Craig and Debbie Rayner

The trees are now draped with green and tulips have risen and passed their peek. Spring has come and we are grateful for the warmer weather, casting off coats for light sweaters/jumpers and bringing a bag to put them in for the return from work.

Update on Joseph. He is never, ever allowed on a trampoline again, and the cheerful young man has come back into school, on a half day schedule and has dropped all but core courses. His head injury is on the mend and each week he is stronger. We give thanks for his continuing recovery!

Kyrgyzstan border is now open to expats and the school is back on track with all but one teacher with new visas. Please continue to lift up the country as the revolution has stopped many hospitals, and schools as well as government departments from operating.

One of our teachers is in Thailand. Her husband had brain surgery and is now recovering well, after losing balance, hearing and sight. Please be lifting them up, as they have 5 children and no visas to come home yet.

April flew by with business at school, the spring team conference with our y family, the spring banquet (like a grad ball) which we where invited to attend. And then to top it all off last weekend was spring sale at school.

Panfilov Park, Memorial Statue

We have had two long weekends back to back. Last week was labour day May 1st. and this weekend is victory day, the commemoration of the end of WWII in Europe. I made the mistake of not knowing the victory day holiday, as we celebrate Remembrance Day in November. During our weekly Kazakh club, I asked about the holidays and the locals where all shocked and possibly offended that I did not know the date of the end of WWII. For every Kazakh in the room had lost their grandfather in WWII. I was educated, 20-30 million soldiers from the former USSR had died and no one knew where or when. They urged us to go to the memorial on Sunday the 9th. Craig and I agreed, and so yesterday after an extra celebration of men at church, we headed to the park. The entrance to the park had flower sellers with masses of carnations and roses. We ended up following families whose children carried flowers to the memorial. It was a mob scene as families took pictures, people selling toys, and lots of ice cream sellers. Teenagers where working on painting a wall mural. For such a poignant day, the crowd was not unhappy, they where laughing and enjoying the gift that their grandfather’s had bought them, sharing stories with the children. There where a handful of soldiers with medals, and women wearing medals as well. What a tribute to the memory of sacrifice.

I have been challenged this month with difference between intersession and intervention. I am always in awe of the idea of moving a huge number of people through the desert. Moses was wild, but he had a great plan, trust and obey. But there is a time where everyone is moaning and he is probably thirsty too and there is no water. There are a couple of versions of the story; in one he is told to speak to a rock, so he goes speaks and then strikes the rock, water comes out, but then he gets in trouble for doing more than he was told to. So he is not to go with the people into the promised land. Well the other version is that he was supposed to strike the rock and he did and water came out. There is no mention of the whole doing more, just of doing! What follows is a great battle, not that Moses fights, he goes up on a hill and holds up his hands. You know the story; he intercedes and while the hands stay up, the battle belongs to them. But Moses gets tired and so others step in to hold up his hands. Like props, they often are not remembered but the work they did was invaluable. As we step into the work here, often the work of props – holding up people’s arms. Surely, we need propping up as well, and we thank you for all your support. Whether we are told to intercede or intervene, we do not do any of this alone, we are part of the family. We need each other!

"Are we engaging in acts of service that take us into places of anonymity and invisibility?" ^{(Crouch, Andy., Culture Making: 2008)}

What do the words sacrifice and service bring to your mind? My definition of service has been turned over by the thought that service without correct motive is not service at all. Service that takes the local youth group to see the world's poor as an outreach may or may not be service. It all depends on motive. Is the motive to help those they visit without regard for self, or is the motive one that seeks to grow the individuals and group on outreach.

Now do not get me wrong! Growing a youth group in knowledge of the world's issues, exposing them to the people who do not have a choice of what they will eat tonight are good objectives for a youth group. BUT, if this is the mindset of the young people, then they end up using the people they are visiting to gain their own objective. Such a visit is an abuse of power!

Towards the end of David's life the writer of the story recounts the exploits of David's mighty men. One story (2 Sam 23:13-17) tells of David's thirst for the water of the well of Bethlehem. Bethlehem, David's home town, was at that time the headquarters of the Philistine army. Three of David's men take David's request literally, and fight their way into Bethlehem, draw water from the well and return to David with their prize. David refuses to accept this service of his men. In David's eyes, to do so would be an abuse of his power as commander, and the service of the three men becomes a sacrifice as David pours out the water as an offering to the MD.

For me, thinking through these issues in my own life, I have been reminded of why Deb and I are in Kazakhstan. Are we in Kazakhstan to help people? Maybe! Are we in Kazakhstan because our club in Hong Kong felt it was the destination for us? Probably not! Are we in Kazakhstan because our service and sacrifice are the same thing; obedience to the MD's call because we love the MD. Each day we see huge need around us. People who need food, people who need love, people who need a saviour. The issue for Deb and I is always one of service, but that services can only be sacrifice when we serve as directed, not as we see need. As we talk with the MD about you, our cheerleaders, we ask that each service you do will also be your sacrifice as well, be it at the office each day, as you pour yourself into your children, or help someone in a random way. We ask that we all find ourselves in a work that is sacrificial as we serve the MD.

Contact Details

Phone:
Australian Phone: +61 (0)2 6100 3637 This phone number connects with my Skype account and has a messaging service.

Our E-Mail Addresses: and

Current (Kazakhstan) Postal Address:
10a Basenova St
Almaty 050060
Republic of Kazakhstan

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Contact details were last updated on the 18^th December, 2009.