My Adventure on a Nothern Siberia River

Man from the Keto people group

Our evangelistic journey to cities, towns, villages along the Siberian river “Nizhy Tunguska” began in Irkutsk.  Most of the people groups we encounter had never seen a foreigner and were shy and surprised to meet an American. 

From Irkutsk we traveled by prop plane to the city Kyrensk.   This was a larger city of approximately 9,000 people.  

The unreached people group we evangelized there are called the “Keto” or Ket (meaning “a man”) people.  There were 1,084 Ketos living in this town.  This people group is the smallest people group in Russia to receive Christ.  Ironically, here we saw largest response to the gospel.  During the evangelistic meeting that we conducted, 183 Keto people gave their hearts to Christ.

Our next village took us 120 kilometers north by a military truck to the village Podvoloshino.  Poldvoloshino means “sea inhabitants”.  The “Even” people group who live in this area are about 500.  This people group is scattered throughout Russia in northern Siberian Regions like Magadan, Yakutia (the coldest inhabited place on the planet).  While evangelizing this group of people we saw 13 repent and confess Christ as their Savior.

Our four man passager boat we used to travel 300 miles 

Traveling further north by a four man passenger boat we went to the Dolgan people in Erbogachen, Siberia, population 25,000.  This city has the most unreached people groups in all of the northern Russian cities.  It is a very strategic city to reach the north.  Many young people are moving to this city to escape the nomadic life of their ancestors.  We see this city as a base for other evangelistic efforts.  6945 “Dolgan” people live here.  We were given the opportunity to share the gospel with them and witnessed 22 Dolgan people give their hearts to the Lord.

The next morning we started a 600 kilometer (300 miles) boat ride. 






Tent where Northern Siberians live



Needing to find gas we stopped along the river bank in the town Preobrazhnka.  We met the town administrator during our search.   During our time with the administrator, we were able to witness her, her husband and two children.  The entire family gave their lives to Christ.   

The next to final stop on our week long journey was to the Yakut people in Oskino, Siberia, population 500.  380.2 thousand Yakut people in Russia.  The Yakuts are a northern people group who live between the banks of the Len, Aldan and Amga rivers.  We were able to minister to these Yakuts and 6 of them give their hearts to the Lord. 

The final village we were able to reach was the village of Erema, 500 people.  The Erenk people group live in this area.  We saw 1 person give their life to Christ.