PRAY FOR KAZAKHSTAN IN CENTRAL ASIA
Kazakhstan has been in the news lately. It’s also the Central Asian Muslim country where one of our associates is serving.
Economics & Politics in Brief
Kazakhstan is oil-rich. With a population of 19 million and land area comparable to Western Europe, this former Soviet republic is Russia’s most important ally in Central Asia where until now, it has been regarded as a pillar of political and economic stability. Chevron, Exxon and Mobil have invested tens of billions in its oil fields. China also needs its oil and gas.
Among Muslim-majority countries in the world, Kazakhstan compares well with Turkey and Malaysia in its GDP per capita and Human Development Index (HDI) global ranking. But corruption and unfair elections with detainment of opponents has led to 165 elites holding 55% of the nation’s wealth, while the minimum wage remains at $100/month for many common citizens.
Recent Events with Geopolitical Implications
Economic hardships during the pandemic have fomented unrest in various parts of the country. In January 2022, gas prices doubled, leading to widespread protests calling for political reforms. The initially peaceful demonstrations quickly escalated. A dozen police officers and national guards were killed. Hundreds of protesters died, and many more were wounded.
The president blamed “foreign-trained terrorist gangs” and requested assistance from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a Russian version of NATO. Russian paratroopers and forces from Armenia, Belarus, Central Asia and Tajikistan arrived. The protests ended with over 12,000 people arrested. This is the first time that the CSTO protection clause has been invoked, a precedent with geopolitical implications beyond the region as Russia is on the verge of invading Ukraine.
How has God been working in Kazakhstan? How should we pray for his people there?
History In Perspective
The Kazakh people have had 1,200 years of Islam, which was first introduced by Arabs in the 8th century. During the Soviet era, religion was suppressed. But after collapse of the Soviet Union, Islamic influences resurfaced with promotion of nationalism: “To be a Kazakh is to be a Muslim.” The number of mosques grew from 170 in 1991 to 2,300 by 2013 with support from other Muslim countries. Today, over 70% of the population are Muslims.
About 25% of the population are ethnic Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians who adhere to the Orthodox Church that came with 18th century Russian colonization. They do not try to convert the Kazakhs, and the government leaves them alone to avoid offending Russia.
Present Challenges & Opportunities
When Kazakhstan became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991, there was great spiritual hunger. The number of ethnic Kazakh Christians grew from fewer than 10 to more than 15,000 by 2010. Today, there are about 200,000 believers, which is still under 1% of the population. While some young people are responsive to the gospel, Christian converts from a Muslim background face pressure and even violence from their own families, friends and neighbors.
The constitution formally permits freedom of worship, but only historically recognized religions are allowed to worship freely. Protestants are viewed as a dangerous sect by government officials influenced by 70 years of Soviet atheism. Most churches are small and meet in private homes as government permits for worship venues are hard to get.
Pray for Kazakhstan:
Kazakhstan is among the top 50 countries where it is hard to follow Jesus. Pray that Christians will be wise as serpents and innocent as doves as they strive to be light and salt in a society with rampant injustice and corruption under a repressive system hostile to their faith. In the aftermath of the recent unrest, pray that the church may reach out and minister to many who experience Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
In 2016, discovery of Christian gravestones at the Kazakh-Chinese border made national headlines. Along the ancient Silk Road, Nestorian missionaries who reached China in the 7th century established many Christian communities in Central Asia. The Kazakh government is proud of the country’s multi-cultural history. Pray that more evidence that Christianity was present long before Russian imperialism will help more Kazakhs consider the gospel with greater openness as they see their own history in a new light.
Despite persecution and many needs at home, the young Kazakh church has a vision for being a part of the global gospel outreach. Unfortunately, the government has shut down several missionary training programs. But a number of Uzbeks and Uyghurs are turning to Christ and taking the gospel to their own people. Let’s join our Kazakh brothers and sisters to pray that God will raise up a missions movement from this ethnically diverse nation to reach Central Asia and the Muslim world.