By God’s grace and provision, my husband and I were able to travel to Astana, Kazakhstan this year with several other brothers and sisters. The congregation had invited a choir from Germany for this year’s camp meeting. For me, it was the fulfillment of a long-standing wish. I am deeply grateful to my Heavenly Father for giving us this unforgettable time.
The choir was composed of brothers and sisters from various places in Germany. For many, it was quite a challenge to intensely use the language of their childhood again after more than 30 years and to sing choir songs in Russian.
On July 25th, we landed in Astana. First, we traveled as a choir to Karaganda, where we were warmly welcomed by the local brothers and sisters. We were privileged to present our songs in the services. Brothers Kowalski and Vogt shared the Word of God. We heard messages titled: “Being in need teaches us to pray—what does prosperity teach us?”, “What song are you singing?”, and “To the Lord first.” Brother Reinik, the local pastor from Karaganda, translated the messages.
During our time in Karaganda, we also had the opportunity to visit the “Karlag Memorial Museum” in the village of Dolinka, about 40 km from Karaganda. From 1931 to 1956, these buildings housed the central administration of Kazakhstan’s concentration, penal, reeducation, and labor camps. The visit deeply moved us. We gained a small insight into the painful chapter of life that our parents and grandparents endured during that time. Many people had to suffer great hardships for their faith during this period of political repression.
After the weekend in Karaganda, our group returned to Astana. The week was devoted to preparing for the camp meeting and the dedication of the new church building in Astana. In the mornings, we rehearsed choir songs, and in the afternoons, we spent time with the brothers and sisters from the local congregation.
A special experience for us was the visit to the village of Kamenka. For many years, there had been a large local congregation of the Church of God here. Some of the choir members from Germany had spent their childhood and youth in this village. We were also able to visit the former church building. Walking through the village brought back many memories, and some old friendships were rekindled with the people living there.
However, the highlight and main purpose of the trip were the services from Friday to Sunday (August 2-4, 2024). We are very thankful that we were able to participate in this camp meeting, which has been held there in Astana for many years. For decades, brothers from Canada served during these meetings, and in recent years, the brothers from Germany assumed this task.
The central theme of these meetings was the dedication of the new church building. Over the past two years, God made it possible for a new building to be constructed on the foundation of the first church, which will serve the congregation in Kazakhstan for many years to come. Many brothers and sisters from Kazakhstan and abroad played a significant role in making this possible.
The messages were delivered by Brothers H. Vogt, H. Kowalski, and V. Doberstein from Germany. Brother Adler translated them into Russian. To the glory of God, we can say that we were richly blessed by these services. We had the opportunity to meet many new brothers and sisters, reconnect with others, and encourage one another to trust in God and His promises.
With great gratitude, we look back on this unforgettable time full of blessings and a wealth of new experiences. We will never forget the sincere love and warm hospitality of the brothers and sisters in Kazakhstan. May God richly bless His work in this Muslim country and make it an eternal blessing to many people.
Luise Anselm, Pforzheim (DE)
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