While socializing with the local people of the northern Yamal, we noticed that they have their own special history of settling in these once-lifeless places.
Even their faces are more adapted to the harsh weather conditions! And the bodies of the indigenous people, it is clear that for centuries they have adapted to the harsh realities of the North. But they need Christ! With all their health and fitness – without God, they are lost sinners. I am convinced that He wonderfully planned the salvation for perishing unbelievers!
By the grace of God, I was able to participate in several evangelical trips. Together, we have traveled more than one thousand miles off-road. In our journey from hut to hut, and from village to village, we were periodically accompanied by difficulties and breakdowns.
One time, because our all-terrain vehicle broke down once more, we had to spend three days in the open tundra, far from any civilization and essential human necessities at -22 degrees Fahrenheit.
While being in a warm snow truck, during the quiet hours of thinking about the Word, our brothers got the right idea for solving the breakdown. God had planned our breakdown in advance so that we were not in need of anything: food was there, material for the repair was not far off in the tundra, and we had enough fuel. Even a cellular connection – miraculously worked in this place among the tundra, however, for it to work we had to climb on the roof of our snow truck “Tracola”.
I can’t keep quiet about the fact that in spite of all the beautiful things that we saw during our travels in the tundra, leaving the North – sadness remains in my heart. I feel for the missionary families who are far from other Christians, suffer from lack of communication and care. In these difficult circumstances, they lead a sacrificial life, leaving a good mark in the hearts of the non-Christians around them.
It is also sad to see for those Christians who live in tents, far from any church, they receive visitors, who can and encourage them, only a few times a year. I will never forget the family of our Nenets believers: Victor and Veronica are members of the church. They live in front of the White Island, near the Malygin Strait. I still see Veronica crying when we were leaving them. Seeing us driving away, she sobbed, fell on her face down into the snow, and did not stand up until we disappeared from her eyesight. She did not hide the reason for her grief because she knows that the next time the evangelists would come to them again will only be in a year.
It makes us sad to see how our friends remained at the very edge of the earth, far from the church or brothers and sisters – and surrounded by many deer. Although the deer are not a burden for them, but the relationship to other Christians is hard to forget.
This was only one family, but there are still many other Christian families out there! Let us pray for them, that God will support them and strengthen them in following Him!
Ministry in Russia – O. K.