A few months ago, EEM partners in Kyrgyzstan created a Bible Quiz to encourage churches to memorize Scripture.
But what began as a memorization challenge became something much deeper.
Aigul, one of the participants, began reading the Toorat —- the first five books of the Old Testament (known to us as the Pentateuch). The Toorat was given to her in a new translation, one she hadn’t owned before.
Kyrgyzstan, like many countries, was once under communist Soviet Union rule, during which local language and culture were severely oppressed for decades. It is mainly a Muslim country. Growing up, Aigul often heard people say that Jesus was a “Russian God,” and that faith in Him was a “Russian religion.” She never knew how to respond.
But she started reading.
At first, it was just for preparation. But as the days passed, she noticed a change. The words became clearer, the message more personal. Concepts like family and love felt deeper to her than she had ever experienced before, and the names in Scripture no longer felt distant: they felt familiar.
What began with curiosity turned into something far more personal: a desire to truly know the God of the Toorat.
For the first time, Aigul felt that God was near: and she wanted others to feel Him too. Aigul fell in love with Scripture. She continues to read, eager to know God more each day. She happily shares about her new love with her family and friends.
Her story is a powerful reminder: when people encounter God’s Word, hearts change. What was once distant becomes personal. What was once closed begins to open.
This is why God's Word is so important: it transforms everything.
One interesting part of Aigul’s story is the name her team decided on: “MUHID.”
In Genesis 1:10, God gathers the waters and calls them “seas.” In Kyrgyz, MUHID means “sea.” Aigul believed God brought their team together—just like the waters—so they could encounter His Word, together.