Aslan grew up at the edge of a small Chechen city in the Caucasus mountains. He loved the beautiful, remote mountains, which, for him, represented both freedom and strength.

After the break-up of the Soviet Union, the Chechen Republic declared independence from Russia. Aslan was too young to fight in the terrible war that followed but his family lost their home and had to flee to live with relatives.

As a Chechen, he was not required to serve in the Russian Army so he married young and started a car repair shop. While his wife was expecting their second child, Aslan was visited by the Secret Service, who wanted to hire him as a spy. He was given three days to join a Chechen brigade and publicly declare himself to be a radical. Knowing it to be a trap, Aslan fled with his family to Berlin, Germany.

There are about 1.5 million Chechens, and about 10,000 of them live in Berlin. They are a close community with strict social control, which preserves their reputation as the most devout Muslims of the former Soviet Union. Aslan and his family found refuge in Berlin. He started a small construction company and attends a Chechen mosque. However, he longs for peace in Chechnya and the opportunity to return home to the mountains.

It is nearly impossible for Christians to start churches in the Caucasus Republic of Chechnya because of legal restrictions and the threat of violence. In Berlin, Christians have the freedom to share the gospel with Chechens, but so far there are no known efforts to do so.

Pray for them

• Pray for peace in the Caucasus.
• Pray for Christians in Berlin to proclaim life to Chechens in their city. (1 John 1:2)
• Pray for more freedom of religion in Chechnya.