From selling seeds… to sowing God’s Word

Worshippers at the church in Almaty, Kazakhstan, attended by Gulshaun Kubienava, who travels around the country bringing people God's Word. Photo: Norwegian BS/Dag Smemo (KAZ04DJ-168.JPG)

ALMATY, Kazakhstan — When extreme poverty drove Gulshaun Kubienava from her home in Uzbekistan to the street markets of Almaty, where she sold fried sunflower seeds in return for just a few small coins, she began to feel that life could not get any worse. It was in the depths of her anger and despair, however, that she found the path to a new life, one which now sees her planting spiritual seeds across the whole of Kazakhstan.

I trained as an agronomist back home in Uzbekistan, but two things happened that made it impossible for me to pursue that profession. Firstly, the collapse of the Soviet Union prompted an economic crisis and the collapse of the employment market. Secondly, my mother died and, as the oldest of 10 brothers and sisters, I had to take responsibility for them and my elderly father.

In the days and weeks that followed, I found it impossible to keep silent about what had happened to me. I told everyone I met at the market, and I frequently read aloud from a copy of the New Testament that I had been given.

It was not long before my marriage collapsed, too, leaving me to care alone for my daughter. I was left with no choice but to come to Almaty, where I could at least earn a little by selling seeds. I felt very angry and confused though, so, as is customary for Muslims in Kazakhstan, I visited a local fortune-teller to ask what my future held.

Another woman who was also consulting the fortune-teller handed me an invitation to visit a Christian church. Out of curiosity, I went along a few days later.

Truth and life

The first thing I noticed was a sign on the door which said, “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6, NIV). Then the Jesus film was shown. It had a great impact on me. Afterwards, they sang various songs and played traditional Kazakh instruments. The songs were about Jesus coming to take my sins away, and this also touched me deeply. After the meeting, someone handed me a leaflet containing questions and answers about the Bible and an invitation to the next meeting at that church. Having been so moved, I was keen to attend the following Sunday, but the church was quite a long way from where I was living and I could not afford the bus fare. It was looking as if I would not be able to go, but then two women suddenly turned up at the market and asked if it was true that I would like to attend the meeting. I immediately confirmed this and they organised for a taxi to take me there. They paid the taxi fare even though they didn’t go themselves.

Peace with God

It was at this meeting that I committed my life to Christ. When I arrived, everyone was sitting on the floor and I noticed the words from Matthew 11:28 – “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (NIV) – on the wall. The pastor asked if there was anyone in the congregation who wanted to find peace with God. I spoke up and they said they would pray with me. I was worried that I didn’t know how to pray, but they reassured me, telling me to simply say what was in my heart. Afterwards, they all embraced me and I’ve had peace with God ever since.

In the days and weeks that followed, I found it impossible to keep silent about what had happened to me. I told everyone I met at the market, and I frequently read aloud from a copy of the New Testament that I had been given. On one occasion, this brought me into conflict with the local mosque, but my prayers for protection were answered.

Since then, I have taken many people to church with me, including lots of the women who sell seeds in the market.

Once, a man came to me and asked where he could find a fortune-teller. He was desperate and was planning to take his own life. In answer, I gave him a Selection called Where is your God? and I invited him to come to church with me. Now he is a missionary in Mongolia, where Kazakhs make up 10 per cent of the population.

I pray every day that God will send me people I can tell about Jesus. I count it a great blessing that I now have the opportunity to devote my life to this, travelling around the whole of Kazakhstan in God’s service.

Please pray for our work. Our greatest need is to have the Old Testament translated into Kazakh. We already have the New Testament, but we really need the whole Bible when we are teaching people.

(WR 390/4 - 02.05)