We met Lhagva and Otgo during our first week in Mongolia. They are married and are both attending Union Bible Theological College (UBTC).
Lhagva’s widowed mother Nimaa was also attending UBTC. The three of them had started a church and regularly reach out to those in their community. Their sister Azaa energetically leads the youth group and Sunday school. Their sister Zolo helps lead worship and music. But with no pastor available they were looking for a mentor to assist them.
Charles and I started attending there. We have been very blessed by the worship, fellowship and friends made in this church.
Charles meets regularly with these three lay ministers in helping them prepare sermons and dealing with other church issues. He also takes his turn preaching. I help with the Sunday school.
Lhagva and Otgo have felt called by God to be missionaries. About seven years ago they watched a movie on the Inuit people of Northern Canada. Their first impression was, “Those people look just like us.” Then they realized that the Inuit had some of the same problems too: high incidences of alcohol abuse and many who haven’t heard of Jesus. From that time on they have been preparing to some day go to share Jesus with the Inuit.
Mongolia has one of the highest percentages of Christians who go as missionaries in the world. One step in Lhagva and Otgo’s preparation was to go on a short-term mission to China, where they had many opportunities to share with Mongolians (an estimated six million ethnic Mongolians live in China) – including the opportunity to introduce a couple of people to their “Father.”
Physical Testing
Lhagva’s mother Nimaa has been weak and sick on and off for months. She had to quit attending Bible school. This fall she was diagnosed with having Lupus, which is a disease that has no cure and can be fatal, although with modern medicines this risk is decreased.
Mongolian doctors have said there is no treatment for Lupus in Mongolia and have recommended that Nimaa go to another country for better diagnosis and treatment. Others with Lupus have gone to a hospital in Inner Mongolia (China) and found the treatments very helpful. However, the cost is beyond the family’s ability to meet as they are donating their time to Bible studies and full-time ministry.
Please pray…
- for wisdom in making decisions about medical treatment for Lhagva’s mother.
- for God’s guidance, provision and healing.
- that God will be glorified no matter what.
Praise the Lord!
- for Lhagva, Otgo, Nimaa, Azaa, and Zolo’s faith and their desire to share God’s Word.
- for those who have come to believe through this family’s witness for Jesus.
- for the congregation they are leading in Ulaanbaatar.
- for God’s call to be missionaries.
The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. – Matthew 9:37,38 (NKJV)