Get a FREE copy of VOM’s Global Prayer Guide with any gift
Give Now
KyrgyzstanRestricted
Christian Persecution in Kyrgyzstan
Overview:
Kyrgyzstan is a remote mountainous nation with a nomadic tribal culture. It is also one of the poorest former Soviet states in Central Asia. A significant portion of the population has left to work elsewhere, and life in Kyrgyzstan is hard. After decades of Communist rule, most Kyrgyz have returned to their nation’s pre-Communist Islamic cultural identity.
Major Religion:
93 percent of Kyrgyz are Sunni Muslims. 4 percent are Christians.
Persecutor:
Christians are persecuted mostly by family members and their communities, including Muslim religious leaders.
What It Means To Follow Christ In Kyrgyzstan:
Some churches worship openly, even in small towns, but being a Christian is difficult because of the Islamic culture. Christian converts are commonly beaten, and the small Christian minority is generally oppressed by society. For example, buses will not stop for those known as Christians in small communities, and believers have difficulty getting jobs and even purchasing goods. In some communities, Muslim leaders have denied the burial of deceased Christians.
Access To Bibles:
Bibles are more accessible in Kyrgyzstan than in other Central Asian nations. They can be purchased at registered churches in larger cities, but they are expensive. Give Bibles
VOM Work:
VOM provides medical care to Christians injured in attacks and helps believers become self-supporting. Give to VOM’s Global Ministry
Prayer Requests:
- Pray that Christian families in the north will become missionaries in the south.
- Pray for President Sadyr Japarov and the government.
- Pray for revival in the country.
- Pray that churches will minister to migrant workers who have returned after losing jobs elsewhere.
- Pray for believers’ integrity amid widespread corruption.