Your prayers and support enable Compassion Ministry to show God’s love to families

Summer heat has been especially severe across the former Soviet countries of Central Asia, where disputes over scarce water supplies have been making the news. 

In Kazakhstan, the country’s meteorological agency says that severe drought exists in six of the 14 oblasts (states). Rice fields and livestock are being impacted, with the government reporting more than 2,000 animals—mostly horses—have died for lack of water and food. 

We received a report from Albert, an SGA-sponsored missionary pastor, who vividly described the human toll and what the Lord has enabled him to do through your support for Compassion Ministry . . . 

Now there is a major crisis because it has rained very little and there is no water. There is no grass in the pastures. Cattle began to die, as there is no place to graze them. Earlier they used to grow a lot of rice in this area, but now they have decreased the planting area by more than 12,000 acres. Because of the water shortage, drinking water is supplied to homes only for one hour in the morning, one hour in the afternoon, and one hour in the evening! Many of the wells have also become dry!

Pastor Albert told us about a young mother named Ryskul with two children. Illness caused her to lose a third child in pregnancy. Ryskul’s husband recently worked as an electrician at a high school but due to the crisis, his salary was cut by 25 percent. 

Who reached out to this family? Christians! The local congregation helped them with material and emotional support—and the Gospel. Albert reported:

Brothers in the church informed us of their plight. We used support you provided along with funds we had and bought them some groceries, and that was a huge help for them! We witnessed to her about Jesus when we met her, and then we had a chance to show God’s love in practice!

Another SGA-supported worker in Kazakhstan has found that delivering needed aid opens doors for the Gospel. Their pastor wrote: 

I had a thought to visit my neighbor, and this seemed to be direction from the Lord. This neighbor has many connections, and I told her that we had food gifts to give to disadvantaged families, large families with many children, and to anyone who would be interested in Christian literature in the Kazakh language. She called some of her acquaintances and some came the next day. They thanked me for the food, and I was able to tell them that it is Jesus who is worthy of all thanks, as He cares for them and loves them. Thank you for helping to make this possible! 

We want to enable each local church to provide up to 60 food packs a month for needy families impacted by the drought. These packs can contain food, and other items such as water, medicines, and other help.  Please pray with us for God to open hearts for the Gospel as these families see His love and experience His gracious provision.