Yurts and All-Terrain Vehicles

The Buryats live in the region around Lake Baikal. They follow an animistic-shamanistic belief system mixed with Buddhist influences. There are 3,500 members of this ethnic group living in Jelanzy. Local ACP partners are building a church here. The Christians have erected a yurt as a meeting place. The decision to use a nomad tent was pragmatic, as it quickly created space for up to 50 guests without the official requirements of a building permit. What our colleagues could not have anticipated was the reaction of the local population. The simple structure reminded the villagers of traditions from the distant past. Curious, they asked if they could enter the tent. Some even asked for permission to stay for a church service. This is how many of them came to know Jesus. Because many children now come to hear about Jesus as well, the church founders are saving up to purchase a second yurt for the younger generation.

Fuel and baptism in the Spirit
ACP teams are also active in northern Siberia. In summer, the swamps and rivers in this inhospitable region are almost impassable. Our evangelists therefore prefer to travel there in winter. They reach the isolated villages in special vehicles on snow-covered roads and across frozen rivers.
Three years ago, a team was once again traveling through the winter tundra when their vehicles reached a lonely village. Two locals were walking in minus 50 degrees Celsius weather. They helped the strangers get fuel and food. Curious, they wanted to know what motivated these people from afar to travel to such a remote and dangerous area. The Christians told them about their desire to share their faith. “Your God must be great for you to travel such a long way to tell others about him. No one would do that for our gods!” The strangers were invited to stay for the evening. Within a short time, 40 people gathered to learn about this important God. That same night, seven of them decided to accept the new faith. Two of them were baptized with the Holy Spirit.

A simple purchase of diesel fuel led to the first church being established among the Jukagiren ethnic group. One of the locals has since been ordained and serves as the church leader.