25Uzbekistan

Despite being a secular state, Uzbekistan can be an enormously challenging place for its small pocket of Christians to express and share their faith.

Cumbersome and unattainable restrictions can hinder churches. This includes a recently introduced requirement for churches to have a minimum number of members, yet for small congregations, that number is impossible to reach. Churches that fail to comply with government protocols – for example, by possessing “unauthorised” materials – are at risk of raids, arrests, threats, and heavy fines. It’s a different story for Russian Orthodox churches: they rarely encounter problems because of their limited engagement with the native Uzbek population.

Converts from Islam can face strong opposition from their families and community, particularly those living in rural regions where Islamic and clan identity is strong. Unsurprisingly, many believers feel forced to keep their faith secret.

Meet Ahmad

“Just the fact that we look out for them makes them curious. Through the project with the wells, about 300 families have already heard about Jesus. They meet in house groups. Thirty Afghans have been baptised in just one month.”

Ahmad* (name changed), Central Asia.

What does Open Doors do to help?

Open Doors strengthens the Church in Central Asia through numerous initiatives, including literature distribution, prayer support, presence ministry, livelihood support and women’s ministries.