‘Tell people at home that there are Kazakh Christians’

This summer, seven students and one staff member from Oak Hill College travelled to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. The trip aimed to help students reflect missiologically about how Jesus may be served in these contexts as part of Oak Hill’s desire to see the church, in the UK and around the world, flourish. Tim, a student on the trip reflects on their time and some lessons for us all:

Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are strange and beautiful places seemingly in between worlds. They feel strikingly modern in their shopping malls and glitzy districts, yet also raw and traditional in bazaars and potholed roads. Islam is a strong cultural marker, though less evident in daily practice. Soviet influence lingers – especially in Kazakhstan – while young people are increasingly drawn toward Western ideas.

Tourism, missiology-style

There was a glut of historic sites to visit, and each of them gave crucial insights into the Uzbek mind – an essential background to have if one is to serve there cross-culturally. In Tashkent, the statue of Amir Temur loomed, his motto in English: “Strength in Justice”. Lionised as a devout Muslim and empire-builder, his ruthlessness told another story.