landed the job of her dreams. But before long she started to feel uncomfortable. She felt that her job mattered more to her than Jesus. And it didn’t satisfy.

A few months later Sophie heard about a short-term mission trip taking Bibles in to a country in East Asia. It struck a chord with her. She’d always loved exploring new countries and cultures, and she signed up to go. But she didn’t expect those two weeks to have quite such a significant impact on the direction of her life.

Fast-forward one year and Sophie is now preparing to go back for the second time. This time she’ll stay for at least two months. She’ll be working with a Christian organisation doing a job that encompasses her skills, experience and passions: nursing, food research and environmental sustainability, all in one.

Sophie leaves a lot behind. And it’s a dangerous place for Christians to live. Is it really worth it?

“Yes, it’s worth it, because Jesus is worth it”, Sophie says. “I’m very conscious of how much the Lord has done for me. I have no reason not to trust Him. He’s always provided for me. And this opportunity seems tailor-made for me!”

Would it not be easier just to go back to the job of her dreams?

“The world tells you to get the best job you can. And I did that at first, but it didn’t satisfy. The only thing I want now is to seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness.”

*name changed

by Anastasia Vârlan on Unsplash

Moldova: Bringing hope home

In Moldova, around four out of five graduates move abroad in search of a well-paid job and a better quality of life. But Tanya didn’t. After completing her Masters studies in mathematics, Tanya and her husband (who was working as a policeman) felt that God was calling them to go back to their village to live and work.

They said goodbye to their comfortable city life and moved back to the village. No running water. No sanitation system. No heating during the cold winter months.

Tanya started working as a maths teacher in a high school. She got involved in the lives of the pupils there. They were needy. Some of them were living with alcoholic parents. Others were being brought up by grandparents or other relatives.

Tanya began to pray for them. After class she’d talk to them, give them attention, encourage them and show them the love they were lacking.

Tanya and her local church now help children from socially vulnerable families every week. They organise activities through which they can share the gospel, and they help them with their homework.

Praise the Lord for such graduates, who were missionaries amongst students during their student days, and now have chosen to take the gospel back to their villages.

by Atharva Tulsi on Unsplash

South Asia: Bringing Jesus to places where He is not yet known

After graduating, my church went through the journey of Paul’s life. As I sat there every Sunday, I was challenged. Paul’s life was far from comfortable. A life truly following Jesus is not meant to be centred on comfort and worldly security. But at that time, my life was heading in that direction; it challenged me and made me uneasy.

So when I graduated about four years ago, my husband and I decided to move to a mega-city in South Asia. We started a company to raise health awareness. We see ourselves as business owners who love Jesus.

For us, our business is both our work and our ministry. We work eight hours every day alongside our employees who don’t know Jesus. Daily, we are faced with challenges of cultural misunderstandings, corruption and fraud. Our employees see how we face these challenges with God, and when they see Jesus in us, it is life-changing.

Families and friends are not always supportive. It seems crazy to them for us to leave behind a good job and home. And that can be tough. But when life gets hard, I look around me: most of my local friends here live close to poverty and desperately need to know of the freedom of life in Christ. Our Father sees this and He is calling out for disciples to go to these nations. We consider it such a privilege and an adventure to partner with God to bring Jesus to places where He is not yet known.

Ireland: Being intentional in the workplace

When I heard the local hair salon was advertising for a junior stylist, I decided to apply. It wasn’t a great career move. I could have earned more money working for a big chain. But my church had a real heart for reaching out to the community, and I thought this would be a good way to meet local people.

As I started the new job I wanted to see the salon as my mission field. I wanted the way I worked and the way I spoke to point my clients and colleagues to Jesus.

by Brendan Church on Unsplash

In my hometown, when you go to get your hair cut you’ll always be asked the same questions: why are you getting your hair done? Are you going somewhere nice tonight? But I wanted to really get to know people, so I tried to stay away from those dead-end questions. I would ask things like, ‘How’s your week been going?’ or ‘What have you been up to today?’ Then I’d try to remember to ask about those things the next time they came in.

I found it hard at first. But I’ve become a bit more comfortable with taking risks in conversation. The way I talk about what’s happening in the news, or what I did at the weekend — those can be opportunities to speak about Jesus. Maybe they’ll think I’m weird — but maybe they’ll ask questions and want to know more.

Moving strategically

In our increasingly globalised world, taking the gospel to the nations doesn’t necessarily mean going overseas. Universities are places where the nations are coming to us in vast numbers. Are there international students in your classroom or dormitory that you could get to know better?

And as you prepare to graduate, why not prayerfully consider moving strategically to a gospel-starved country or city or village? Could you use your degree and skills in a place where most people don’t yet know Jesus? Could you do business, teach in a school, work in a hospital or do further education in an unreached place?

It might not be easy, but, as Sophie says, it’s worth it.

Students dealing with tough questions

Working for more than five years in IFES Armenia, one staff-member came to realise that something was missing.

“Students receive fantastic training on the Bible, on living a Christ-like life, and on sharing the gospel, but training on the intellectual “defence” of God and Christianity is lacking. Shouldn’t we be teaching them to love God with all their mind? In the 21st century, when information spreads within seconds and when there are so many worldviews and religious approaches, the need to train students in apologetics has become urgent.

That’s why we decided to run an apologetics training conference. We wanted students to be able to defend their faith. We wanted them to be able to answer tough questions.

Tapie, an international medical student attended the training:

“Previously I had many inner conflicts and questions about divine healing and miracles vs. medical science. Here I had the opportunity to ask many questions to the speakers, and now I have clear answers to the questions that bothered me.”

We are now planning an apologetics summer school to equip students to stand firm against the accusations of this world and be confident in sharing their faith.

Please pray with us for students in Armenia:

  • Pray that those who attended this training would have opportunities and courage to put what they learned into practice.
  • Pray that future apologetics training would serve to equip and excite students to effectively defend their faith on campus.

Thanks for praying with us!

Friendship behind the veil

Student Camps in Northern Europe

“Who are you, God? Are you there at all? If you’re there, take me to a place where I can find answers.”

God heard Alfred’s* faltering prayer.

It wasn’t long before he had the unexpected opportunity to leave his Muslim community and move to Northern Europe to study for one semester. There, he heard about a camp some Christians were organising for international students. Alfred decided to go along. He was curious. He wanted to know more about the God these Christians worshipped. He wanted to see for himself what the Bible said. Could it be true that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was the only way to be forgiven?

Over the following months he continued to meet up with his new Christian friends, asking them questions, watching their lives. They cared for him. When he injured his ankle, they visited him. They spent time eating together, playing games, chatting.

There was another camp at the end of the semester. Alfred delayed his return flight so that he could attend. On the last night the students heard the story of the Prodigal Son. Alfred knew that he wanted that relationship with God as His Father; he wanted the new life Jesus offered. That night he prayed for forgiveness and put his trust in Jesus as his Saviour.

The very next day he shared with the other campers how God had been working in his life over the last few months. He spoke of the change Jesus had made in his heart, of the hope and joy and peace he now felt, of his new desire to love and serve God.

Now back in his home country, Alfred is continuing to read his Bible and pray. But he has no Christian community there. Please pray for protection and for fellowship for him. Pray that he’d have opportunities and wisdom in sharing his new faith with his family and friends. It’s not going to be easy for him.

*name changed

Hospitality in Eastern Europe

I had never intended to work with Muslim students. I didn’t know much about Islam. I didn’t particularly want to. But as I opened my home to host international students, I was surprised to find that half the students turning up each week were Muslims. And so, I sort of stumbled into this exciting ministry, learning as I went.

Apart from the social activities we organise, we also offer a weekly English Bible Study. Although the Bible studies are open to all international students, it’s the Muslim students who are regular. Over the past few years, we’ve had the chance to study the Bible with Muslim students from Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Yemen, Mauritania, and Burkina Faso.

One thing I’ve realised is that working with Muslim students doesn’t require a lot of training, or a certain type of personality, or big outreach events. We’re just ordinary Christians. We try to make our Muslim friends welcome, asking them questions and getting to know what they believe. Because religion is a big part of their lives as well, talking about spiritual matters happens surprisingly naturally.

Small things make a real difference: making sure we cook without pork; waiting to eat dinner together after sunset during Ramadan. Hospitality is such an important part of Muslim culture. Sometimes they cook for us too — once we had eight Yemeni students come over to cook us traditional Yemeni food!

I’m so grateful that God brought these students into my life. I know that God is at work in all of the international students in our groups, but it seems more apparent with the Muslim students. I encourage everyone to become friends with a Muslim student or two, and see how God will use you to have an impact in their lives, and them in yours.

Mission trips to North Africa

It was my first time going to North Africa. I was totally captivated on arrival.

The heat, the noise, the smells, the colours! It was so different from what I’d ever experienced in Europe. The people on the street were warm and friendly. But I was also struck by the poverty of many. Such a contrast from the wealth I consider normal back home.

The five days went quickly. We got to know one young Muslim woman. She had suffered a lot, having been treated badly by some of the men in her life. We talked to her about God’s love for the broken and the lost. We were able to give her a copy of Luke’s gospel before we left, and she and I have stayed in contact since. She’s invited me to go back and visit in the future.

We also met a local man who had converted from Islam to Christianity, along with his wife and two daughters. He had spent time in prison because of his faith. His children were being excluded at school because they didn’t wear the headscarf or take part in Ramadan. And when his family met up with other Christians, they had to do it in secret. It was incredible to see his strong faith, enduring real suffering with joy, for the sake of Christ.

It made me ask: why am I so afraid to talk about my faith with my friends back home, when the only thing I might lose is my self-image and not my life?

Coming back, I have a new appreciation of the privilege of knowing Jesus and of the freedom I have to talk about him in Europe.

International Student Forum in Eurasia

Earlier this year my friend and I travelled to a neighbouring country in Eurasia to help out at a camp for international students. There were more than sixty participants from 12 countries. Many were from closed Muslim countries that we can’t go to. There were talks explaining the Christian faith, and lots of other fun activities throughout the day — sport, national dances, games, music, drama!

We were both helping to lead small discussion groups. During those group times we discussed big questions such as, ‘Who is God?’ ‘What is sin?’ ‘How can we be saved?’ I was able to share what it means for me to be a follower of Jesus and why I decided to follow Him.

As we chatted together I believe that the Holy Spirit was at work in the hearts of these Muslim students. Some of them shared their reflections:

“God helped me to find myself through this forum. I found out who I am.”

“After this forum I’m starting to get an interest in relations with God.”

“I am really eager to find the Truth after this forum.”

Please pray for these students.

Discussing the Quran and the Bible in France

Why would they only discuss the Bible and not the Quran?! The Turkish student was furious and said he’d never come back.

That was what prompted me to try something new.

We now have five discussion groups across the country. Muslim students and Christian students come together to discuss what they believe in a friendly, respectful environment. They ask questions and learn about each other’s faith. We look at topics such as ‘What is faith?’ ‘Who is God?’ “Men and women in the Bible and in the Quran’, and ‘Prayer’.

French universities welcome more than 70,000 students every year from Muslim countries such as Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Senegal. There are also many French students of Muslim faith. Over the last three years, 60 Muslim students have participated in these discussion groups. We praise God for these 60, but are all too aware of the vast numbers yet to be reached.

Pray that more groups would be started across the country. Pray that the Muslim students who have already heard the gospel would come to faith in Jesus.

These discussion groups are known as ‘ABC’ groups (Autour de la Bible et du Coran). There are resources available in French for students wishing to start discussion groups at: http://croissance.gbu.fr/?cat=74.

Buddy program in the Netherlands

It was an everyday sight. A group of students, laughing together, as they slipped and skidded around an ice rink. But what made this group unique was that half of them were Dutch Christians; the other half were Middle Eastern Muslims.

The buddy program, linking up international Muslim students with local Christian students, has prompted many new friendships. The ‘buddies’ meet up at least once every two weeks. It’s more than just an opportunity to practise Dutch. It’s genuine friendship. And through it, the Muslim students are getting the chance to hear about the God of the Bible for the first time in their lives.

There have also been dialogue evenings organised for Muslim and Christian students, to learn more about the others’ beliefs. Big questions get discussed:

“What does it mean for you to pray?”

“Could God forgive you if you kill someone?”

“What do people in the church here actually think about us Muslims?”

Many have been keen to know more. Some have also been willing to read the Bible.

And with the recent arrival of many refugees (including students) from Islamic countries, the opportunities to reach out to Muslims are abundant. Pray that we would make the most of this unprecedented opportunity to share the hope that we have with those who are lost without it.

Pray for students in Russia

Across Russia in the last five years, students have been coming to faith and several new groups have been started. It often starts with one Christian student asking a friend to look at the Bible together. And that can lead to a new group starting on campus.

“I just decided to suggest it. And she agreed. So once a week we met, opened the Bible and looked at Jesus. God did a tremendous work in our hearts as we read. Now Natasha knows Jesus, and wants to know him more.” 

Natasha, student of CCX Russia 

Starting a new Bible study group is not always easy. Especially in Russia. Student leaders face the usual challenges of preparing Bible studies and answering tough questions. But they also need to navigate changing university restrictions. That’s why training for student leaders is invaluable.

The IFES Breaking New Ground project is helping CCX students attend a training conference in the summer to learn how to lead Bible study groups. They hope to send 25 student leaders to the conference and start 13 new groups in five university cities across Russia in the coming year.

Please pray with us:

  • Pray that the conference would be helpful in equipping student leaders to lead with wisdom and perseverance.
  • Pray that new groups, including the one starting in Natasha’s university, would be established and see growth in the coming year.

Thanks for praying with us!

Moldova: hackathon

CSC Moldova students organised a three-day camp for students interested in digital technology. Christian students invited their classmates, and altogether more than 90 students attended! They worked in small groups to create digital programs and solutions for various technology projects. Many of the projects had a Christian emphasis. There were plenty of opportunities to share the gospel, both through working on the projects themselves, and also through interacting outside of sessions.

Prizes were awarded to the winning teams of the following projects:

  • Tackling Suicide — Can you use social media, digital ads and code to save them from death’s sting?
  • Breaking Christian Game Stereotypes — Simple fun smartphone game using biblical characters to break stereotypes.
  • Engagement Problem — Smartphone app which helps youth to be more organized and to connect with others.

CSC are praying that those who attended would join their new weekly IT club, so that they can continue to build relationships and share the gospel.

The camp was organised in partnership with Indigitous, an online ministry facilitating the design of innovative digital tools and resources for global mission.

The IFES Innovation Project supported this and many other student initiatives to share the gospel on campus in creative and innovative ways. Find out more about how IFES is supporting student evangelism around the world.

Pray for a student conference in Eurasia

The biggest challenge we face is engaging believing students. Many are the first generation of children from believing families; their parents came to faith in the 90s after communism. These students tend to be apathetic towards faith, but consider themselves Christians. Our longing is that their hearts would be set on fire to want to know Christ and share him on their campuses. They know they “should” – but before they learn how to, they have to want to. Our student conference later this month will focus on three topics: “I don’t want to …… pray, read my Bible, share the gospel”, and we’ll spend time looking at what the Bible has to say about these feelings.

We hope to have between 10 and 20 young people, mostly students and senior high-schoolers, but this depends on whether their pastors allow them to attend.

Please pray that:

  • students are able to come.
  • The Holy Spirit challenges them to want to know Christ, to read his word, to pray and to preach him to their friends.
  • As a result, we see a movement of students transformed by the gospel, eager to live lives that glorify Christ.
  • We meet a few male students keen to meet up for 1-to-1 discipleship.

Thanks for praying with us!