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Unreached Peoples: The Balti People of Pakistan
Paul Hattaway
Paul Hattaway (birth year unknown–present). Born in New Zealand, Paul Hattaway is a Christian missionary, author, and founder of Asia Harvest, a ministry dedicated to equipping Asian churches to reach unreached people groups. Leaving home at 16, he faced homelessness in Australia, sleeping on a public bathroom roof, until a factory worker’s witness led him to faith. In 1988, he arrived in Hong Kong with $50, a backpack, and a call to serve China, smuggling hundreds of Bibles across the border. Founding Asia Harvest in the early 1990s, he has supported over 1,500 indigenous missionaries, provided over 20 million Bibles in 140 Asian languages, and aided persecuted believers through funds like the Asian Workers’ Fund and Persecution & Relief Fund. His preaching, rooted in personal testimonies of God’s provision, inspires global audiences at conferences and churches. Hattaway authored books like An Asian Harvest (2017), The Heavenly Man (2002, about Brother Yun), and Operation China (2000), documenting revival and unreached tribes. Married, though family details are private, he operates from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, with offices in Australia, the UK, Germany, and Malaysia. He said, “God’s call is not to comfort but to obedience, no matter the cost.”
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Sermon Summary
This sermon focuses on the challenges faced by the Balti people living in northernmost Pakistan, highlighting their physical and spiritual struggles, their isolation, and the need for prayer and evangelism in this unreached community.
Sermon Transcription
To reach the Baltis in northernmost Pakistan, you have to travel for several hours on a single lane mountain pass, called the 8th wonder of the world because of its altitude. The area where the Baltis live is uninviting. It has the highest number of mountain peaks in the world, 60 peaks above 7000m and 4 above 8000m. This is definitely not an area to visit if fear of heights is a problem. The Baltis are dependent upon the glaciers for water as the rainfall is less than 150mm per year. The largest glaciers in the world apart from those in the north and south pole are found here. Despite enough physical water though, the Balti are spiritually thirsty. The Balti are a forgotten people, as seen by their run down homes. The population of the Balti is around 400,000. They are almost 100% Muslim. Only 20% of the men can read and write and only 3% of the women. Typically you will not find women on the streets in the Balti area. Women are very shy and have very little freedom. The Balti are cut off from the rest of Pakistan for months at a time because of rockfalls and avalanches. This influences the economy. Many try to earn a living repairing shoes, making and selling goat meat kebabs, mobile food stalls, selling cloth. Or selling plastic and pots. The Balti community is very close. This makes it very difficult for a Christian to remain standing in this Muslim community. The temperature in the winter can go as low as minus 25 degrees Celsius. The Baltis came from Tibet in the 7th century and settled here. In the 16th century they accepted the Islamic faith. Today less than 1% are Christian, a choice which leads to persecution and even death. The door to evangelizing the Balti started opening. But they still choose to turn their backs on the one and true Savior, Jesus Christ. Please pray for the Balti.
Unreached Peoples: The Balti People of Pakistan
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Paul Hattaway (birth year unknown–present). Born in New Zealand, Paul Hattaway is a Christian missionary, author, and founder of Asia Harvest, a ministry dedicated to equipping Asian churches to reach unreached people groups. Leaving home at 16, he faced homelessness in Australia, sleeping on a public bathroom roof, until a factory worker’s witness led him to faith. In 1988, he arrived in Hong Kong with $50, a backpack, and a call to serve China, smuggling hundreds of Bibles across the border. Founding Asia Harvest in the early 1990s, he has supported over 1,500 indigenous missionaries, provided over 20 million Bibles in 140 Asian languages, and aided persecuted believers through funds like the Asian Workers’ Fund and Persecution & Relief Fund. His preaching, rooted in personal testimonies of God’s provision, inspires global audiences at conferences and churches. Hattaway authored books like An Asian Harvest (2017), The Heavenly Man (2002, about Brother Yun), and Operation China (2000), documenting revival and unreached tribes. Married, though family details are private, he operates from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, with offices in Australia, the UK, Germany, and Malaysia. He said, “God’s call is not to comfort but to obedience, no matter the cost.”