A FAR AWAY LAND! We are called to be God's witnesses to the ends of the earth. You cannot get any farther than Kyrgyzstan. It is literally on the other side of the world. Environment: Tokmok is high up in the mountains. The nearby Tian Shan Mountains are some of the highest in the world, and they are beautiful. This former Soviet country is very poor, and is 80% Muslim/20% Russian Orthodox. The two groups don't mix socially, but coexist quite nicely. Much like the Bay Area, there is quite a mix of ethnicities. The People: We have chosen to reach the Dungan. The Dungan are mostly farmers. They are known for their hard work and relative wealth, as compared to the rest of the country. Driven out of China for their Muslim beliefs over 100 years ago, even today, to be Dungan is to be Muslim. Tokmok, Kyrgyzstan: We have established a relationship with a local school in a Dungan neighborhood. Every summer, we run a six week long English class. Two teams come over every year from three different churches to teach three week sessions, but also to connect with the people and learn the culture.

GETTING CONNECTED... There are so many ways that you can help with this mission project. Here are a few examples: Pray for our full-time workers in Kyrgyzstan. Pray for our involvement with a local area school. Pray for our helpers and translators. Go on a trip to Kyrgyzstan! Kyrgyzstan is a very exciting country with a very different culture. The Dungan pride themselves on honesty, hard work, and hospitality. You really should give it a try! Help raise funds for our annual trips. We send two teams every summer to teach English, learn about the culture, and make friends. A Mt. Olive team has lunch