Silk Road Resources

In the book of Isaiah, heaven is described as “a feast of rich food for all peoples” (25:6). Some cultures do their very best to recreate this extravagant hospitality on earth. You Prepare a Table for Me “Boldi, boldi,” Amangul says impatiently to her mom. I look at Amangul blankly. When she’s with her mother, [...]

Pain and heartache arrive in most of our lives at some point. May God be our hope for the future in the face of trauma and broken relationships. How much longer? My sister is crying again. She hardly makes a sound. There’s just the silent shaking of bony shoulders, and tears rolling down a pale [...]

Wherever we live, our lives are punctuated by rhythms of work, and of rest. But, even if our bodies are resting, our souls may still be burdened by many worries. Rest Time “回来咯” Mr Ma calls out, “I’m back.” Only silence answers. The room is strewn with dishes and toys. An abandoned bowl of rice [...]

This Ramadan, we have asked different friends to share short reflections with us, all on our theme of Psalm 23. This is a very special moment in history, when the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting our lives and shaking our confidence. What does God have to say to us through this Psalm for our lives, right here, [...]

“It’s the one with the white ear...” I ask anxiously. But my brother, Maksat, is already hurrying up the path to the next yurt. “We haven’t seen your sheep,” the man at the door answers gruffly. Despite his tone of voice, I know he will spread word to all the families in our valley. Sheep [...]

马文凯, MaWenKai came home last night. He’s been my husband for seven years, and in all that time he’s never held down a job for more than six months. He travelled to the north-east for work. He was supposed to come back with a bank card full of money. Lots of people from our area [...]

"Eid-al-Fitr is the three-day festival that marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan for my family and thousands of other Muslim families in China. The Best Clothes Early on the first day of Eid-al-Fitr I will lead the family in ceremonial washing, after which, for this very special day, we put on our [...]

Join Cat on her journey along China's Silk Road exploring three very different cities and learning more about the people who call this region home. Want to explore the area yourself? Take a look at our Silk Road prayer journeys to find out more: opportunities.omf.org/opportunities?search=hui%20and%20journey

A very quick trip along the Silk Road, which has been a highway of trade, commerce and cultural exchange for over 20 centuries. Want to explore the area yourself at a slower pace? Take a look at our Silk Road prayer journeys to find out more: opportunities.omf.org/opportunities?search=hui%20and%20journey

After reviewing local foods in a series of other videos, Greg takes a look at the mighty Yellow River!

I have never been so thankful for noodles. I lift some lamb into my mouth and look at the smiling people around me. It is the end of a local festival. There are ten of us in total sitting in the closed noodle-shop; the women on one side, the men on the other. It is [...]

I stand silently, eyes lowered and biting my lip. Everyone is staring at me, waiting for me to speak. My mouth is dry. It feels like it has a whole desert inside. I’m twelve years old. I shouldn’t be afraid to introduce myself to my new school class. But, as I stand alone in front [...]

Jenny was an English teacher at a high school in a small town in China where we were working to set up a summer English program. She was assigned to be our liaison with the school, which she was very happy about as it gave her a chance to practice her English. Most people like [...]

Uyghur, Han, Hui, Kazak: everyone loves Naan bread. It’s crunchy and fragrant, with a chewy center. I bake it in the traditional way, as I should, in an open air wood-burning oven. My small shop is on the edge of the business district. When the naan is ready, customers from all around come flocking. At [...]

Sophia always sits in the same seat by the window, with her hot tea and her sad eyes. She comes to my café once every month or two to sit quietly for a few hours, watching her son toddle around the tables, and the people passing her by outside. To the others who see her [...]

"Help! I'm pregnant!" Anara blurted the words out almost before I had said “hello”. I thought, hard and fast, forming in my mind the right words for a proper congratulations in her language. But the words never left my lips. Over the phone line I could hear the whisper of Anara’s muffled sobs. What kind [...]

An enormous sheep bone, swimming in an ocean of noodles, appears on the table in front of me. It jostles for space with overflowing dishes of dried fruit and nuts, and a tower of steaming naan bread. My friend Ainur is not content. She produces a knife from somewhere in her delicate outfit and starts [...]

I started hating school in second grade. I can still remember the day that it started, when I said the wrong thing to my teacher. She was teaching us poetry and I asked, “Couldn’t we say that the snow makes us numb instead of refreshed?” A simple enough question, right? But she took it as [...]

“I’m leaving.” It wasn’t a promising start to a conversation with my employee, Miriam. “My parents are arranging a marriage, but the man isn’t a good match for me. He comes from a respected family in our community, wealthy and devout, so Mom and Dad won’t listen to my worries. I just can’t marry that [...]

I studied the very young husband, then the wife, looking for signs that they were listening to me. Would they still follow through on their divorce? “You must have only been married for a year or two. Give it another try. Don’t throw away your youth like this.” I turned back to the Registry Office [...]

I sit in front of the mirror in my university dormitory, stretching my lips and sticking out my teeth. “Tenn-goh. Ben-tay. Seen-koh. Awn-yos.” There is giggling behind me, and nervous whispers. Then a voice shoots out in Mandarin, “你疯了吗？” Are you crazy? I turn around quickly to reassure my anxious dorm-mates. I’m not crazy, I’m [...]

The room spins and spins. Clapping hands, splashes of color on bright dresses, the light tones of the dutar strumming faster and faster. Our whole family is dancing and laughing. It's a local festival, and we are so happy, celebrating together. I haven’t been happy like that in a long time. My parents divorced when [...]

Hi, I’m Ehmet, and I must be the happiest young man in China. The results for the biggest exam of my life have just come back, and… I’ve been accepted to a major university in central China. I can’t believe it! All my dreams are coming true. My parents have worked long hours and done [...]