[2026 Ramadan] Day 11 – By the zeal of the LORD of hosts, the Volga–Ural will rise and bring revival to all nations!

Islam and Christianity coexist in this region, where a World Religions Temple stands. It includes Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan—famous as the place where the Russian literary giant Tolstoy once lived—and the Crimean Peninsula, where the Yalta Conference that ended World War II and ushered in the Cold War era was held. There is also Bashkortostan, the first autonomous republic within Russia. Across these three regions, the Volga–Ural peoples live in the form of autonomous republics within Russia.

The Tatar people—once conquerors who ruled the world as part of the Mongol Empire—were devastatingly defeated by the Russian army in 1552 amid turbulent history. As if losing their nation were not enough, the brutally harsh Russian rule trampled Islam, the last vestige of Volga–Ural pride, through forced conversion. In subzero temperatures below −30°C, only Tatars who received baptism in the Russian Orthodox manner survived. This tragedy reportedly claimed over one million Tatar lives by drowning. Yet this catastrophe only strengthened the Tatars’ Islamic identity, and accepting Christianity came to be regarded as an act of ethnic betrayal.

The Tatars take pride in seeing themselves as leaders of Islam. When the Mongol Empire collapsed and northern peoples’ Islam faced extinction, it was the Tatars who rescued it from crisis. Through Jadidism, an Islamic reform movement among northern peoples, they led Islamic modernization. They believe they understand best the form of Islam demanded by modern society. As a result, Tatar Islam bears strong currents of liberalism, secularism, and success-oriented values.

They even regard devout Arab Muslims who faithfully observe Ramadan as pre-modern religious people. A belief is widespread among Tatars that Russians are saved through Orthodoxy and Tatars through Islam—thus, “all religions ultimately lead to one truth.” Even so, they consider themselves deeply faithful Muslims.

Moreover, under the influence of secularized Russian culture, the Tatars suffer deep spiritual darkness—divorce rates reaching 95%, and widespread depression and bipolar disorder across the population. The spiritually dying Tatar people need the One who is the Truth: Jesus Christ. Only the gospel can save the Tatar people.

Brother H struggled with mental illness, had strange tattoos, and, due to a sensitive personality, had no friends around him. Student missionaries lived with him, reading Scripture and praying together every dawn, and during the day they shared in street evangelism. At first, he did not believe in Jesus’ existence and said there was no God, yet during evangelism he would explain the gospel directly to other unbelievers. One day, Brother H confessed, “I think I love Jesus,” and stood sincerely before God. After that, he participated in worship for the nations and missionary training, embracing God’s dreams and vision.

In this land, there is a church planted in 1991 with about 300 members. The congregation includes various ethnic groups—Kalmyk (of Mongolic origin), Tatar, Russian, and Chuvash—and they are passionate about evangelism and the proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of souls. Every Saturday, they host a friends-invitation gathering, inviting youth and young adults who do not yet believe in Jesus to the church for gospel-centered fellowship. Every Friday, they also engage in street evangelism with the saints, pressing forward with zeal for soul-winning.

We believe that the Tatar, Crimean Tatar, and Bashkir peoples will see not another name, but the salvation of God alone. In particular, in Tatarstan one can meet numerous Muslim students and workers from India, Africa, and Central Asia—Kazakhs, Uzbeks, Tajiks, Kyrgyz, and Turkmen. A powerful gospel movement in this land will flow beyond it into Central Asia and to all nations.