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Nurlan was on the wrong path—but an encounter with God’s Word changed everything.
One of Open Doors’ goals in strengthening the church in Central Asia is to help believers grow in their faith. One way we do this is by delivering Bibles and Christian books to help disciple believers and ensure they have access to God’s Word. Because of your gifts and prayers, this effort changes the lives of people in Central Asia … people like Nurlan*.
Here, in his own words, Nurlan explains the impact of diving into God’s Word:
“I grew up in a region of Central Asia. When I was just two years old, my mother passed away, and my grandmother took on the responsibility of raising me. We lived in poverty, and although I was generally a quiet child, the influence of my friends often led me into trouble. Even during my school years, I fell in with the wrong crowd. This led me down a destructive path—street fights, extortion, theft, drug smuggling, and addiction to alcohol and marijuana. I was imprisoned twice for burglary and fraud.
“In tenth grade, I dropped out of school and eventually left my hometown to escape the negative influences around me. I hoped to start a new life. Yet, I continued to smoke marijuana and would walk long distances just to get a single cigarette.
“In 2023, I reconnected with former neighbors who offered me Christian literature and gave me an audio Bible [which was provided by Open Doors partners]. Their kindness and respect deeply moved me. As I read the literature, I felt I had discovered the true faith. I began studying the Bible earnestly and realized that to please God, I needed to change my life.
“I chose a specific day to quit smoking and removed everything related to it from my life. I asked my friends not to offer me cigarettes or smoke around me. It wasn’t easy—I relapsed twice and smoked both tobacco and marijuana. But I didn’t give up. I found strength in the words: ‘A righteous man may fall seven times, but he will still get up’ [Prov. 24:16]. Gradually, I overcame my bad habits.
“The more I learned about Jesus Christ, the more I longed for Him to be my closest friend. One scripture especially touched me: ‘If my father and mother had left me, God would have received me’ [Psalm 27:10). Through deep Bible study, I became convinced of the truth in those words—God had become a real and caring Father to me.
“With God’s help and the support of loving brothers and sisters, my behavior, speech, and appearance have transformed. Looking back, I see a dramatic change—like a plain caterpillar becoming a beautiful butterfly. My family is overjoyed and has regained trust in me. Today, I have a family of my own, and I strive to be a loving husband and a caring father.”
Thank you for your gifts and prayers that help change lives through God’s goodness. Your support means people like Nurlan in Central Asia and other believers around the world grow in faith and are strengthened to be salt and light in their contexts.
*Name changed to protect security
