The Uzbeks (about 20 million) live in Uzbekistan, Central Asia. Uzbek belongs to the Turkic language family. The Uzbeks are Muslims.

A Christian woman from Central Asia regularly travels to her Muslim homeland, where everyone knows that she is a Christian. “Some years ago I came to a village inhabited by Uzbeks. A new mosque had just been built,” she reported. “The mullah proudly showed me the new building and probably expected criticism from me as a Christian. But I praised the mosque and said that I hoped that God’s word would be preached there. He was surprised, and when I gave him a copy of the New Testament in Uzbek he took it, touched it with his lips and forehead and finally held it close to his heart. A group of men had gathered around us and when they saw how the mullah received the New Testament with such honour they also wanted books, but unfortunately I did not have any more with me.”

“Recently I visited my country and travelled back to the same village,” she said. “The mullah had heard about my arrival and came towards me on the road. While still far off, he called out: “My daughter! You’ve returned at last! Do you remember that when you were here last time you gave me the New Testament in Uzbek? I am so grateful to you! Now I know every Friday what to read in our mosque, and I have a holy book which shows the way to God in my language. The other books that I have I could not understand, but this one helps me to prepare my sermons and give hope to those who listen!”