Mongolia has been nothing short of amazing. It has been eye opening in so many ways. I am realizing how much truth there was to my blog “The Green Light District”. Mongolian Culture, and the warm inviting hearts of the locals has challenged me in hospitality like never before. People here live in mud huts, making a living off selling local resources and furs.Yet they are the first people to give you their sweater because you packed poorly and are not prepared to survive the harsh weather.
But still, there is a hidden darkness that remains to be seen by the passing tourist, or the unobservant adventurer. There is so much going on in the background. This eagle hunting, kind to foreigner people in a isolated town is actually a spiritual battle ground. (Ephesians 6:12)
To be rather frank,
imagine this…
going over to your friends place for a worship service and having a bomb go off. That is a reality that has happened here. But they tell us… ” don’t worry it was only a small bomb, really it didn’t even blow the windows out”.
Imagine this:
praying and having the Holy Spirit tell you to go to a even more remote village and preach the gospel for 3 years, and getting beaten and tortured regularly for obeying. Yet having no fruit in that place until 1 week after your 3 years is up, then suddenly 3 church’s within the next 6 months are planted.
Imagine this:
being 1 of 5 people standing for your faith, and having an entire towns hatred for your religion thrown on you, your house broken into, then attempted to be burnt down, and to yet remain because God desires it.
This is the reality that plagues and blesses the believers here everyday. This is the life my team and I have been invited into. Let me tell you though, nothing is more encouraging then these same people saying God is worth it!
That is not even the craziest thing either. A even more dark reality plagued my mind last night after an incredibly powerful meeting with some very passionate believers who found an abandoned 1 day old puppy in a dumpster. If you can’t handle gruesome sights stop reading now.
Imagine this:
Being told that finding a live 1 day old puppy in a dumpster is rare. Because they are usually dead.
Even worse yet, imagine this:
Then being told that babies with defects, or handicaps are treated the same way everyday. Thrown in a dumpster, at a few days old, because the family found a defect, or handicap, and that’s considered a curse on the entire family.
but that still isn’t the worst.
Imagine this: That same baby, human being, made in the image and likeness of God being found, likely with frozen limbs, being sold for parts. Livers, hearts, whatever still works and is sell-able on the black market. Here you either find those sweet deals in a dumpster, or pay $100 to adopt a child and sell him or her for organs, or into the sex trade.
Think it can’t get worse?
Imagine this:
That same baby, slowly dying from freezing, or starvation, instead dying because a stray dog found it, and started eating it.
That dying baby, made in the image of our creator dying.
are you disturbed? Imagine how I felt discovering last night that this is happening where I am situated. In this nice, eagle hunting, warm hearted community. This is also where bride napping is still considered kosher.
But then you meet the local believers, and although they are not perfect, and 795 of 800 are underground for fear of persecution, they are the only ones doing something. They need your help though, they need your prayers, they need courage, strength, closeness to the father, resources, aide, encouragement and love.
These people are the only ones currently stepping in to deal with the issues that plague’s their country.
I have seen them do more with what little resources they have, then most North American people, or church’s do for their own communities. Because their church has no walls, no denominational boundaries, just radical belief. They deny themselves only so they can take on more of Jesus’s image and likeness.
and we can help. We can pray for them, we can send resources, encouragement, education and knowledge of the Father! WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
i’m not expecting to solve the entire issue in a day. But I am seeing this HORRIBLE reality battled everyday by believers who have nothing to offer but the sacrificial love of Jesus and the promise of his Resurrection. The best part is, THE ENEMY IS IN A LOOSING BATTLE AND HE KNOWS IT.
the only thing getting me through this dark place is knowing God is greater, stronger, and working in and through all of this. It is seeing the very much so unsung hero’s stand firm in Jesus, and be persecuted for fighting the very things that you are imagining, and disgusted by. I have met Bride nappers who have turned to Christ, repented of their ways, and are now fighting these battles, all while being hated and persecuted for it.
No bomb can stop God’s radical love, no dark reality can overcome the light, and life he brings. No enemy is too strong, no place too dark for him. THIS PLACE NEEDS KINGDOM, so let’s bring it! I am in this place, right here in Mongolia, right now. For security reasons I cannot tell you right now what opportunity is before me, however it is huge, and it is unifying. It could see the believers grow, and the darkness shrink.
My team, and this place, with all its people need your prayers, support, encouragements, prophetic words, education, aide, and resources.
To end this post.
Imagine this:
a place where the reality was dark, and the outlook for the future grim. But then God’s glory comes in and overcomes all these things, through planting his kingdom. A place where his love is welcomed, a love that can endure all things, one that spreads through all of Mongolia from this little town. A place that was once plagued with death and sin, bringing life, mercy, and grace to the nation!
This is the reality before my team, we have the amazing opportunity to encourage the underground believers. To support those 5 out of 800 who are standing up. Which then shows the other 795 Gods provision, and encourage them to stand up. Let’s partner with our BROTHERS and SISTERS, and see his kingdom come, his will be done.
This Latin phrase has never meant more to me for myself and for the people of Mongolia.
orate pro nobis.
Your brother in Christ,
Thomas Ruhland
