Institute for Bible Translation
"More than Anything Else"
2012-01-10
Boris Ruskamalov, a Khanti evangelist attended a Finno-Ugric conference in Stockholm in the middle of November, 2011. He says: "When I first saw the Gospel of Mark in the Khanti language, I experienced great joy in my heart. I finally understood that God speaks Khanti, and that I may converse with Him in my own mother tongue." Many Khantis believe that Jesus is a Russian God who must be worshipped and prayed to strictly in the Russian language.
Like so many other Khantis, Boris' father died as a result of alcoholism. This is a scourge that plagues large numbers of people in Russia, resulting in a barely 40-year life expectancy for Khanti men. Boris grew up in an orphanage. Following his military service he became a fisherman -- just like his parents before him. But, he experienced life as meaningless, and began drinking. Soon he too was destined for an early death.
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CurtGustafsson
gustafsson@ibtnet.org