The climate in the Pamir mountains, Tajikistan, can be very severe. Due to the region’s high altitude, the only available time to carry out any construction work is during April – October so this puts limits on opportunities for building.
While the Pamiris are a mountainous people, most are well-educated and have a profound love of literature. During 2022 one of the local authorities asked a Gospel church if they would be willing to renovate the village library, which had not been repaired since the 1970s. Through this invitation, God opened wide a door on the top of the world and into the hearts of the people.
Our mission partners expressed a desire to help the local community by reconstructing the local library, and SGA was pleased to be able to offer financial assistance. This was considered an opportunity to make contacts and break down opposition to the Gospel. Soon a team began to reconstruct the building, with local people offering accommodation in their homes while others cooked and did laundry. For three months the team worked hard to complete the project. During this time, the believers had a great opportunity to witness to local people about the love of God in personal conversations.
The renovated library is now a spacious, bright, and comfortable building which welcomed over 300 people to its opening, including students, teachers, frontline workers, law enforcement agencies, the press, and representatives from the district’s authorities. With permission from the local authorities, believers were able to place Bible sets (including family and children‘s Bibles) and New Testaments in the library, so that the Bible is now available to any Pamiri who has the desire to read it. It is a wonderful development to have God’s Word in a public library in this part of Central Asia. The new library will become a public education centre, where people can read the Word of God and learn more about Jesus Christ.
The ongoing practical help given by the church has helped to build trust among the local people. They now know that when Christians come, help comes – and not only practical help, but the Word of God, bringing hope and life.
Alongside the reconstruction of the library, work began on erecting a new Hope Centre which will serve children, reach out to families and into other villages, and serve as a base for missionaries. Pray for its completion, and that through God’s Word in the library and the Hope Centre, this region will be greatly impacted by the Gospel.
