This story comes from Silk Road, one of our ministry partners in Central Asia. The Silk Road team includes various leaders who have a heart to serve in specific areas – often places they are from or live near. These leaders serve as regional coordinators and missionaries. They help sustain seeker groups and house churches and also evangelize to those who haven’t yet heard the Good News. This particular story is shared by one such coordinator.
Doston passed away, not even reaching the age of fifty. Like everyone else, he started a family and became a father. Life’s difficulties and family responsibilities forced him to go to distant Russia for work. There, things went well for him; he earned good money and began to live for his own pleasure.
Consumed by high income and daily entertainment, Doston became increasingly arrogant. One day, an acquaintance came to him with a Bible and told him about Jesus Christ. Later, a conflict arose between them, and, being drunk, Doston insulted his acquaintance with indecent words. These were not just insults – Doston rudely cursed the Bible he was reading and Jesus Christ. After this, Doston’s affairs took a downturn. It got to the point where he had neither bread nor money in his pocket. Leaving all his affairs, he returned to his hometown.
At home, he felt uneasy, and his health began to deteriorate. After a hospital examination, it was revealed that he had hepatitis B and D, as well as the onset of cirrhosis. Doston began treatment in the hospital. While there, he admitted that all these troubles came because he disregarded the faith of his friend and insulted the Bible and Jesus Christ. He deeply repented of his actions. In the hospital ward, he prayed, “Jesus, I admit that I insulted You, and I repent. If my soul can atone for my sins, then take my life, but don’t torment me anymore!”
However, his health did not improve despite the treatment. His abdomen and legs swelled severely, and he couldn’t get up, remaining bedridden. During these days, me and my brothers from Silk Road were in a village. We had finished a men’s fellowship, visited believers from another village, celebrated the harvest festival with the local community, and were about to visit fellow believers in the distant sands of another village. In the morning, we entrusted our day to the Lord Jesus in prayer, asking for His guidance.
Then someone called my brother and asked us to pray for Doston. We agreed and went to his house. When we entered, he was lying on the bed with a severely swollen abdomen and legs. We shared the Good News about Jesus Christ with him from beginning to end. He confirmed every word we said, nodding his head. “In our practice, it is rare to find a person so ready for repentance.” Doston began to confess his sins and ask for forgiveness aloud. He said with bitter remorse that he deeply regretted insulting Jesus and the Bible and couldn’t hold back the tears of repentance.
That day, Doston accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. After repeating the prayer of repentance, he told us, “Today, the knot that had been in my heart for ten years has been untied. I feel lighter.” Then, we prayed for his healing and left him a player with audio recordings of the Word of God. Leaving his house, we praised the Lord, rejoicing that He used us in the salvation of this man.
Four to five days later, Doston’s son called me and said that his father’s condition had worsened and asked if I could come. I went. Doston could barely speak, his body was shaking from pain, and his mouth was dry. In great agony, he constantly cried out, “Lord, forgive me for everything I have done!”
Holding back my tears, I watched this and thought that Doston had become my brother in faith. His last words were, “Last night, I saw Jesus in a dream.” His dream came true – he went to the Lord.
I live here on the fourth floor with my family, renting an apartment. For ten days, we have had no water. I carried forty liters of water from afar just to fill the toilet tank. If, for the salvation of people like Doston and the expansion of God’s Kingdom among my people, I have to carry water all my life, I am ready and will be glad to do it as long as necessary, so that God’s work continues in our region! May the name of Jesus be glorified!
