Quick Update after Kyrgyzstan

Hello Again, Wow, I can't believe that our time in Kyrgyzstan has already finished.

Uzbekistan Airways canceled our return flight so we have had to fly out a week earlier than expected (I wouldn't recommend anyone signing up for their frequent flyer program :) ) though it has turned out as a blessing because it means we are able to debrief as a team on the southern paradise Islands of Thailand. I write this newsletter right now sitting under a palm tree on a white sandy beach overlooking clear turquoise water. What an amazing location to relax and process the last couple months!

Since I wrote last time we have been teaching every week on a Bible school. The highlight for me of the whole trip was teaching the book of Daniel for a week there. The more I studied, the more overwhelmed I became as I realized the book's main message was written to people in identical circumstances as the pastor's and leaders in the Bible school. A few of the students are from a nearby Muslim nation where they are unable to openly exercise their faith. Believers there are regularly tortured and forced to deny their faith. Some of these students will be going back and working with an underground Bible School. Each day the location of the school changes and the students have to sneak into the building 2 by 2 and spread out their arrival to not draw attention. You can imagine it is more than humbling to teach a book which is all about how to live in an anti-God society and with the major message of God's sovereignty over the nations. I prayed so much that God would not let me say anything that would cause the students to misunderstand or to pressure them to make decisions that would get them arrested or worse. There is one person whose own father does not know they are a Christian & yet they feel called to teach the Bible back home. They were often in tears over the consequences they will face when they return home and pursue ministry. The book of Daniel spoke directly into every one of their lives and caused them to ask tough questions and yet also gave real hope. What a privilege it was to be part of that. It was one of the most rewarding weeks I have had teaching in while and also the most prayer-filled as I knew I was completely dependent upon Him for what I was going to say. What an amazing time. It was even more encouraging at the end to hear their feedback of how the Lord was ministering to them during that time.

This outreach has also been good for me because of our focus of working with this particular Bible School. For the past couple years it seems I have traveled every week from one location to the next and so it has been nice to spend time in one place getting to know these pastors and leaders better.

The Bible School ends in a few weeks and these students will be returning to their homes and the inevitable persecution that will come. It brings me to tears to think of what some of them will be facing, yet I amazed & encouraged to see their strength and desire to return home and pass on what they have learned. Right before we left, one of the men was asking us to come teach on their school in their home country next year and joked, "it will be fun, you get to teach and run from the police at the same time!" They all laughed because it is their reality. However, I was again overwhelmed because for some reason I have been called to come and teach these men and women of faith, when the truth is I have little to offer them and they are in fact the ones teaching me.

As for what is next, we leave here in a couple days and will return to Taiwan. A day later I will be heading down to South Africa to staff the next Titus Project that is being pioneered there and lead an outreach to Zambia.

Thank you for your prayers and please continue to pray for these Bible students, especially those that are returning home to their Muslim culture. Pray for strength, boldness, and protection for them. Also, continue to pray for health & safety amidst all the traveling we are doing.

Thank you,

Sincerely,

James Lunn
www.ToMakeHimKnown.com