Dear friends,
We offer you to read the e-mailing between Ayana Kurmanova – altayan from the Ulagan village, and between Richard Hewitt – American researcher and father of 2 sons, that lived for long time in Kyrgyzstan and fluently speaks Kyrgyz language. To make it comfortable, we publish Ayana’s summarized messages and Richard’s entire letters. We decided to give a name to this messaging according to its main idea. If you get any questions, comments or ideas regarding these topics, we would be glad if you connect with us.
Enjoy your reading!
THE WORD NEAR TO US
10.03.2016. Ayana:
I wrote to Richard and his wife Cornelia. I reminded that I am from Altai, a daughter of Yura and Chechek.
I did a seminar for creating ethno cultural web-sites and we’ve opened the Sudur Bichik page. I remembered Richard and his teaching at the Newlife church in Gorno-Altaisk many years ago. At that time I didn’t hear it completely, but I know that was very interesting. That’s why I’ve found Richard’s email address through our common friend Regula, and asked Richard to tell more of that.
16.03.2016. Richard to Ayana:
Hi Ayana,
I’m honored to receive your letter. Your father and mother touched my heart very much. I have never forgotten them or the many children running through your home. I believe I have a memory of you at your home.
Your site: sudurbichik.ru is beautiful. I enjoyed hearing the Altai language again. May God use your site to reach your people.
Regarding my teaching: there is much I like to teach about, but one of my favorite topics is the nearness of each ethnicity to Messiah Isa. He is so good and close to all of us. I believe every nation was created to love God through a relationship with Jesus. Only in Jesus do we become true Altai, or true Kyrgyz, or true Americans. Jesus is the king of kings - the true king of every nationality. Michael Jackson was king of pop. He was the embodiment of pop music. Jesus is King of the Jews. He is the most perfect Jew who ever lived. Likewise, The King of kings appears to be the embodiment of Kyrgyz wisdom, character, and culture, and Altai culture, etc. Christianity and church don’t always feel very Kyrgyz or Altai, but Isa does. There is nothing foreign about him. He is the DNA of every nation. When I was in Altai I felt this very powerfully. I did not think Jesus was asking the Altai people to come to him through a Western or Slavic culture or religion, but directly to Him as Altais. Is this the teaching you were interested in? There are many verses I used. Some times I taught for 9 hours on this topic.
The are other topics I like to teach about. Let me know what you remember.
Please send a big greeting to your parents. We really miss them.
Hugs from Cornelia.
Blessings,
Richard
26.03.2016. Ayana:
I wrote to Richard that I’d like to learn more. When he was visiting Altai, I heard only some pieces, or the end of the teaching, where my mother was sharing about the altai epos (ancient poem) which is similar to the Gospel. It was a long time ago. My dream is that other people in Altai get involved in this research, that they would discover Jesus in our own culture and national character. It would be good to see Richard come to Altai again and share those revelations. We miss Cornelia a lot, and my mom always wonders, where is she and is she doing. I think so many people in Altai remember and miss them both, and wanna hear from them.
I’ve explained, that I’ll be in Moscow during next 3,5 years, but hope to visit Altai often as possible.
These days I met my aunt Synaru in Moscow. She came to start working on the new translation of the children's Bible into Altai language with IBT. The first translation we had was very difficult for children’s mind. I asked Richard to pray for her and for Altai people.
27.03.2016. Richard to Ayana:
Hi Ayana,
Your letters are very encouraging. Please say Hi to Synaru. She is a gem. Cornelia and the boys are in Switzerland. She is a wonderful mother.
Regarding my teaching, I’ll share one little section about the word being near.
I believe one of the best Good-Newsizers/messengers will be someone who knows both God and Altai culture very well. In Matthew 13 Isa says,
“Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”
The teacher of the law is someone who knows Jewish culture. He can bring out old treasures from the ancient culture and laws of Judaism, and new treasures too from his new faith and experiences. A drug addict or someone else who becomes a disciple in the kingdom of heaven can only bring new treasures, not old treasures, because he does not know the old culture and can’t make the connection, but he is excited to share about Jesus and can teach people how to love him, but not from the old ways. He cannot bring out ancient treasures.
Someone who knows the Altai ways and culture and traditions, and is also a disciple in the kingdom of heaven will be able to make the connection between your ancient Altai ways and God’s ways. He/she will be able to call the nation back to your original God (the God of heaven) and back to being true Altais, whom God made beautifully and loves powerfully.
Romans 10 has an amazing passage about people who carry God’s message. First Paul says:
... the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
When Paul quotes, “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” he is quoting this verse from the Torah:
Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.
I like these passages because I believe we do not need to change our speech (except for removing bad words and curses).
Kyrgyz grandmothers say to their grandkids,
“Балекетиң аланайын,
сен үчүн кагылайын”
“Let me take your curse
and be nailed for you.”
It is the message of heaven in their mouth. All they need to do is insert the name of the person who not only said he would be nailed, but was nailed. There are so many things like this in Kyrgyz culture.
"Кыздын баласындай таза."
"As pure as a virgin’s child."
And
"Өлөп, кайра тирил”
“Die and be raised”
Likewise, the word is near the Altai people. It is already in the mouth of your people. All your people need to do is insert the name of Isa. You do not need to develop a new Christian-Altai speech.
I also do not like Christian words like evangelize, Christian, missionary, baptize, pastor, Bible, gospel, and other similar words, because I believe your language has better words than those untranslated Western/Russian Christian words.
One more thing about the Word being near: when Jesus taught things like, “When someone hits you on one cheek, turn and offer the other cheek” I don’t think Jesus was making a new statement. I believe statements like that existed in his culture already, but he was taking those comments seriously, and living the truth of those ancient cultural sayings. He was the ultimate Jew. Likewise, I think Altai believers should be the ultimate Altais.
I can share more later if you want.
God bless you and greetings to Synaru,
Richard
12.05.2016. Ayana:
I asked Richard, if I may publish his letter on our web-site. All the last times I was busy writing a paper for my study and didn’t have enough time to work on the website. I would like to translate his letter and post it.
In 2016 Altai celebrates 260 years with Russia. I hope to present a website somehow for our public.
25.05.2015. Richard to Ayana:
Yes Ayana,
You may publish what I wrote, but please publish it as it was, a letter to you.
I can write more if you are interested.
Blessings to you and your parents and your people,
Richard
TO BE CONTINUED...
