San Diego goes to Kazakhstan

prayer request:
Kazakhstan Teaching Trip 2007

Thank you for your prayers!

It has been sometime since I traveled 24 hours to get somewhere. The travel is difficult, especially when you fly coach, but that is part of the calling to take the whole word to the whole world. Arriving to find Dr. Tim Dailey waiting, and seeing Dr. Kim Sam-Seong and Dr. Joshua Reichard (that’s right, he just completed his doctorate) later in the week made the trip sweet.

Arriving on Sunday morning, I had a bit of time to rest, and then enjoyed the Sunday evening service where Dr. Tim preached from Genesis 22, on the sacrifice it takes to walk in obedience to Christ. It was excellent, and the response to the message was wonderful, and several renewed their commitment to Christ and others made first time decisions for Christ.

Many things have changed in strategy since my last time of teaching here. For example, the graduate program for missionaries has moved to Turkey, due to greater accessibility for the students. Further, we are beginning this year to have 1-3 year programs in Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and other surrounding nations, for the ease of travel and to lower cost. Many of the teachers for these programs have been raised up in the seminar program here in Kazakhstan, and are now being released to disciples others in their lands...and so it goes, with a focus on church extension and planting all along the Silk Road.

This semester the teaching team consisted of just the three of us. This gave all of us a much harder load, but God was gracious. I had the privilege of teaching leadership from my book Visionary Leadership (which is in final edit for the new edition) and Environmental Analysis, based upon Dr. Patricia Hulsey’s wonderful book by the same name. Dr. Dailey taught on Spiritual Warfare, and Dr. Reichard taught on the Book of John. The students were and are so very receptive, and thanks to the leadership of Dr. Kim Sam-Seong and his team, the two weeks of intensive teaching has been exciting and productive. A final highlight to the week was the pledge made by Dr. Kim on behalf of his ministry to help us with a substantial donation to help us with our accreditation, which will help our international partners when achieved. Praise the Lord!

Your’s in Christ; Dr. Stan DeKoven

The Vision International Education Network, a San Diego Ministry and based in Ramona, offers both academic and vocational degree programs designed to prepare men and women for professional service in Christian Ministry and Community Service. Vision offers flexible and affordable distance education and online learning programs from Certificate to Master's Degree. Vision also offers dynamic local church-based training via its Resource Center outreach programs in 140 nations worldwide. The Vision International Education Network consists of four independently governed institutions united by a common commitment to deliver high quality education to the nations of the world in the spirit of Christian mission.