Russian Ministries’ announcement came after local Christians reportedly said microphones have been planted in churches, and spies have been recruited to infiltrate church leaders in Uzbekistan. Russian Ministries’ Senior Vice President Sergey Rakhuba, who visited Uzbekistan, said "cell groups and small groups and family churches have to meet underground secretly…[However] I was surprised to hear that despite very hard persecution, the church is growing. Some of the pastors are in prison now for their faith in Uzbekistan."
Rakhuba told the US-based Mission Network News broadcaster that his visit "was like visiting the first century church." Yet, he said, "This persecution inspires them [to believe] that they’re following the true God." The trip wasn’t problem-free, however as his team was apparently robbed. "All our possessions were gone. Most [of the] concern was about all the contacts
we had in the luggage. We’re praying that it will not cause more persecution for the believers there."
Rakhuba said his organization has launched a ‘Schools Without Walls’ program aimed at "training young Uzbek believers" to "continue expanding their church." He said "many Tajik and Uzbek" believers from Afghanistan are living in Uzbekistan are also participating in the program. "They want to receive some basic training, and [they’re] planning to move back to Afghanistan to reach out to their communities in Afghanistan, reaching out to Uzbeks and Tajiks," he explained
5,000 BELIEVERS
Rakhuba estimated there are about 5,000 evangelical believers in Azerbaijan who he said he has been able to help as he personally "lived through persecution during the Soviet days."
Churches and human rights groups say persecution increased under president Islam Karimov, who has dominated the leadership since 1989 when he rose to be Communist Party leader in then Soviet Uzbekistan. Karimov, they say, takes a "ruthlessly authoritarian approach" to all forms of opposition.
Christianity is apparently among the perceived threats by authorities in the country. (With BosNewsLife Research and BosNewsLife Monitoring).
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