I've prayed for issues in foreign countries before and always figured I would never, this side of Heaven, know how or even if my prayer was answered.

Back in 2004, my Husband went on a mission trip to Kyrgyzstan. He's a web/graphics guy. He and a partner were going over there for two weeks to teach graphics design classes. Those that took the classes were going to use their knowledge to create Christian materials for distribution in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and other countries in Central Asia. This was way out of his comfort zone and a friend of ours encouraged him by telling him this story:

There was a man who had been arrested and was in prison for his faith in Christ. The man received a visit from his daughter. She gave him a pen. The man took that pen and wrote scripture on any stray piece of paper that came his way and then gave the scripture away to others. Many of them became Christians from reading the scripture on those bits of paper.

Our friend encouraged my Husband by telling him, "Be the pen! Be the tool that helps others draw others to Christ."

So he went, and it was a wonderful, life-changing event for him. He came back feeling as if he had been able to "be the pen."

In 2005, we began studying the Eastern Hemisphere, using Sonlight. One of the books included was titled Praying Through the 100 Gateway Cities of the 10/40 Window. Such a great book! It includes prayer requests for 100 of the major cities in the 10/40 window. On page 91 of our copy is Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, where my Husband went. And guess what prayer request #5 is??????

"Pray for the distribution of the Kyrgyz New Testament and other Christian media and literature."

This book was first published in 1990. The man who sponsored Darin and his partner in their trip runs a print shop in Kyrgyzstan. He uses his business to support the printing and free distribution of Christian literature. One of his proudest moments was when he was able to print a little booklet of Proverbs to be distributed and used in Kyrgyz schools. He set up his shop around the mid-90's. Then in 2004, my Husband and his partner traveled to Kyrgyzstan to teach the graphics classes - there is no school in Kyrgyzstan that teaches graphics design. So now there are more people in Kyrgyzstan and the surrounding countries who can make an impact for God through printed materials.

It has been such a blessing to be able to look back and see how my husband, his partner, the print shop owner, and the others who work with him, are direct answers to prayer. I think about all the people who prayed this prayer for Bishkek, and I wonder how many of them know that the prayer has been, and continues to be answered in so many different ways, through different people from all over the world. It's just so NEAT!

So if you ever get to the point where you feel your prayers for a foreign country are ineffective, think again, and say another prayer! :-)

If you would like to read my Husband's journal of his trip, go HERE.