After picking up our American friends and serving and Daegu, we all took off for Mongolia (after a 1 day flight delay.) Mongolia is by far the strangest place I've ever been. It's the least "westernized" of the countries I've visited. The sky is incredibly beautiful and the weather is so pleasant, but the city is filthy. Everything is coated in dust and there is trash and broken bottles are everywhere. The roads are the roughest I've ever seen. There are literally huge pot holes and piles of rocks all over the roads and the traffic is absolute chaos. We've witnessed wrecks, fights, etc. It's quite an adventure!
We arrived at Chinggis Khan Airport in Ulaanbaatar last Tuesday. It's a tiny little airport and the passengers all clapped after we landed! I guess they are pleased that we made it safely. I'm not accustomed to any other outcome...
We are staying in 2 locations. The Blackmons and Yis are staying in a Russian built apartment building. It's very run down by American standards, but it has hot water and a place to sleep. We are very grateful for the hospitality. The Americans stayed at a hotel called "Holiday" (you should ask them about it...) for the first few days and as of today they and the other Korean team members are staying in the university dorms.
We just finished our first camp today. We spent our days with Korean missionary children here in Ulaanbaatar. We sang songs, played games, had teaching time and small group times. It was a good camp. I've had a severe head cold, though.
I've been so proud of our team. Ross is now a drummer. He actually played our entire camp here with chopsticks because the drumsticks were too loud. Erica and Hannah did a great job leading worship, Barry was the overall leader of camp (his first time doing that) and we all had small groups. It's been good.
We are very blessed to be able to encourage and strengthen our Asian brothers and sisters. We feel that God has called us to serve and bless them as they reach out and serve here in Mongolia.
Tomorrow we will have a worship service and then regroup for the upcoming seminar. We will be ministering to 800 to 1000 Mongolians there. I will lead worship for 1.5 hours a day, so if you don't mind, please pray for this miserable cold to go away. Also, please pray for the Mongolian people. Mongolia is a very poor nation in many ways. It's intense and so visible everywhere you look. These people are so hungry for the Gospel, but there is such an oppression and a lot of anger and hostility here. They need a breakthrough. Thanks for praying with us for God's will!
We arrived at Chinggis Khan Airport in Ulaanbaatar last Tuesday. It's a tiny little airport and the passengers all clapped after we landed! I guess they are pleased that we made it safely. I'm not accustomed to any other outcome...
We are staying in 2 locations. The Blackmons and Yis are staying in a Russian built apartment building. It's very run down by American standards, but it has hot water and a place to sleep. We are very grateful for the hospitality. The Americans stayed at a hotel called "Holiday" (you should ask them about it...) for the first few days and as of today they and the other Korean team members are staying in the university dorms.
We just finished our first camp today. We spent our days with Korean missionary children here in Ulaanbaatar. We sang songs, played games, had teaching time and small group times. It was a good camp. I've had a severe head cold, though.
I've been so proud of our team. Ross is now a drummer. He actually played our entire camp here with chopsticks because the drumsticks were too loud. Erica and Hannah did a great job leading worship, Barry was the overall leader of camp (his first time doing that) and we all had small groups. It's been good.
We are very blessed to be able to encourage and strengthen our Asian brothers and sisters. We feel that God has called us to serve and bless them as they reach out and serve here in Mongolia.
Tomorrow we will have a worship service and then regroup for the upcoming seminar. We will be ministering to 800 to 1000 Mongolians there. I will lead worship for 1.5 hours a day, so if you don't mind, please pray for this miserable cold to go away. Also, please pray for the Mongolian people. Mongolia is a very poor nation in many ways. It's intense and so visible everywhere you look. These people are so hungry for the Gospel, but there is such an oppression and a lot of anger and hostility here. They need a breakthrough. Thanks for praying with us for God's will!
