Christmas in Central Asia: How refreshing it was to escape the madness of Christmas shopping and the expense of obligatory nights out and excessive present giving. In this town, over indulgence is not an option for most people, particularly as summer’s supplies of fresh fruit and vegetables are starting to run low.

The thing is though, that whilst living in a Muslim country means freedom from commercialism, it also means watching millions of people carrying out their lives completely unaware of what the birth of Jesus means for them. I was glad to be in Central Asia for Christmas but I was saddened by the fact that the greatest event in the history of the world – God leaving the splendour of heaven and coming to earth in order to defeat sin and restore our relationship with him – was being completely ignored. What would the effect be if people here were given the chance to respond to what God has done for them? How would it change their lives to discover that the way to live at peace with God lies not in the merit of being ‘good’ or religious but in the merit of Jesus’ life, his perfect life which he willingly gave up in order that we might be reunited with our heavenly father? What freedom would it give people who live in fear to know that Satan has been defeated?