Mission Trip Highlight: Uzbekistan

Hello! My name is Elizabeth Lin, and I was a part of the 2025 missions team to Uzbekistan this past July. From July 10th-20th, together with other fellow New Wave members, Quan, Ben, Lydia, Karen, and Yang, we embarked on a journey to Uzbekistan with a shared goal to put on the first ever youth conference for the daughter churches of ROLCC. 

This year’s trip differed from last year’s trip, in that instead of traveling to rural Uzbekistan, our team mainly stayed in the Tashkent region of Uzbekistan. I believe this year’s mission trip was made possible because of the friendships and relationships built from last year’s inaugural Uzbekistan mission trip. Upon landing in Tashkent airport after an almost 20 hour long journey, Pastor Ikhtior and Faxridin of the Tashkent church greeted us at 5am. I was astonished that the pastors would personally come to the airport to welcome us and do so at the expense of their own sleep. The hospitality and warmth of the Uzbek people was a consistent thread throughout our trip. 

As many of us have worked together in youth ministry before, this trip felt like a perfect continuation of ministry for all that we’ve experienced in serving together already. As it was my first mission trip as an adult, I came in with no expectations, only with the hope that we would meet the Uzbek youth and be able to connect with them and encourage them in their faith. Little did I know, after the week in Uzbekistan, I would be the one completely humbled and also strengthened in my faith, witnessing firsthand their fiery faith and hunger for the Lord stand strong in the midst of political and social scrutiny and uncertainty. 

大家好！我叫Elizabeth Lin，今年七月我作為2025短宣隊的一員前往烏茲別克。 7月10日至20日，我和其他幾位New Wave的成員，Quan, Ben, Lydia, Karen, 和Yang，一起踏上了前往烏茲別克的旅程，我們的共同目標是為ROLCC在烏茲別克的分堂舉辦首屆青年大會。

今年的行程與去年有所不同，我們團隊沒有前往烏茲別克的鄉村地區，而是主要待在塔什幹地區。我相信，今年的短宣之所以能夠成行，要歸功於去年首次在烏茲別克短宣中建立的友誼和關係。經過近20個小時的飛行，我們抵達塔什幹機場時，塔什幹教會的Ikhtior牧師和Faxridin牧師在凌晨5點迎接了我們。牧師們竟然親自到機場迎接我們，甚至犧牲了自己的睡眠，這讓我感到非常驚訝。烏茲別克人民的熱情好客貫穿了我們整個旅程。

我們許多人之前都一起參與過青少年事工，所以這趟旅程感覺就像是對我們之前共同服事經驗的完美延續。這是我成年後的第一次短宣，我並沒有抱太大的期望，只是希望能夠遇見烏茲別克的年輕人，與他們建立聯繫，並在信仰上鼓勵他們。然而，我萬萬沒想到，在烏茲別克度過一週之後，我反而會成為那個被深深觸動、信仰更加堅定的人。我親眼目睹了他們在政治和社會動盪不安的環境中，對主的熾熱信仰和渴慕之心是如何堅定不移的。

Our first three days was filled with getting to know our fellow Uzbek family: Pastor Salavat, Pastor Ikhtior, Faxridin, and our translator Sardor. Throughout the trip, we definitely ate very well. Around shared meals, we got to fellowship and deepen our relationship with the pastors that had been working hard to get all the youth conference details ready behind the scenes. We also got to pray together with the pastors. 

頭三天，我們忙著認識烏茲別克的同胞：Salavat牧師、Ikhtior牧師、Faxridin，還有我們的翻譯Sardor。整個旅程中，我們都吃得很好。在共享美食的同時，我們彼此交流，加深了與牧師們的友誼。他們一直在幕後辛勤籌備青年大會的各項事宜。我們也和牧師們一起禱告。

One of those days, Pastor Salavat took us to an area called Chinorkent “the city of trees.” From the top of the mountain, we could see down into the valley, which was mostly dry arid desert land and a small reservoir. Pastor Salavat shared with us the difficulties facing the church in Uzbekistan. The continued unemployment struggles meant that many fathers and males needed to leave for Russia to make sure they made enough money to put food on tables for their families. The absence of father figures and leaders in the church is now a huge loss that is felt in the social fabric of the church and its community. Another prayer point was for the Uzbekistan government, that they would abolish corruption and truly make changes that would be good for the entirety of Uzbekistan, not just the top 1% of people. I remembered Pastor Salavat saying earnestly to us all, “please do not forget us who are in Uzbekistan,” and hearing the humble plea come from a pastor’s mouth made my heart break. They were grateful that we came all the way from America to stand with them and support them in their mission. 

I felt like God saying He had not forgotten them. In sending us, I was humbled knowing we were an answer to their prayers. Yet who were we, with our own brokenness and struggles? Simply people who had heard the call and answered. 

有一天，Salavat牧師帶我們去了奇諾爾肯特－「樹城」。從山頂俯瞰山谷，那裡大多是乾燥貧瘠的沙漠，只有一個小水庫。Salavat牧師向我們講述了烏茲別克教會面臨的困境。持續的失業意味著許多父親和男性必須前往俄羅斯打工，以確保能夠賺到足夠的錢養家糊口。教會中缺乏父親般的人物和領袖，這給教會及其社區的社會結構帶來了巨大的損失。另一個禱告事項是為烏茲別克政府祈求，希望他們能夠根除腐敗，真正做出對全體烏茲別克人民有益的改變，而不僅僅是讓那1%的頂層人士受益。我記得Salavat牧師懇切地對我們所有人說：「請不要忘記我們這些在烏茲別克的人。」聽到一位牧師如此謙卑地懇求，我的心都碎了。他們很感激我們從美國遠道而來，與他們站在一起，並支持他們的使命。

我感覺神在說，祂沒有忘記他們。讓我謙卑的是，神差遣我們去那裡，回應了他們的禱告。然而，我們自己也曾經歷過破碎和掙扎，我們是誰呢？我們只不過是聽到呼召並回應的人而已。

Before we knew it, it was time to go to the youth conference. The retreat site was way better than we could’ve imagined. It felt more like a getaway for youth, and I was so glad that the youth got to experience their first ever conference in an environment that welcomed them to rest from their usual day-to-day lives. Their smiling, shy faces greeted us, and slowly over time they began to open up more to us. I remember their fervent singing during worship as I tried my best to lead the worship songs in Russian. Watching them play games and enjoying them wholeheartedly in the heat of the summer afternoon was equally heartwarming. The most memorable moment was the last night of the conference, when all the members got to pray for all the conference attendees. During that time, we got to hear what they were going through. Underneath all their warm smiles and open hearts, they opened up to us and we had the honor to pray for them and their specific requests. One person shared afterwards how they felt before like they didn’t matter, but now after receiving prayer, they felt seen and like they mattered to God. 

不知不覺，就到了參加青年大會的時間。營地比我們想像的還要好得多。這裡更像是青少年之路，我很高興青少年們第一次參加這樣的大會，就在一個讓他們暫時擺脫日常生活、放鬆身心的環境中。他們帶著羞澀的笑容迎接我們，隨著時間的推移，他們慢慢地敞開了心扉。我記得在敬拜時，我盡力用俄語帶領大家唱讚美詩，他們熱情地唱歌。看著他們在夏日午後的炎熱中玩得不亦樂乎，也同樣令人感動。最難忘的時刻是大會的最後一晚，所有成員一起為所有大會參與者者禱告。在那段時間裡，我們聽到了他們的故事。在他們溫暖的笑容和敞開的心扉背後，他們向我們傾訴，我們很榮幸能為他們以及他們的具體需求禱告。事後，有人分享說，以前他們覺得自己無關緊要，但現在接受禱告後，他們覺得自己被看見了，覺得他們對神來說很重要。

I learned from this trip, God just needs our simple “yes” to work through us. God is always working, and He has not forgotten about His people in Uzbekistan. We just need to hear His call to us and step forward with willing hearts to serve and spread His love. I pray that everyday my life would look like that, not just on a mission field thousands of miles away from home. From that heart posture, we can truly live our lives for something greater than ourselves - to bring the kingdom of God here on earth and serve His people wherever we go.

這次短宣讓我明白，神只需要我們簡單地說“是”，就能透過我們成就祂的旨意。上帝一直在動工，祂從未忘記祂在烏茲別克的子民。我們只需要聆聽祂的呼召，並以甘心樂意的心去服事祂，傳揚祂的愛。我禱告，我生命中的每一天都能如此，而不僅僅是在遠離家鄉數千英里的宣教工場上。從這種心態出發，我們才能真正為超越自身的目標而活──將神的國帶到地上，無論走到哪裡都服事祂的子民。