It has been just over a month since we arrived in Central Asia. While we greatly desire to communicate more with the family of God for the sake of your prayers, it has been hard to keep up with so much happening. We have many things to give thanks for and many prayer requests. 

When starting off in a new country there are, as you might imagine, a lot of logistics. It can be overwhelming. Finding a place to live, visas, transportation, language learning, and children’s schooling are some of the major tasks with which we have been occupied. We are thankful for our teammates’ hard work and God’s provision so that within days we were able to sign a lease despite the housing shortage. 

We were also able to get our business visas that give us a year to get permanent residency. It went especially smoothly, and we are very thankful. Please pray for the next step of getting permanent residency. 

Unlike our previous years living in Asia, this time we have the challenge of being beginners in the spoken language. Thankfully, we were able to find a teacher and are already finishing our first month of class. Pray that God will help us with our learning and give us skill. Our three younger children currently aren’t in language classes, which we feel is a disadvantage for them. We are asking for God’s wisdom and help with this. 

From what we have shared so far, it might be obvious that our team is a big part of life here. Some of us were together previously in Asia and we are thankful to be doing life and ministry together. There are three family units and one single brother named Anton. Anton just arrived in the country, and we are praising God for bringing him to us. Pray for our team—that we will grow and serve the Lord together according to his wisdom, in his strength, and with his gifts. 
 
We’ve already gotten to know some of the local churches working in the area. We are encouraged by their faith in Jesus and devotion to the Scriptures. There are many challenges because of COVID-19, the current war, and inflation. We are praying for wisdom to know how to love and encourage them.

Already we have found ourselves in conversations about Jesus. For example, when we are asked about our opinions about Presidents Putin, Trump, or Biden, we talk about putting our trust not in men, but in Jesus, and the hope that we have in him.

We are very desirous of your prayers.

In the diverse community in which we live, we have already heard stories of God’s direct intervention in people’s lives and his calling them to himself. Pray that God’s Spirit will open the eyes and ears of more people, that they may come to know Jesus. 
 

Thank you, 
Bobby, Julie, and family