THE FRONTIER journal
HOPES + DREAMS FOR CENTRAL ASIAN WOMEN
MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
RICHARD HANEY
I recently taught some history lessons from the Perspectives missions course. Lesson 8, “Pioneers of the World Christian Movement,” includes William Carey, Hudson Taylor, Cameron Townsend and Donald McGavran. Carey and Taylor took the Gospel to the coastlands of India and inland China in the 1800s. Townsend founded Wycliffe Bible Translators in 1934, and McGavran organized Fuller Seminary’s School of World Mission in 1965.
We honor the legacy of trailblazers who carried the Good News throughout the world. We realize, however, that numerous stories remain hidden or rarely told— and many of these unsung heroes are women.
A closer look at history reveals mission pioneers like Gladys Aylward, who went to China in the 1930s to serve at an inn for traveling caravans. She later became a health ambassador to support the local government’s efforts to end the custom of female foot binding, preaching as she went from village to village, and rescued 100 orphans during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Mildred Cable and sisters Evangeline and Francesca French spent 15 years ministering to the unreached across 1,000 miles of the Gobi Desert. Dr. Helen Roseveare served for two decades in the Congo, building hospitals and training medical workers. Despite enduring imprisonment and abuse at the hands of rebel forces during the civil war in the 1960s, she later continued her ministry as she helped the nation rebuild.
On the home front, we celebrate our associate director, Telile Badecha, who recently earned a Doctor of Ministry degree and is committed to sharing the Gospel with her Arsi Oromo people. We need to hear and tell these stories as we mobilize young women in the next generations of cross-cultural workers.
This issue of The Frontier Journal is focused on women in Central Asia. We’re happy to welcome a new associate director, Rita Johnson, who served many years as a mission worker in the region. Rita adds capacity to our partnership efforts in this area of the world that faces many barriers to the Good News of Jesus and where women suffer from various forms of marginalization, abuse and lack of opportunity. (Read more in our feature article on page 4.)
As our team travels throughout the world, we encounter places where women have unique access to conversations, perspectives and opportunities rarely available to men. I’m grateful for co-laborers who help us engage in these contexts, caring for and elevating the lives of women in their communities. We believe women are essential to the growth and leadership of the global Church as teachers, preachers, artists, counselors, scholars, social workers, translators, healthcare providers and every calling in between.
As God continues to empower women to take the Good News to the world’s frontiers, let’s open wide the doors for more to build and serve His Kingdom.
REGIONAL UPDATES
GLIMPSES FROM OUR ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS OF GOD AT WORK AROUND THE WORLD
AFRICA ETHIOPIA
LIGHT OF HOPE MINISTRY ETHIOPIA
We recently joined our Light of Hope Ministry Ethiopia (LOHME) partners at the dedication services for the audio New Testament in the Arsi Oromo language (produced by Talking Bibles International). This joyous occasion was celebrated by hours of worship, prayer, singing and dancing. Many of the Muslim-majority Arsi Oromo people are illiterate, and this recording will make the Good News of Jesus available to them for the first time. The team is continuing the work of translating the Old Testament into print and audio versions with the help of Wycliffe Bible Translators and the Ethiopian Bible Society.
Part of LOHME’s vision is to build a Christian college to bring higher education to the Arsi Oromo people and serve as a training center for pastors, evangelists and ministry leaders. Great progress has been made in the last few months. LOHME is also praying for another plot of land to build a new primary school in a remote village.
The celebration of the new audio Bible unfolded in the midst of a politically turbulent time. Parliament had just declared a state of emergency following the resignation of the prime minister. Internet and some phone services were disconnected, effectively cutting off people from one another and the outside world. A three-day protest closed all business and travel. While this is a difficult season for Ethiopia and especially the Arsi Oromo people, the vibrant faith of our brothers and sisters is inspiring. Pray for our partners’ safety and lasting resolution and peace for this nation as a new prime minister takes office.
TO LEARN MORE, VISIT FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM OR CONTACT INFO@FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM.
SOUTHWEST ETHIOPIA
Our Jimma Bethel Synod (JBS) partners have sensed God’s call to reach out to Oromo Muslims with the Gospel. Thanks to the financial assistance of Frontier Fellowship supporters, JBS now has the capacity to add a Muslim outreach focus to its already robust ministry to unreached people groups.
Several years ago, we partnered with the Maji Presbytery to support an apple orchard project with the goal of yielding enough produce to help the Dizi Church become self-supporting. The first two phases of the project are now complete, and Dizi leaders feel ready to begin taking over annual operational costs and move toward self-sustainability. As the need for outside funding sources diminishes, we celebrate this project’s growing stability.
A faithful team of translators continues work on the Dizi Bible. One challenge in recent years has been the lack of a dedicated project coordinator, a position that has been difficult to fill. We and our partners are in conversation with The Seed Company, a well-established Bible translation ministry that has expressed interest in providing the support needed to complete the project. Pray as we discern the most fruitful way forward together.
TO LEARN MORE, CONTACT TARA CHASE (TCHASE@FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM) OR BOB VON SCHIMMELMANN (VONSCHIMMELMANN@FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM).
ON PAGE 9
HOPES + DREAMS FOR CENTRAL ASIAN WOMEN
HANNAH TEAGUE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
While developing this issue, we sat down with cross-cultural worker and new Frontier Fellowship Associate Director, Rita Johnson, who spent over a decade serving in Central Asia. We’re grateful to share from her insights and hope this brief look at some of the joys and challenges of Central Asian women will inspire your prayers for God’s Kingdom to come to this region of the world. + + +
Long beneath the weight of social and political conflict, conservative Islam, poverty, decades of Soviet rule and limited religious freedom, Central Asia remains physically and spiritually one of the world’s last frontiers. It’s a massive landscape with hot, dry summers and harsh winters, busy urban centers and remote regions where villages are few and far between. Life here is often difficult, particularly for women, and many families struggle to survive in the midst of food scarcity and lack of economic opportunity. But just as the emblematic snowdrop flowers spring up each year when the cold starts to thaw, beauty persists in this rugged, resilient place.
And when spring finally comes, it brings the hope of reawakening, a new beginning. The ancient Persian New Year festival of Nowruz, celebrated throughout Iran, Central Asia and beyond, begins on the first day of spring and commemorates nature’s rebirth and the renewal of relationships. It honors diverse cultural and religious heritages in the spirit of fostering community and strengthening the ties of family and friendship.
In many ways, Nowruz symbolizes some of the most meaningful aspects of Central Asian life, strengths through which we can glimpse God’s Kingdom even where Jesus is not yet known. It’s rare for many of us to expect hopeful stories coming from this part of the world. Yet what might we discover by asking God to open our eyes and hearts to behold His glory here and care more deeply for the women who bear His image?
The “Soviet Shadow” cast by nearly 70 years of Communism has had enduring impact on life in Central Asia. While it brought the benefits of increased education, infrastructure and industry, it contributed to extensive cultural loss and lasting damage to the economy and environment. It also continues to influence the government’s repression of Christians, Muslims and minority religions, perceiving a threat in any group that holds too strongly to a particular set of beliefs. In some respects, Muslims are under greater scrutiny due to ISIS’ active recruitment in Central Asia and the presence of other radical groups.
But Central Asia’s story begins far before the brokenness of its recent history. It sits at the geographical crossroads of some of the world’s greatest empires, home to the Silk Road routes through which traveled people, goods and ideas that shaped cultures and nations for thousands of years to come. As we consider God’s Kingdom through the lens of Central Asian culture, recognizing the beauty and perspective it contributes to our understanding of who He is, we dream of a whole and liberated Church finding expression here.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
HOPES + DREAMS (continued)
There’s a popular Persian proverb: “A guest is a gift from God.” Echoed throughout Central Asia, this belief influences the way a table is set, what food is served and how care is shown to guests, no matter how unexpected their arrival. Hospitality is rich and generous, extended without reservation and embracing even of strangers. It’s considered an honor to receive a guest, and women keep their homes prepared so they can be ready at a moment’s notice to lay out a spread of dried fruit, nuts, bread and tea for anyone who comes through their door.
This warmth and liberality overflow from a strong culture of generosity. If a neighbor comes to borrow bread, it’s given freely without question. Providing for the needs of others, especially the poor, is considered important even when families are struggling to get by.
Few Westerners have experienced the bond of kinship to the degree it’s expressed in Central Asia. Extended families traditionally live together, an arrangement which carries both obligation and commitment to each other. When families are functioning healthily, family members work together for the good of the household, serving, supporting and celebrating with each other. Sometimes the bonds of biological family are stretched to include friends who become kin over many cups of tea and by walking alongside one another during significant seasons in the family’s life.
Yet these beautiful characteristics exist alongside many challenges for women, who face inequality and marginalization throughout most aspects of life and have relative voicelessness in many formal and traditional power structures.
In village settings, women are typically married between the ages of 18 and 20 and enter their husband’s family where they work for the household under the authority of their mothers-in-law. Most of the responsibilities of the house fall to the new bride, and she’s also expected to get pregnant during the first year of marriage. Since extended families generally live together, a young woman must navigate the relationship with her mother-in-law as well as her ranking among the other daughters-in-law. A mother-in-law’s disposition determines much of a young woman’s life after she’s married.
While it varies from nation to nation, violence against women is common. Trafficking, bride kidnapping, early marriage and domestic abuse persist in many places. Domestic violence is especially likely in situations with an alcoholic husband or a highly dysfunctional extended family. There are also significantly fewer resources available to women than elsewhere in the world, and they face more barriers to reaching out for help. Most police aren’t trained to handle abusive situations, although some non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are beginning to offer training to improve domestic violence response.
Some marriages are religious only and have no legal standing, leaving few protections in the case of divorce or abandonment. It’s not uncommon for men working as migrants to have two separate families or leave their first wife and marry another in Russia, only sending news of the divorce by text message. In cases like these, the future of a woman and her children depends on the relationship with her in-laws or her own family’s willingness to risk possible shame by intervening.
Islam, the primary religion across Central Asia, often places heavy burdens on women. Largely influenced by folk-cultural beliefs with no clear lines between culture and religion, much of Central Asian Islam is a mix of traditional practices and Quranic law. There’s little access to the Good News of Jesus, and millions of people live without knowledge of His message of grace.
When we imagine what Good News could mean to a Central Asian woman, we see her experiencing value beyond her role as a housewife or mother. We envision her becoming aware of how beloved she is by God and knowing He isn’t indifferent to her circumstances. The promise of Christ removing the shame of sin and giving His righteousness rings true in a society that prizes a “shining face,” evidence of an honorable life.
Relationships are some of the primary channels through which God is making His love known to Central Asian women. Christians (often from a Muslim background) are reaching out to their friends and neighbors, inviting them into their homes for tea and sharing stories and songs based on scripture. Female expat and NGO workers are also finding ways to support women in their communities through initiatives to give them greater agency and help their families thrive. Through outreach like this, Central Asian women are beginning to experience God’s grace, even if it’s not yet fully grasped.
The reality for many Central Asian women is a life of struggle. The majority of them live under a burden of law without access to the Good News of Jesus. They face numerous barriers that make it difficult to dream of a better life for themselves or their children.
Yet God’s grace is reaching wider and deeper than we might think. Families are experiencing reconciliation. Some progress is being made toward gender equality and greater opportunities for women through government and humanitarian efforts. Hospitality and generosity and kinship point to the welcome, extravagance and belonging of God’s Kingdom.
HOSPITALITY AND GENEROSITY AND
KINSHIP POINT TO THE WELCOME, EXTRAVAGANCE AND BELONGING OF GOD’S KINGDOM.
Like eagerly awaiting spring, we long for Central Asian women to experience flourishing through the hope of the Gospel—Good News that exchanges struggle and exclusion for freedom and dignity. In Christ, we find that winter is not eternal as He awakens us to abundant new life, at peace with God and one another.
Central Asia
POPULATIONS (IN MILLIONS)
AFGHANISTAN (31.6)
KAZAKHSTAN (18)
KYRGYZSTAN (6)
TAJIKISTAN (7.1)
TURKMENISTAN (5.5)
UZBEKISTAN (32)
persian suffix -stan means “land of”
CROSSROADS OF EUROPE, WESTERN ASIA, SOUTH ASIA + EAST ASIA
GEOGRAPHY
+ MOUNTAINS
+ STEPPES
+ DESERTS
+ RIVERS / LAKES / SEAS
+ FORESTS
+ GRASSLANDS
POVERTY
APPROXIMATELY 45% OF THE POPULATIONS OF TAJIKISTAN + TURKMENISTAN AND 75% OF UZBEKISTAN LIVE ON LESS THAN $2 PER DAY
ISLAM PERCENTAGES BY COUNTRY
FIND
REGIONAL UPDATES (continued)
NIGER
Our Eglise Evangélique de la République du Niger (EERN) partners are grateful to share that with the help of gifts given through our Christmas Gift Catalog, they were able to purchase five oxen and one cart to support five evangelists serving in rural areas. These gifts will enable them to better provide for their families and help others in their communities.
American workers serving alongside EERN report Community Health Evangelism (CHE) efforts are progressing well through agricultural workshops as well as ongoing work in the areas of improved water access and hygiene.
Education is a key to increasing access to the Gospel in Niger. EERN completed construction of two hosting centers for high school students, and the pastors and their wives who staff them will provide a loving, safe environment in which students can flourish. Enrollment for a Christian school in the capital of Niamey is up to 352 students after only 45 in previous years.
EERN has commissioned two evangelists to begin work in new areas and hopes to send others to work in a difficult region where Boko Haram is active as well as in Agadez, a major military and transportation center. A pastor recently moved there to plant a church, and EERN plans to build a school for the children of Tuareg camel herders who stay in the city.
TO LEARN MORE, CONTACT DONALD MARSDEN (DMARSDEN@FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM).
SUDAN / SOUTH SUDAN
We’ve been praying for division in our Sudanese partner church to heal. There’s a glimmer of hope that the church is moving closer to reconciliation. This will be a long, difficult process, but there’s now an advocate from South Sudan leading the negotiations who’s a strong leader and humble Christian. Pray as a pastor provides follow-up for the reconciliation process that began in January.
Transferring funds into Sudan has always been challenging, but we’ve encountered additional restrictions recently as Sudanese banks cause delays for Christian customers. Pray that God would make the way clear and our friends won’t suffer due to these delays. Many students at the Bible school we support lack sufficient funds for tuition. This means a budget shortfall every month and sporadic payment for teachers and administrators.
While the Sudanese government seizes rights and property from Christians, South Sudan is teetering on the edge of another violent season in the midst of famine and economic crisis. These conditions have forced many people to leave their countries and seek safety in refugee camps in surrounding nations. We’re excited to expand our existing partnership with a group of pastors who are beginning to serve refugees in East and Central Africa. Many formerly unreached people are now very much within reach and in need of the great healer, Jesus. (Find more information about this new effort at frontierfellowship. com/our-partners-projects.)
TO LEARN MORE, CONTACT DENISE SCIUTO (DSCIUTO@FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM).
CENTRAL ASIA
We’re grateful for the opportunity to reunite with our ministry partners at a gathering in the Mediterranean in February. It’s encouraging to spend time with friends and leaders who are sharing the love of Jesus in the midst of challenges and persecution. We heard stories of God drawing people to Himself from unlikely backgrounds—like the retired policeman who formerly jailed Christians but is now a committed follower of Jesus.
MINISTRY PARTNER PROFILE: CENTRAL ASIA Women’s Shelter
THIS LOCALLY LED NGO WAS FOUNDED IN 2009 AND HAS BEEN A FRONTIER FELLOWSHIP PARTNER SINCE 2015.
WHO THE MINISTRY SERVES
MUSLIM AND CHRISTIAN WOMEN FROM FIVE ETHNIC GROUPS WHO ARE VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING, FORCED PROSTITUTION, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ABANDONMENT
WHAT THE MINISTRY PROVIDES
FOOD, LODGING, BASIC NECESSITIES, LEGAL AID, MEDICAL AND PRENATAL CARE, COUNSELING, VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND CHILDREN’S EDUCATION
CAPACITY
SUPPORTS UP TO 50 WOMEN PER MONTH AND PROVIDES RESIDENTIAL SPACE FOR NINE WOMEN (AND THEIR CHILDREN)
IMPACT
PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL SUPPORT HELPS WOMEN BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT AND PROVIDE FOR THEIR CHILDREN
SUPPORT THIS MINISTRY
https://bit.ly/2uoAo8B
REGIONAL UPDATES (continued)
We have American friends who’ve recently begun serving in Central Asia. Pray for their adjustment to a different culture, language learning and opportunities to become a blessing to their new community.
Many Central Asians have left their homelands seeking work in Russia, Turkey and South Korea. The majority of these migrants, including a growing number of Uzbeks, end up in Russia, which is closest culturally and linguistically to their homelands.
Central Asian Christians are uniquely gifted to share the Gospel with Muslims in Russia and Europe because they have a shared European perspective and familiarity with Muslim beliefs and traditions. We’re hearing of deepening interfaith relationships, including a festival hosted by a church that welcomed 100 Muslims from their community.
Central Asian migrant churches are growing, but they’re in need of leadership and their home countries often lack the financial resources to send ministry workers. Our partners share that a large number of migrant churches are also appearing in South Korea. Pray that God will equip and sustain these groups of believers as the Central Asian Church develops throughout the world.
TO LEARN MORE, CONTACT HAEMIN LEE (HLEE@FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM) OR DONALD MARSDEN (DMARSDEN@FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM).
DIASPORA
HOUSTON OUTREACH (new)
Houston, Texas, the fourth most-populated US city, has welcomed people from almost every corner of the world, making it the most diverse city in our nation. People have come to work, study or escape difficult and even deadly situations in their home countries, bringing their hopes and fears and gifts and needs.
We’re committed to reaching people who haven’t heard the Good News and equipping American churches to serve and care for them. We’re beginning to discover how we can be a part of this in Houston where unreached peoples have come to us, opening up exciting new opportunities to share Jesus.
As we also explore the possibility of a future Frontier Fellowship internship program, our vision is to combine both of these dreams: bringing young adults to Houston to work among refugees and immigrants. Pray as we continue to explore and connect with others in the area who are already engaged in diaspora ministry. We hope to find our particular niche and how we might partner with this network of people serving together throughout the city.
TO LEARN MORE, CONTACT KRISTIN HUFFMAN (KHUFFMAN@FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM).
MUSLIM OUTREACH
An Illinois church has developed a dynamic ministry to a small community of Syrian Muslim refugee families in its neighborhood. It’s been inspiring to see this
church embrace these refugees in their midst as they grow in relationship with each other. They’re a part of what Jesus is doing around the world as increasing numbers of Muslims encounter Him.
This winter, we helped host and organize a training event in the Chicago area to help Christians better understand Islam from a Biblical perspective. We’re eager to support churches and individuals who are hearing God’s call to love their Muslim neighbors by connecting them with theologically sound and missiologically sensitive events and resources.
During this training, we invited Bosnian Muslim friends to participate in a frank discussion about the realities of living as a Muslim in the US. Their sharing became very emotional, especially as they described the horrors associated with being attacked during the 1990s in Sarajevo by Serbian troops who often wore Christian symbols on their uniforms. Friendships with American Christians have brought great healing to their hearts and increasing hunger to learn more about Jesus. Later they asked those gathered to pray over them—a beautiful experience of the love and hope we’re finding in Him together.
TO LEARN MORE, CONTACT DAN MCNERNEY (DMCNERNEY@FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM).
MIDDLE EAST + ARABIAN PENINSULA
EGYPT
Many Egyptians are going through challenging times. Two years ago, the government devalued its currency in a long-term effort to strengthen the economy and attract more foreign investment. But this has caused many families, especially the poor, to suffer from reduced incomes and rising inflation.
ISIS has stepped up its attacks, specifically targeting Christians. However, Christians are experiencing increased religious freedom from the government and feel that President Sisi has done the most of any recent president to help and protect them, despite some political and social restrictions.
During a recent trip to Egypt, we celebrated the completed Arabic translation of the Perspectives curriculum at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo. From 70 students in 2002 to 370 today, we thank God for this phenomenal growth and the privilege of participating in the development of a thriving missions department. The seminary is producing globally minded, frontier mission-oriented leaders who are ready to serve locally and internationally.
The Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Egypt’s largest non-Orthodox body of believers, continues to grow. In 2002, there were 311 churches; today there are over 400 with vision to begin many more. Our friends tell us there could be millions of Muslim background believers participating in underground churches. We’re actively supporting some of these new Christian communities and feel blessed to partner with incredible followers of Jesus.
TO LEARN MORE, VISIT FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM OR CONTACT INFO@FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM.
REGIONAL UPDATES (continued)
ARABIAN PENINSULA
2018 began dramatically on the Arabian Peninsula. Mass demonstrations took place throughout Iran. The crown prince of Saudi Arabia announced sweeping reforms, allowing women to drive for the first time in history. The futures of Syria and Yemen remain uncertain as wars and civil discontent persist. The political uprisings in Iran are of particular significance as people protest government officials and religious rulers for economic, political and religious reasons. These demonstrations held throughout the country have the potential to grow and may eventually lead to regime change.
The quickly growing underground Iranian Church needs well-equipped leaders for its exciting new future. There are approximately 19 major networks of underground house churches, and each network contains roughly 800 churches with 5–10 leaders caring for new believers. We’ve established a close relationship with two networks, supporting the needs for ongoing theological and leadership training as well as travel between the many churches.
In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), we continue to support Egyptian missionaries as they disciple Arab Muslims who are becoming new followers of Jesus. Many of them need significant emotional, physical and spiritual healing in their lives. We’re encouraging Western churches to invest in teachers and resources to provide counseling and discipleship.
TO LEARN MORE, VISIT FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM OR CONTACT INFO@FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM.
SOUTH ASIA
INDIA
There’s rising persecution in India under the prime minister’s administration, which is raising pressure on non-Hindus. Open Doors recently raised India’s persecution status to #11 on its World Watch List. Some government leaders are pledging to wipe out Christianity in India by 2021.
Yet the Gospel is spreading and the Church in India is growing, despite efforts to contain or destroy it. In fact, if the Church was stagnant, it would pose no threat to Hindu extremism. This is a renewed call to prayer for our brothers and sisters to remain strong in their faith. And it’s a call to learn from them—when we meet with these courageous followers of Jesus, we witness their joy.
Our partner New Life Mission Church just trained 700 church planting leaders. Another recent meeting brought together key leaders of various ministries in Delhi. Pray for an upcoming training and collaboration gathering in May.
TO LEARN MORE, CONTACT CODY WATSON (CWATSON@FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM).
PAKISTAN
We’re thankful for our partner CJ who has dedicated his life to educate the poor and marginalized in the name of Jesus. He wants to make this important work more sustainable through new initiatives in the coming year. Pray that God would grant him wisdom and knowledge during this process.
In recent years, it’s become extremely difficult for Americans to renew their visas to Pakistan. This has affected the status of many cross-cultural Christian workers. Pray for an improved relationship between Pakistan and the US and greater freedom for Westerners to be a part of the good work God is doing.
Pakistan continues to be a place of mistreatment and uncertainty for Christians, largely due to its proximity to Afghanistan. Pray that Jesus, the Prince of Peace, will comfort and sustain these brave followers of Christ.
TO LEARN MORE, CONTACT HAEMIN LEE (HLEE@FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM). page 15
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