In a country in Central Asia, one small team is improving end-of-life care.
They include Doctor H, an adult physician with an interest in palliative care, Doctor J, a pediatrician managing the project, and a local consultant helping with translation, organising meetings and navigating the culture.
Doctor H tells the story of how they were able to offer support to one family in need...
In late November, we set out in the snow to visit David, a fellow believer recently diagnosed with cancer.
The illness had left him unable to walk, and his wife, despite her worsening eyesight, had become his primary caregiver overnight.
When we arrived, we found David resting in a small room beside the kitchen, his wife busy with household chores. We huddled around his bed as we heard his story and gave our suggestions. As we spoke, his two-year-old granddaughter Lola, peeked in and out, watching us with shy curiosity.
Before leaving, we prayed with David, then sat in the kitchen with his wife, offering encouragement over tea. By then, little Lola had warmed up to us, offering to share her sweets - a small but touching act of trust.
Over the next few weeks, we returned three more times, growing more familiar with the family. We brought different friends along to help, reassuring them in their caregiving.
Our daughter donated her My Little Ponies to Lola, though she was just as delighted with a makeshift puppet I made from a medical glove while tending to a wound.
David’s daughter-in-law took on the difficult task of administering his pain relief injections, something she had never done before. We encouraged them, affirming their care as we were inspired by his unwavering faith, which comforted him more than any medicines.
Three weeks later, we received a call - David had stopped eating and drinking. We gently explained that his time was near and urged them to keep him comfortable and surrounded by loved ones.
The day he passed, we visited to offer condolences. The important women in the family sat in a yurt, receiving mourners, while neighbours prepared meat for the funeral. Guests arrived steadily throughout the day, sharing in the family’s grief.
The next day, at the funeral, a few words were spoken before the men proceeded to the burial site, where my husband, Doctor J, joined in digging the grave. The women gathered in neighbouring homes to share a meal. Each received a piece of meat on the bone to eat and then take home in a plastic bag. Later, the men returned and ate separately.
The ceremony was peaceful, a quiet blessing in a place where holding a Christian funeral can sometimes cause conflict in this Muslim community. Yet here, grief was met with unity.
In this community, care is not the work of one person but the collective love of family and friends. When loss comes, people simply show up. The funeral comes together quickly, very different from our UK experience.
Every family we meet here teaches us more about love, resilience, and what it means to truly support one another. Our hope is to continue walking alongside those in need, offering comfort in Jesus’ name during life’s most difficult moments.
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