Until We Meet Again
By Arman
Farewells are always bittersweet. I am both excited to start my journey back to Kazakhstan (after I see some friends in Detroit and DC) and sad to leave California.
God has blessed me with countless fun memories here over the past 2.5 months:
Tasting the art of tailgating for the first time with Chris and his family before a USC game as well as watching my first live college football with Stuart [USC] and Victor [UCLA]. Both teams lost those games so think twice before you invite me to watch your favorite team play.
Making shabu and sushi with the Setos. Mako kept his word after I put him on the spot in my previous blog post [y’all should note this brilliant strategy]. It was a great night of fellowship.
Too much great food [this was confirmed last week when one of my students said, “Coach Arman, you’ve been getting bigger every week since you came here”] and not enough time to hang out with so many of you!
I have been surrounded by so much love and care from Evergreen and my football team at Rio Hondo Prep – I am praising the Lord for your faithfulness and desire to be part of my ministry to the lost in Kazakhstan, especially among American football players there. I didn’t have to worry about a place to live or transportation – you’ve provided me with everything necessary for a fruitful time of learning the craft of coaching during my stay. Hilda even took a role of a caring American mom – not only by helping me navigate through the mundane things like where I can do laundry but also by regularly asking me whether I have enough food 😊.
Among all these memories the most special ones were those where I got to witness God’s work in and through others. Like watching the elders of Evergreen [every Tuesday morning] think, pray and discuss of how to lead the church faithfully in accordance with God’s revealed will in His Scriptures. Like singing rich hymns with the saints on Sundays – many of which we sing in Russian back in Almaty – and sitting under faithful preaching of God’s Word week in and week out. Or how you’ve welcomed my Kazakh friends and football players from Rio Hondo Prep when they visited our church services.
I am especially sad to leave my high school football team right now – it feels like my students have just gotten to a point where they can trust me with some deep matters of their hearts. I’ll share a few examples of that privilege. One of the players wanted to discuss a question of how God’s sovereignty relates to human’s responsibility. Another was wrestling with the biblical texts on women’s role at church. One time after practice a student asked, “Coach Arman, can I talk to you?” I said, “Sure. What do you want to talk about?” – “Nothing in particular. I just want you to tell me more about God and the gospel”. And then we spent almost an hour talking about the beauty of Christ in the gospel. Maybe one of the most moving conversations happened a couple of weeks ago. We were lifting weights in the gym when a student asked whether I have time to chat with him. As he began talking, tears started pouring from his eyes as he said, “How can I be closer to God? I think that my soul is perishing…” I could barely hold my own tears as we talked about the ugliness and stupidity of sin and the unshakable hope we have in Christ. Oh, how thankful I am that the Lord allowed me to become a member of the Kares football team during these couple of months!
If the Lord wills, this is not my last time in LA. I hope to be visiting you in the future and I am so excited to see what the Lord has for Evergreen SGV! I pray that you as a church keep pursuing Christ with all your heart and strength and that you stand firm in the grace of our Lord. I am privileged to be able to say that I consider Evergreen as my home in California. Please know that my church in Almaty is very thankful to the saints here for all the support and care you’ve shown me. And please pray for the fruit in my football ministry in Kazakhstan! May the Lord save many there for the glory of His name!
Much love in Christ,
Arman