Kazakhstan (MNN) — A terrible accident has taken the life a missionary and boy in Kazakhstan.
Bible Mission International Paul Hagelgans says Galim and Nesibeli Tolekeev were in a van with some children, traveling to Kisin-Ordinisk to visit churches and small groups in the region. “On the way home some accident happened and his wife (was) killed. He is okay. One of the boys died and one boy is in a very, very bad situation.”
Galim converted to Christ from a Muslim family and married his wife in 2001 and together have been trying to reach the Kazakh people with the Gospel. Hagelgans says, “He is a really good preacher and dedicate pastor. Pray (for) him that he will be faith and that God will encourage him.”
The death of Galim’s wife is a reminder that we need to be praying for people working in the field. “Especially in Kazakhstan. There are three kinds of roads – bad roads, very bad roads and no roads. As you travel thousands and thousands of miles on these three (kinds of) roads you need special protection,” says Hagelgans.
The couple didn’t have any children.
Hagelgans says sometimes it’s difficult to understand why God allows these things to happen. “We don’t try to ask God why. We just simply ask him, ‘what next?’ We don’t know why. It’s just unbelievable. They were so faithful to the ministry. They had great vision.”
Galim is in charge of the outreach to the Kazakh people and he and Nesibeli have seen hundreds of Kazakhs turn to Christ. Galim is an example of Bible Mission’s vision or training national workers to develop strategies to proclaim the Gospel to the lost around the world.
