Hey family!

I can’t believe we were in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan for a whole month… and now we’ve already left. Time felt both so slow and so full while we were there — and somehow a month ended up feeling way too short. There’s so much I want to tell you about what the Lord did during our time there.

There were 11 of us on this squad, and getting to do life together in a new country was such a gift. We were living in Bishkek, and the work we got to be part of was really sweet. We volunteered with a language center, and through that we hung out with students almost every day of the week.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we led talking clubs where students came to practice their English. It was such a fun and natural way to build relationships. Tuesday nights we also hosted a home group for “seekers” — people who had heard the Good News but were still on the fence. Those nights were so special. The questions were real and honest, and you could feel how hungry some of them were for truth.

If I’m being real, some of those gatherings at first reminded me of my youth group back home — the games, the energy, the community. But my heart often ached because they were missing the most important part. They didn’t know Him yet. And that changes everything.

Wednesdays usually started with a short prayer walk around a college campus, asking the Lord to move in the hearts of students. Later that night, we joined a game night where my team planned a portion of the evening in English. Fridays were similar — they were called “Fun Night” at the language center. But for my team, it wasn’t always fun and games. A lot of the time, you could really feel the heaviness in the room. Most of the night we ended up quietly praying for the students, asking God to move in their hearts and meet them where they were at.

At the language center, since it functioned like a school, we couldn’t directly talk about God during official activities. That’s why one of my favorite parts of the week was when I met someone at talking club, home group, or just out and about, and sensed they might be a “person of peace.” I’d invite them to grab coffee or walk around the mall sometime. And in those spaces, I was free to share whatever the Holy Spirit put on my heart.

Those conversations were some of the sweetest moments of the month. I got to share my testimony and the Good News boldly, but with so much peace. It didn’t feel forced. It didn’t feel scary. It felt steady and Spirit-led. There are people there who are genuinely hungry for truth. Seeds were planted 🙌

Bishkek — and really Kyrgyzstan as a whole — felt tied to a deep spirit of hopelessness. One thing the Lord taught us is that our role wasn’t just leading clubs or hosting gatherings — it was intercession. Praying over the land. Praying for the people. Standing in the gap and asking Him to move in hearts, in families, and across the nation in ways we couldn’t even see yet. So we covered that place in prayer, trusting that He was working far beyond what was visible.

Not that long ago my team and I took a weekend trip to Lake Issyk-Kul. On the way we stopped at an old landmark from the Silk Road, explored the coolest canyon, and stayed the night near a hot spring (which was… very interesting but so fun). The next morning we helped make a traditional Kyrgyz breakfast — I washed dried apricots and cracked walnuts LOL — and then we stopped to touch the beautiful lake before heading home.

But the best part wasn’t even the views.

The man who drove us was just starting a tourist business, and the girl helping him had actually come to one of our talking clubs. She planned the whole trip for us just because. We had been interceding a lot that first day because we knew they both came from a Muslim background. And on the drive home, we ended up having the longest conversation about who Jesus is. It was so open and respectful and real. They asked thoughtful questions and even asked to meet up again before we left because they still wanted to talk.

That whole trip felt so covered by the Lord. He knew exactly why we were going. He was already softening hearts.

One of my favorite “last week” memories was such a sweet, unexpected adventure day. I met a younger girl who plays on the worship team at talking club, and we started hanging out with her more. She told us she had a friend who was an atheist, so Elora and I met up with the two of them one day to get boba and talk about the Good News. It was such a natural, honest conversation. I loved getting to listen to their questions and share what Jesus has done in my life.

Later that week, that same girl came and played guitar for worship at our home group — and she is SO good. It was such a gift to worship alongside her.

On our last Sunday, we visited her church and stayed for their lunch fellowship afterward. Then we invited her to come with us to meet one of the leaders of our job (I love her so much). After that, we all rode the public bus out to Ala Archa National Park and even took a lift up into the mountains. It was unbelievably beautiful. The views, the fresh air, the joy of being together — it felt like such a sweet gift from the Lord before we left. A perfect little adventure day to wrap up the month!

These weeks in Kyrgyzstan definitely impacted me. I got to see the Body of Christ in such a beautiful way. I watched my teammates step out in boldness. I saw strangers become friends. I felt the Holy Spirit guide conversations in ways I could never plan. The Lord kept showing me new parts of who He is, and I’m learning new ways of hearing His voice.

A month felt short — way too short — but I trust that obedience matters more than length of time. Seeds were planted. Prayers were prayed. And God is not finished there.

On the 26th, we flew to Turkey… and I still don’t know everything God has planned for us here. I don’t know who we’ll meet or what doors He’ll open. But Kyrgyzstan reminded me that nothing is random with Him. He’s always ahead of us.

So I’m choosing expectancy. The same God who was moving there is moving here too. Please keep praying for boldness, discernment, divine appointments, and soft hearts — both ours and the people we meet. Pray that the seeds planted in Bishkek would grow deep roots long after we’ve gone.

Thank you for loving me from afar. Thank you for praying. Thank you for being part of this story with me.

With so much love,
~Jaylynn K🤍