Most Lezghi of the Caucasus Mountains survive as farmers or shepherds, growing what they need to eat and selling anything left over. “Hearing the Gospel for the first time is odd for the Lezghi,” overseas worker Carl Stroller says. “Most people spend months or even years contemplating the Gospel before they believe.” (IMB PHOTO)
Though their culture is Islamic, the Lezghi’s belief in God is deeply rooted in animism (spirit worship). Many have heard Jesus’ name but know Him only as a good man who did good things. (IMB PHOTO)
Soviet-era apartments line a street in a town where Stroller and his wife, Amy, work to share the Gospel. Stroller says life here is like a “time warp” because much of the town’s infrastructure and technology are stuck in the 1950s. Until recently, firewood was the only source of heat for the Stroller’s home during the winter. (IMB PHOTO)
Fresh fruit and vegetables help provide this Lezghi family with extra income. Poor by Western standards, most Lezghi families depend on the earth for food, selling surplus crops or livestock to earn money. (IMB PHOTO)
The green slopes of the Caucasus Mountains provide food for a flock of sheep and a beautiful backdrop for their shepherd. “Initially we thought that these people only needed to hear the Gospel and then they would start coming to faith,” Stroller says. “We never anticipated them being so obstinate to the Good News.” (IMB PHOTO)
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