Evangelistic trip to Ovorkhangai

Many people in Ulan Bator leave the city and travel to the countryside during the summer. Of course, lots of Americans travel to see nature in the summer too. The difference is that many Mongolians spend September to May living in the city and go somewhere else during June, July, and August. In some cases, they are college students who have come to the city to gain an education and are now returning to live with their parents for the summer. Many of my neighbors have a “summer home” some distance from town where they live during the summer. Their summer house has no running water, no heat, and in some cases no electricity; but that is better than staying in town where there is no air-conditioning, no grass, and lots of pollution. Many government employees have an entire month of vacation each year and choose to spend it living with relatives in the countryside. Many of the children are sent by their parents to live with grandpa and grandma or an uncle or aunt. It is not that the city becomes completely deserted; people still do live here.

One consequence that we have noticed is that our attendance during the summers often goes down. Coming back from our furlough in August 2006 we found that an attendance that had reached a high of 25 a few months before was down to four! Bible studies that started so well in the winter seemingly peter out in the summer as the members leave for the countryside or have extra work or just think playing while the weather is warm is a better idea than studying God’s Word.

So far this summer has been different. There have been a few Sundays when attendance was low. Generally speaking though, the losses of summer have been made up for by visitors. For example, this past week, though we did not have any first time visitors, we had three people who are new to our group.

I decided this summer to travel to the countryside myself during the week to see some of Ganpurev’s family and have an opportunity to witness to them. Many of them I have met at one time or another during their visits to the city. However, since my Bible studies had slowed, I thought I could best use my time by taking the Gospel to Ganpurev’s relatives. Ganpurev, his son Bilgoon, my son Caleb, and I decided that we would all go together.

We had a good visit. Our trip out to the countryside was uneventful. The first 60 miles or so of paved road outside of the city had been torn up to prepare it for repair which forced us to drive on newly created dirt tracks that meandered through the fields.

It can be a lonely road in Mongolia

Occasional holes or drive river beds would open up before us suddenly and more than once we wondered if we had broken something on the car. But all went well, and we only changed one flat tire on the way to Bayan-Ondor which is the sum (similar to a county in the U.S.) where Ganpurev’s relatives live.

Interestingly enough, his family claims that there are no churches and not one Christian that they know of in the entire sum. The sum center (like a county seat) has about 1000 inhabitants and no Christian witness. We spent our time not in the sum center but with Ganpurev’s relatives in the summer pastures.

Some of the gers where Ganpurev's relatives live

Ganpurev and I had the specific purpose of witnessing to his relatives and friends. Some of his relatives live year-round in the countryside. Several family members spend their summers in the countryside and live the rest of the year in the sum center or aimag center. (Aimag centers are similar to state or provincial capitals in North America.)

When we arrived on Monday evening, two of Ganpurev’s brothers and several of his nephews were working on stripping tree branches to be made into poles situable for ger walls. Ganpurev and later I joined them.

I join in their project

The next day, Ganpurev continued to help his family with the chores: watering the animals, sending the animals to pasture, stripping the branches, and making repairs to items. Ganpurev’s brother Ulzeet saddled a horse for me and encouraged me to ride over by myself to see some of the other family members. I spent the morning visiting with some of Ganpurev’s sisters and their husbands. It was frustrating to me to be unable to witness to them as effectively as I wanted to. One brother-in-law in particular remarked later to his sister-in-law that he could not understand half of what I said. To which the sister-in-law expressed surprise and stated that she understood what I said.

Ganpurev waters the flocks

I returned to the family members with whom Ganpurev was staying and was soon invited to Tomoo’s son’s ger where there was a gathering of people related to his son’s wife. When I refused to drink the vodka customarily given to visitors, Tomoo explained that I did not drink because I was a Christian. It was a great opportunity to preach Christ to them.

Shatar, one man who heard the Gospel for the first time

The discussion was continued later after Ganpurev joined us at his brother’s wooden shack. A visitor asked Ganpurev and I to explain our “religion.” I preached that we do not have a religion but a faith and that the greatest need that we have is to be reconciled to our Creator. About an hour of preaching from Ganpurev and me followed along with questions from our listeners. In the end, Tomoo and the visitor thanked us for a clear “talk” about our Savior in Mongolian. I was excited about the fact that about eight men and seven women along with children were gathered to hear about Jesus Christ. Several mentioned that their only familiarity with Jesus was from some relatives who are Mormons. None of them probably had ever had a clear presentation of the Gospel outside of visits to Ganpurev’s house.

Later that evening we traveled to visit some of Ganpurev’s sisters along with Ulzeet. We spend about two hours preaching Jesus Christ. As we ended our preaching, Ganpurev left briefly. During his absence, Ulzeet observed that Ganpurev was a different person since he had believed in Jesus. He no longer visited the Buddhist lamas or temples, he had quit doing Buddhist rituals, and even though he had experienced many difficult times he remained peaceful. Hearing this, I added that the peace that Ganpurev possessed came from knowing Jesus and having a relationship with Him.

On another day, Ganpurev and I visited two other homes and preached Christ to them.

Yuri, one of the men to whom we witnessed on this trip

There is much misunderstanding in Mongolia that all religions lead to the same place (wherever that might be). Ganpurev and I were very clear that Jesus is the only way to be reconciled to our Creator God and that without Jesus Christ we will be cast forever into the lake of fire.

Although no decisions were made while we were there Ganpurev and I know that the Holy Spirit was at work. We left a Gospel of John and Gospel tract with every family to whom we had witnessed and encouraged them to read the booklets that we left. My goal is to return to Bayan-Ondor within the next four or five months and continue to witness to these folks. After all, how many of us were saved after hearing one time or reading a tract. Please pray especially for Ganpurev’s brothers and brothers-in-law. If they were to be saved, I believe it would have a tremendous impact on the rest of the family.

The four I would especially ask for you to pray for by name are Tomoo, Ulzeet, Bold, and Bysaa. These men are perhaps the key to seeing the rest of the family members saved.

Ulzeet, Bold, and Tomoo: could you pray for these men?

Sunday update

Thank you all for praying for us. Usually in the summer our numbers are down. For example, two years ago on returning from furlough in August 2006, we had 3 adults who were attending regularly. Then last summer, we left for two months so that I could speak at Westgate Baptist Church Family Camp and to attend the church's 25th anniversary. When we returned we were told that attendance during the summer had been down. It happens here in Mongolia: people go to the countryside for vacation, people are busier with outdoors work, people just do not want to spend their warm summer days in a church service.

Because of this history of summers without many in attendance, I rejoice to report that this summer people have continued to come. Some of our regular attenders have been away, but visitors and returning visitors have made up the difference. Visitors in the summers - that is a true encouragement.

Several weeks ago I began to pray specifically that God would send people to me to whom He wanted me to minister. God has answered that prayer in several ways. Here is one example.

About a month ago, Dawaajab come just as everyone was leaving and asked at what time our church met. I told him things had just ended but that we met every Sunday at 11. He said that he would be back and disappeared.

A few Sundays passed ad Dawaajab did not return. Suddenly, two Sundays ago Dawaajab walked in a few minutes after we started. After the service, he said that he wanted to meet with me though he would not say what about. Although I was headed to the countryside and was unable to commit to a meeting immediately, we exchanged phone numbers and agreed that we would stay in touch.

He called me on Friday night as I was re-entering the city and asked if we could meet the next day. So we met on Saturday for more than an hour, and I explained the Gospel while he asked many questions - some relevant, some not so relevant. He attended the church service again on Sunday and met with me again on Tuesday morning.

I think he is mentally understanding the Gospel. Please pray for the conviction of the Holy Spirit because we know that God is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

Arrived home safe

Ganpurev, his son Bilgoon, Caleb, and I arrived back in UB safe from our trip to Ovorkhangai aimag. I have included a picture of some of the roads that we traveled over.

We had a chance to witness to about two dozen adults and numerous children. Also, we left tracts and copies of John with those to whom we witnessed and encouraged them to read them. The plan is to return to many of these same families again in the future to continue to witness.

I will have some more detailed posts about our trip in some future posts along with the names of some of the men for whom I would ask you to pray with me.

Sunday update

Summer is a difficult time to minister in Mongolia. It seems that many people are either unusually busy with their work or out in the countryside. So I had been praying all week that God would expand my ministry rather than see it decline all summer.

God answered my prayers by sending us three visitors - all young men - on Sunday. My sermon was evangelistic because it was about Jesus' death on the cross for us. After the sermon, one of the young men had many questions. He said that he was without a religion but was studying various religions. He asked for a Bible, and I gave him one marking the Gospel of John and telling him to read from there. We exchanged phone numbers and agreed to meet after I returned from the countryside. His name is Dawaajab - but he is not the same Dawaajab because she heard the singing. (Often there is little distinction between what is a male name and a female name in Mongolia).

So I was excited to have so many to whom to minister through the summer. Besides praying for the salvation of visitors, please also pray for Bayambaa who is having some difficulties with her unsaved husband and for Saikhnaa who has a serious physical need.

Countryside trip

Ganpurev and I will be taking a trip soon to the countryside. We will be headed to his home aimag of Ovorkhangai. It is about a 200 mile trip one-way that because of road conditions will take us about eight hours. Our plan is to evangelize his sum (basically equivalent to an American county). Ganpurev recently visited because of the death of his grandmother and reported that as far as he knows that is not a single church, not even a single professing Christian in his sum. Although Ganpurev has visited and witnessed many times there are still no Christians of which he is aware.

The plan is to travel there and preach Christ and leave the people with tracts that they can read after our departure. We will also take Bibles and Bible literature with us. Please pray for ears to be ready to hear about the Savior of the world and hearts to be eager to receive God's gift of eternal life.

After I return to Ulaanbaatar, I will post an update and attempt to post pictures.

Aya update

Aya had some chemotherapy treatment last week for her cancer that was discovered in her lymph nodes. Next week, she will go in for more tests followed by more chemotherapy treatment the following week.

For being 70 years old, she seems to be holding up well. She is tired of all the doctor visits and trips to the hospital for treatment. Her first trip to the oncology hospital was fairly traumatic. There were many patients there some in tears, many who had lost all their hair. The patients were discussing all the symptoms stemming from their treatments and encouraging Aya to cut off all her hair before she loses it.

I believe Aya to be saved but would ask you to pray for her to give a strong testimony of her faith in Jesus Christ alone to her relatives. As the oldest surviving member of a rather large, extended family she has much influence that she could use to glorify our Savior.

Weekly update

This last Sunday was the third and final day of Naadam, Mongolia's summer festival. An American friend who observed the Naadam celebrations in 2001 and again this summer remarked that the 2001 celebrations seemed very military and very "soviet" (his words). In contrast this year's celebrations, he stated, seemed very "Buddhist." There definitely is a revival of Buddhism going on in this country.

Since Naadam is the second biggest celebration of the year I wondered combined with normally low summer attendance how many would come to our church service on Sunday. I need not have wondered. A few minutes before the service began, we had a total of four Mongolians, all of them members of Ganpurev's immediate family. Right as it was time to start, Ganaa walked in; that makes five. I started to wonder if we were going to set the record for lowest attendance in 2008.

We went ahead and started with the five that we had. My family outnumbered the Mongolians. And people continued to trickle in: Chimgee, then Buren, Bilgee, and Gantsetseg with her daughter. In the end, we had ten Mongolians which is not shabby for a summer holiday. I still was disappointed not to see the two young men: Jagaa and Basca.

Thank you for praying. Do not forget the church camp that is coming up. Also, Ganpurev and I are planning to take a few of the children and set out on an evangelistic trip to his homeland next week. Please pray for safety as we travel and the salvation of his relatives.

Quote of the day

Life is a place of service. Joy can be real only if people look upon their life as a service and have a definite object outside themselves and their personal happiness. – Leo Tolstoy

Naadam: Mongolia's summer holiday

We are in the middle of Naadam which runs from July 11-14 every year. This is Mongolia's major summer celebration and sort of a summer version of Tsagaan Sar. Instead of buuz Mongolians eat lots of huushuur.


I visited the special opening ceremony on the morning of July 11 when a troup of horsemen come and transport the nine yak tails symbolizing the authority of the Mongolian government from the Parliament Building to the stadium.


There was a military band playing while the horsemen rode out. The loudest complaint was that there were more foreigners there than Mongolians. It seems that more and more, official events and traditional holidays are planned more for foreigners than for the Mongolians to enjoy. I know quite a few Mongolians who worked yesterday.

Sunday update

Summer always is going to be a difficult time of year. Many people are gone to the countryside, some are busy with work because construction is especially busy during the summer, some are just taking a chance to soak in the sun while the weather is warm. Remember almost all the Christians who attend Faith Baptist Church are very young Christians, and some of our regular attenders are not even Christians yet.

So I was pleased that our numbers were back up to about normal this last Sunday. We also had a unique first-time occurrence. A few minutes after our service started a young lady came in to join us for the first time. She told us that she had recently arrived back in Mongolia after spending a year in the US as an exchange student. Her host family there were Christians who read the Bible with her every night, attended church regularly, and gave her a Bible and encouraged her to read it. She had headed out to find a church, heard us singing, and decided to join us.

Her name is Dawaajab, and I would ask you to pray for her. She gave a good testimony of salvation and seems to want to grow spiritually. It's the first time anyone has come in because they heard us singing.

There are several other requests. Aya is in the hospital for a course of chemotherapy. They told her to expect all her hair to fall out and suggested it would be better if she just had it cut. Privately, the doctors have told Ganpurev that they do not expect her to make a complete recovery.

Faith Baptist Church will also be having a church camp on August 8-10. The people are very excited about it. There will be extra time for fellowship and preaching. I asked the people to do most of the planning for it, and they certainly have been eager to plan. Pray that God would bless this camp.