Why a Mongolian Boy Was Carried Home by a Pathfinder Girl

Dulguun Galsan felt embarrassed, but the ordeal made him determined to go to Pathfinders — and be baptized.

By Andrew McChesney, adventistmission.org

Thirteen-year-old Dulguun Galsan and a friend were walking home from school when they were stopped by two Australian men and a Mongolian woman.

Dulguun, who lives in Nalliah, a sleepy suburb of Mongolia’s capital, Ulaanbaatar, had seen many Mongolian women in his life. But this was the first time that he had seen someone from Australia. He stopped to listen. He couldn’t understand what the Australians said in English, but the Mongolian woman interpreted the words.

“We are offering guitar lessons and English-language lessons,” the woman said. “If you want to learn, you are welcome to come to the lessons.”

One of the Australians handed Dulguun a paper with the address of the local Seventh-day Adventist church.

Dulguun wanted to learn to play the guitar, so he went to the church the next afternoon. The church leaders — a married couple who are Global Mission pioneers — were nice and friendly, and Dulguun invited two friends to join him the next day. On Sabbath, he went to church again for Sabbath School, where the children drew pictures and made crafts. In the afternoon, the children asked him to join their Pathfinder club for a hike.

The hike lasted 5 miles (8 kilometers), and it wasn’t as easy as Dulguun expected. He had never hiked before. He usually walked home from school, but other than that, he always rode in a car.

Read conversion story of Global Mission pioneer at Dulguun’s church

An Embarrassing Hike

Partway through the Pathfinder hike, Dulguun’s legs gave out. He felt such a terrible pain in his legs that he couldn’t take another step. Even worse than the pain, he had to be carried home. By another Pathfinder. And not just any Pathfinder. The Pathfinder who carried him home was a 13-year-old girl!

“I felt so embarrassed,” Dulguun said in an interview. “I had to be carried home by a girl!”

After that ordeal, he realized that his health would only get worse if he didn’t get more exercise. So, he joined the Pathfinder club and began participating in many hikes. His legs grew strong and, a year later, it no longer hurts to hike.

Today, Dulguun has learned to play the guitar, earned many Pathfinder badges, and helped the Pathfinder club win Bible contests. He also has been baptized.

But guitar-playing and badges are not his main goals.

“My main goal is to go to heaven,” said Dulguun, who is now 15. “And I don’t want to go to heaven alone. I want to bring my family with me.”

Dulguun is praying for his mother, his father, and his older sister. Dulguun’s mother is happy that he goes to church because he has become healthier and happier. But his father and sister complained for a long time that he was spending more time at church than with his family. As Dulguun has prayed, however, his father has started going to church whenever it offers free medical checkups.

Saving 2 Nephews

His sister also is changing her mind. She has two sons who were very naughty. Her 9-year-old boy liked to break car windows and mistreat animals. The other boy was 7 and always disobeyed.

Dulguun wanted the boys, his nephews, to come to church, but he knew that they wouldn’t listen to him. He remembered the fun activities in Sabbath School and told his nephews, “Come with me, and you will have fun.”

To his surprise, both boys came. The boys enjoyed Sabbath School, and now they go with Dulguun to church every Sabbath. Dulguun’s sister is pleased that her sons have become more obedient. She especially is happy because the boys used to come home in dirty clothes after playing outside all Sabbath but now they come home in clean clothes after church.

“My sister doesn’t have to wash their clothes so often,” Dulguun said.

He is thrilled that his nephews are learning about Jesus.

“I believe my two nephews will go to heaven with me because God gave me a chance to bring them to church,” he said. “I want many people to hear the good news of Jesus.”

Giving to Global Mission pioneers helps establish and maintain churches in Mongolia, including where Dulguun learned about Jesus, and in other challenging places of the world. Thank you for supporting mission.