Southern Uzbek in Afghanistan
OOZ-bek

The earliest ancestors of the Uzbeks, the Central Asian Turks, aided Genghis Khan in his conquest of Eastern Europe in the 1300s. Eventually, as unity between the Turks and Mongols faded, there were numerous warring kingdoms that emerged. It was from several of these kingdoms that the Uzbeks descended. Uzbek families are extended, with a patriarchal authority ruling over several generations. Each village has an elder, and several villages comprise an elat. Each elat is governed by a council of male elders.

Ministry Obstacles
Almost no Southern Uzbeks are Christian followers, and their families and communities discourage evangelism.

Scripture Focus
"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him."  James 1:12

Scripture Prayer
Pray that the believers in today’s people group patiently endure their afflictions and share the good news with others.

Prayer Focus
Pray for the Holy Spirit to give Uzbeks teachable and understanding hearts. Pray that a strong movement of the Holy Spirit will bring entire Uzbek families into a rich experience of God's blessing. Pray for Uzbek families to be drawn by the Holy Spirit to seek forgiveness, and to understand the adequacy of Christ's work on the cross. Pray for teams of believers to do sustained, focused prayer for the Lord to open the hearts of Uzbek family leaders to experience God's blessing through a movement of family-based discovery Bible studies. Pray for Christians to establish businesses in Uzbek communities and spread the gospel. Pray for the few Christians among them to grow in grace and faith.

Presented by Joshua Project
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