Central Asian Unengaged Peoples

Tajikistan is a mountainous country of almost 10 million people and is predominately home to rural communities. While the economy has improved over the past 15 years, it retains very high levels of unemployment or underemployment and remains one of the poorest Central Asian countries. The money that migrant workers send back to their families in Tajikistan is nearly 40% of the gross domestic product (GDP). Due to seasonal work, migrant workers leaving Tajikistan make up almost one-third of the working population. Most of these migrant workers are men aged 18-40, with many leaving behind wives and young children, although in the past few years, the number of younger women becoming migrant workers has increased. Due in large part to the dim economic prospects at home, many young people are doing almost everything they can to move to places like Germany for work or education, hoping for a better life. Pray for wisdom as workers seek strategies to engage these migrant workers. Ask the Lord to give nearby churches a heart to reach these people. Petition God to put it on the hearts of upcoming leaders to remain in Tajikistan and seek bivocational living in the homeland rather than leaving to become migrant workers.