OCTOBER 2009

Dear Friend of Eurasia:

Opportunities to share God’s Word are increasing in the 17 Arabic-speaking

nations of North Africa, the Arab Gulf and the Middle East. Despite strict regulations about distributing and possessing gospel literature, a growing number of people are eager to receive copies of the Bible so they can read it for themselves.

In a nation that prides itself on being 100 percent Muslim, a missionary befriended Majdi*, an attendant at a gas station. In his trips to buy gasoline, the missionary initiated short conversations and looked for ways to relate spiritual truth. Majdi grew hungry to learn more.

One day Majdi surprised the missionary when he suddenly asked, “Do you have an Injil in Arabic that I can read?” (Injil is an Arabic word for “the gospel” or “New Testament.”) Taking an Arabic-language Gospel of Luke from his car, the missionary gave it to his friend. He encouraged him to read it before they talked again.

A couple of weeks passed. When the missionary visited the station again, Majdi had another question. “I’ve heard that there is more to the Injil than what you gave me. Do you have anything else?”

This time the missionary was prepared. “Yes,” he said, “the complete Injil contains more stories about Jesus and some letters from a man named Paul who tells us how to live as Christians.”

“That’s what I want!” Majdi exclaimed. He joyfully received the Arabic New Testament the missionary offered.

When the missionary stopped by the gas station again, a group of visiting college students was with him. The setting was hectic, but Majdi was determined to talk to his friend.

__________________________________________Continued on page 2.

A couple of weeks passed. When the missionary visited the station again, Majdi had another question. “I’ve heard that there is more to the Injil than what you gave me. Do you have anything else?”

This time the missionary was prepared. “Yes,” he said, “the complete Injil contains more stories about Jesus and some letters from a man named Paul who tells us how to live as Christians.”

to receive copies of the Bible so they

Spiritual Hunger Growing Across Arab WorldWorkers Face Challenge in Providing Scriptures

People in the Arab world are coming to Christ as a result of reading God’s Word.

COUNTRY POPULATIONAlgeria 33.8 millionBahrain 0.7 millionEgypt 81.7 millionIraq 28.2 millionIsrael 7.1 millionJordan 6.2 millionKuwait 2.6 millionLebanon 4.0 millionLibya 6.2 million

COUNTRY POPULATIONMorocco 34.3 millionOman 3.3 millionQatar 0.8 millionSaudi Arabia 28.1 millionSyria 19.7 millionTunisia 10.4 millionUnited Arab Emirates 4.6 millionYemen 23.0 millionTOTAL POPULATION 294.7 MILLION

Photos by Shannon Varis

Taking the missionary aside, he said, “I’ve read these books over and over, and I am convinced that I need to become a follower of Jesus.”

The missionary reminded Majdi what such a decision would mean. In the Muslim world, followers of Jesus often lose their jobs and suffer harsh persecution from their families, communities and governments. Was Majdi ready to be a true disciple of Jesus and endure hardship?

He was! There on the gas station parking lot, Majdi repented of his sins and accepted Christ’s forgiveness. Now he is being discipled and shows great potential as an evangelist/pastor. The next step is to give Majdi a study Bible.

Majdi’s story shows the power of God’s Word to convict of sin and lead people to Christ. Our goal is that men and women will be drawn to Him through reading the Scriptures. Overt evangelization in most of the Arab world is either limited or illegal, but the Holy Spirit is not bound. His power illuminates the Word of God and brings seekers to faith.

The average cost to prepare and ship a

Bible or New Testament into the Arab world is about $8. Workers in this area need a “quick response fund” so they can get Bibles into areas where they are desperately needed. Doors are

open now, but unless a supply of Bibles is readily available these opportunities will be lost.

Will you help? A gift of $8 will get a Bible or New Testament to one Arabic speaker; a gift of $16 will help reach two seekers. Perhaps you can help as many as four for $32.

Whatever you can do will put God’s Word into the hands of Arabs who are hungry to know Jesus.

Your quick response will keep a supply of Arabic-language Bibles, New Testaments and Scripture portions ready for shipment at a moment’s notice. Someone like Majdi is waiting. *Name changed for security

For the Arab world,

Omar J. BeilerEurasia Regional Director

Continued from page 1. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

A Famine of God’s Word

Across the Arab Gulf, North Africa and the Middle East, a famine exists—not of food or water, but of the Word of God. Missionaries and believers in the region continually meet people who are hungry for truth but have no access to it.

Assemblies of God World Missions is working to develop distribution networks throughout the Arab world. Countries with legally established churches can receive Bible shipments by sea. In countries where open distribution is illegal, copies are brought in by brave Christian workers and visitors. Though methods of transportation may differ, the need is the same—people who are desperate for the message of hope the Bible brings.

Growing, maturing churches need Bibles for discipleship and leadership training. In places such as Majdi’s nation, Bibles are given individually to those whose hearts are open. Throughout the Arabic-speaking world, Bibles and Scripture portions are used to follow up radio and television broadcasts.

To help maintain a supply of Bibles, donors may want to give one copy ($8) for each member of their household. Others may choose to provide a case of 10 Bibles for $80. Churches and fellowship groups may supply an entire shipping palette of 200 Bibles for $1,600. With a supply of Bibles on hand, missionaries can help get spiritual nourishment to those who are hungry for God and His Word.

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can get Bibles into areas where they are desperately needed. Doors are

open now, but unless a supply of Bibles is readily available these opportunities will be lost.

Will you help? A gift of $8 will get a Bible or New Testament to one Arabic speaker; a gift of $16 will help reach two seekers. Perhaps you can help Perhaps you can help

Even in countries considered entirely Muslim, God is stirring hearts.

Caught in the traditions of Islam, a growing number of Muslims are hungry for truth.

The average cost to prepare and ship a

Only $8 will supply an Arabic Bible for someone who has never heard the gospel.

Photo by Noor Renfroe

Exciting results are happening in among Russia’s Pentecostal churches!

Beginning in 2007, leaders of the Union of Pentecostal Believers cast a vision to

plant churches in spiritually dark places across Russia’s 11 time zones. Since then nearly 200 new churches have been planted. Now these new churches are raising up more church planters who are eager to go to areas and people groups where the gospel has not yet been preached.

Six years ago two young women—Nina and Svetlana—sensed

God’s call to move to Orlick, a remote mountain village in Siberia. Their burden was to plant a church among the Soyats, an unreached people group. The living conditions were harsh, and the women faced opposition from local shamans (witch doctors) who live under the control of demonic powers. But the two women persevered, and today a church is growing where no church existed. Former followers of the shaman religion are now followers of Christ!

But there is even more to this story. Out of the new church in Orlick, a mother-daughter team has responded to God’s call to plant a church in another village about eight hours away. They are moving there to share the good news that Jesus changes lives and sets people free from spiritual bondage. What is happening in Orlick is a fulfi llment of the Russian fellowship’s original vision as new churches plant more new churches.

Adequate training for willing church planters continues to be a critical need. In addition to Bible schools, strong regional churches throughout Russia have opened short-term training

centers to get more laborers into the harvest. From 16 training centers, 437 students have already started new churches in 147 cities and towns.

Donations to Faces of Eurasia helped these church planters receive the training they needed. Now more students stand in need of our support and encouragement. A gift of $25 will help a church planter attend training sessions to prepare them for the task ahead.

Your prayers and fi nancial gifts for Russia are invaluable. They help bring about the exciting results that are taking place. Thank you for praying and giving to send the gospel to spiritually dark places.

A core group of believers is focused on reaching the lost in

Orlick and the surrounding

area.

Young believers are asking for training to plant churches

in unreached areas.Young believers are asking for training to plant churches

YES! I WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN WHAT GOD IS DOING IN UNREACHED AREAS OF EURASIA.

ENCLOSED IS MY GIFT OF

$ _________ to help supply Bibles and New Testaments for people in the Arab world.$ _________ to assist in training church planters in Russia.$ _________ to be used where most needed in Eurasia ministries.

Name ______________________________________________________

Address _____________________________________________________

City _________________________________ State _______ Zip _______

Acct. # _____________________________

Signature _______________________________ Exp. Date_____________

E-mail address ________________________________________________

Assemblies of God World Missions1445 N. Boonville Avenue

Springfi eld, MO 65802-1894

417.862.2781 ext. 1740E-mail: info@eurasiacommunity.org

www.eurasiacommunity.org

FORWARD TO AGWM

600-001-3765781(40) 10/09 SC:JL

Faces of Eurasia is a ministry of Assemblies of God World Missions.

xciting results are happening in among Russia’s Pentecostal

God’s call to move to Orlick, a remote mountain village in Siberia. Their burden

Church Planting Expands in Russia

Adequate training

church planters continues to be a critical need. In addition to Bible schools, strong regional churches throughout Russia have opened short-term training

Orlick, a remote Siberian city, is home to a growing Pentecostal church.

Church Planting Expands in Russia

Believers in Orlick gather for worship.

Preaching the gospel where it hasn’t been preached and planting the church where it doesn’t exist.

FROM EURASIA NORTHWEST:Last month U.S. and national believers partnered to conduct an outreach in Jonava, Lithuania. A missionary sent this report:

“God did an awesome work. In two days we gave groceries to 470 families. We prayed for sunny days so we could have activities outdoors, but God had a better plan. We had one sunny day, but the second day was rainy. To stay dry, we moved the activities into the children’s center, an outreach of the church where children can receive food, clothing and a witness of Jesus. Because of the rain, 350 children and adults now know about the center and where it is located.”

FROM RUSSIA:Missionaries to Russia are fi nding ways to continue their work within the country despite a restrictive visa law. The law currently limits workers with ministry visas to only 180 days in the country per year and not more than 90 days at a time. However, many missionaries have started applying for resident visas, and some have already received them. Others are receiving student visas, cultural visas and work visas. Area Directors Rick and Dianna Lang say, “Missionaries are diligently fi nding ways to keep their ‘boots on the ground’ in Russia. We wholeheartedly agree with Regional Director Omar Beiler when he said, ‘The Lord will help us and give us grace as we faithfully pursue the call He has placed on our hearts.’”

FROM CENTRAL EURASIA:After a Bible study discussion with a group of students, a missionary was excited when a young woman said,” I am not a Christian, but I believe that Jesus died for my sins.”

Such a response is common across Central Eurasia, because people generally believe their nationality determines their religion. But as God works in hearts, they begin to reach out to the truth.

“One student told me that he feels more comfortable with our group than with anyone else,” says the missionary. “I could tell he was trying to make sense of this, but the only possible explanation is the power of the Holy Spirit. We can’t always see what God is doing, but we know He is at work.”

FROM MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA:An AG worker ministers to a small group of believers in a country where Christians are few. She writes:

“A couple of months ago our group found out about a leadership training course taking place in a nearby country. The teaching is done in the Arabic language by people from the same background as the believers here. We prayed and felt led to send three members of our group. These three have taken time from their jobs without pay and have left their families for three weeks. They do this because they believe in what God is doing and want to be used by Him.”

FROM SOUTHERN ASIA:About 20 people gathered in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in August for a media seminar led by the AGWM Media Commission. The monthlong training course covered a broad range of topics and was aimed at preparing young people to reach Southern Asia’s massive population.

“Most of those who attended the seminar are young and have a good grasp of how their generation thinks and feels,” says a worker to the area. “Media provides them with an effective way of reaching those who might not have any other opportunity to hear the love of God. Pray with us for this emerging generation of communicators.”

FROM INDIA:While ministering at a Bible school, a missionary met Rilian*, a student from a gospel-resistant nation. Rilian had accepted Christ at an underground church and had come to Bible school with an intense desire to serve.

University offi cials in his country noticed Rilian’s lifestyle and asked him to return and give other students advice on how to keep from falling prey to harmful habits. Rilian asked the missionary to pray with him for guidance.

The missionary reports: “A couple of weeks later, Rilian told me that as he was praying, he realized he was speaking words that were unknown to him. Empowered by the Spirit, he went to the meeting. His presentation was interrupted when a student began swearing at him. Instead of reacting, Rilian went to the student and treated him with love and kindness. The student became silent and later apologized. He even asked to speak more with Rilian at a later date. Praise God for the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit.”