Pray for Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is a landlocked nation in Central Asia. It was once part of the Persian empire and was conquered by Alexander the Great in the 4th century B.C. It was a major part of the trade between the east and west often called the Silk Road. As a result, this populous country is comprised of over 60 different ethnic groups, each of which add to the beauty of this country already filled with rich architectural beauty such as mosques, palaces, and minarets.

More than a hundred years of Russian occupation followed by Soviet rule led to a stable but troubling system of government, in which the executive branch has supreme power. The former President, Islam Karimov, ruled for 27 years before dying in 2016. He was succeeded by the prime minister, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who has continued the state-sponsored corruption which still exists at every level of government. Although Uzbeks boast a 99% literacy level, all media is government controlled, and there is no free access to information.

Approximately 84% of the 32 million residents packed into the country, which is just slightly larger than California, claim Islam as their religion. But amongst the indigenous Uzbek people that make up 78% of the county’s population, there is almost no gospel presence. Fear of the instability created by fundamentalism and terrorism has led to the limiting of religious practices in support of a moderate form of Islam. All churches, regardless of denomination, must be registered with the government. There are approximately 25,000 Christians in unregistered churches facing persecution, arrest, and torture from targeted attacks. However, encouraging news shows that despite the great risk and prospect of persecution, the gospel is spreading at almost double the worldwide average rate. This growth is mainly in urban areas, where about one-third of Uzbeks reside.

However, Uzbekistan is the most severe country in Central Asia country when it comes to restrictions on religious freedom. No religious activities beyond state-run and state-controlled institutions are allowed. Members of Protestant churches are often regarded as enemies of the state who seek to unseat the government. With that kind of paranoia, it is no surprise that police and local authorities regularly raid non-registered house churches and strictly monitor religious activities in various ways including bugging homes, tapping phones and infiltrating church groups. In general, the Islamic culture makes life for Christian converts particularly difficult, but it is particularly hard for indigenous Christians with a Muslim background.

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