Capturing Grace on a journey to Kyrgyzstan

Alina Khan, Board Member of Kyrgyzstan Without Orphans

When Alina tells her story, it begins with her grandmother. She was the only believer in her family, a quiet woman of faith who prayed faithfully and whispered the gospel into young ears. Years later, after her passing, those prayers bore fruit: at the age of fifteen, Alina encountered the same Christ her grandmother loved.
Today, in a nation where 96% of the population is Muslim and where laws restrict the open sharing of faith, Alina carries her grandmother’s legacy forward. Alongside her husband of nine years, she has built a life dedicated to serving vulnerable children and families.
Their home is full of life — two boys, ages six and three, and the constant hum of small business projects that keep the household afloat. Alina makes candles and soaps, and they grow raspberries to sell. But their true work stretches far beyond their front door.
For nine years, Alina served as a social worker, helping children and families in crisis. Now she volunteers and serves as a board member with Kyrgyzstan Without Orphans, walking alongside families who are considering adoption or struggling to keep their children at home. She connects churches with families, organizes support, and helps prevent children from ever needing to enter an orphanage. She also partners with the Mercy Foundation, which provides schools, housing, and mentoring for orphan graduates who otherwise would have nowhere to turn.

Her husband’s path is deeply intertwined with this work. As a teenager, he himself was a student in a school supported by Mercy Foundation. It was there, in 11th grade, that he came to faith in Christ. The Foundation not only gave him an education but also spiritual guidance, and eventually helped find sponsors so he could continue his studies. That gift of opportunity became a calling: today, he helps young men who are aging out of orphanages, guiding them through practical skills, paperwork, and the hard transition to adulthood.
Both Alina and her husband studied International Relations at university, but their lives took a different kind of global direction — one of quiet kingdom work in a place where faith is not easily spoken. Their story is one of transformation: from children who were once vulnerable themselves, to leaders who now stand in the gap for others.
When asked what sustains her through the challenges, Alina smiles gently:

Together, they embody the words of Isaiah 61:4 — “They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.”
Through their work with orphans, families, and local churches, Alina and her husband are helping to renew the story of their nation — one child, one family, one quiet prayer at a time. 

About the Work in Kyrgyzstan

These stories were made possible through the work of Alina Khan, who serves children and families across Kyrgyzstan by coming alongside local ministries, strengthening their efforts, and helping create pathways for children to grow up in safe and loving families.

Alina is part of Kyrgyzstan Without Orphans, connected to the global movement of World Without Orphans, which equips leaders and communities to care for vulnerable children through family-based solutions. To learn more about this movement, visit https://worldwithoutorphans.org

You can find more Kyrzyzstan Without Orphan stories below:

Dasha, the Fairy Godmother, and the Finish Line

Keeping Four Brothers Together: Maria & Her Husband’s Yes

Olga’s Calling to the Fatherless

Yrysbek’s Verdict: Worthy

About Capturing Grace
Discover the story behind Capturing Grace and how my daughter’s legacy continues to inspire my journey: capturinggrace.org/about-us

Our time in Kyrgyzstan