Archive for February, 2008
We met after church last Sunday - on their initiative. Three church leaders requested to meet with Renee’, myself and our field director couple, Dennis and Marilyn. We had no real clue what this was going to be about, but I had my guesses.
For those of you who may be new to our blog, Renee’ and I are working with a group of young people (college students) in Ulaanbaatar. These kids have a vision to reach their city, their country and beyond with the truth of the Gospel. Renee’ and I are doing leadership training with them on Thursday evenings, and Renee’ is working specifically with the girls every other Saturday morning. We want to help them see their dream of reaching their community and their country become a reality. So we are trying to earn the right to speak into their lives by deepening our relationship with them, as well as teaching them the Word.
It was after our Saturday Pizza party with the church leaders last week that we were first approached. The key leaders wanted to meet, so we made arrangements for this to happen the next day. It was one of those disconcerting moments that we’ve all experienced. We were asked for a meeting, but had no real idea what it was going to be about, so you’re mind starts going places it shouldn’t and expecting the worst.
So after church we sat around the Maves’ kitchen table overlooking the city, with brownies, instant coffee and fresh mandarine oranges. I had wrongly assumed they were there to ask us for money or extra support. They just wanted our advise. They wanted to know “through your eyes, how do you see our church?” (that actually sounds more fluid when being asked in Mongolian).
We had been chatting about this for several minutes, when our wise (and in this moment Spirit-led) Field Director began to talk to these leaders about past hurts and about forgiveness. While it would be obviously inappropriate to get into the details on a public website, suffice it to say that there has been some significant pain and wounding that has taken place over the years between our little church and our organization. We spent the next several hours working through those hurts and our church leaders were able to do the one thing that, in my opinion, makes a person most like Jesus: forgive. We spent time bringing up the hurts on both sides and giving and receiving forgiveness, which is the first step in healing the wounds. There was not a dry eye as we prayed together at the end. God was at work, and we all knew it.
The outcome of that meeting remains to be seen. But from the healing that began to take place at the meeting, there was another result that I am personally excited about. Dennis mentioned at some point durning the conversation that this was the beginning - the making - of a team that will work together for sake of Christ’s Kingdom in UB. Ever since Dennis mentioned this, the vision for a team made up of our Mongolian Church leaders, Renee’ and I, and others whom God may send, has been growing clear in my mind. I pray it will in their’s, as well. I believe the Holy Spirit has begun a work in bringing a team together in an atmosphere of grace. Pray for Saugie and Dogi and Onon and Renee’ and I as we seek to discern together the Wind of the Spirit for Ulaanbaatar.
It’s the beginning, and it has begun with forgiveness.
February 29th, 2008
We recently had our field prayer retreat, and had a wonderful time of fellowship and worship and prayer. The Anderson kids also had their first sledding experience! Needless to say, they were both pretty fearless and got sleds up to to top speeds and maximum air. It was cold winter Mongolia fun for all (Dad took on the hill a couple times, as well…)
Jonathan and Cori Together (for once?)
Cori with Undraa
Dad and Daughter giving it a run
Snow Smiles
February 22nd, 2008
Last month our field was blessed by a visit from a vision team from Northern California. This team was interested in exploring ways that their churches could partner with us here in Mongolia. We spent an evening discussing what this partnership might look like. I think this is a beneficial discussion for anyone who is interested in leading the local church into a ministry partnership.
There are five partnership points that will highlight this partnership.
1. Strategic Prayer
2. Communication and Connectedness
3. Partner Care
4. Financial Resourcing
5. Short Term Teams
Listen in while these points and others are discussed.
If there are any who would be interested in knowing more about Partnerships with us in Mongolia, please contact us. We’d love to talk to you more about these Kingdom Building possibilities!
You may subscribe to this podcast on iTunes. Find us by searching “Remember Mongolia”, and subscribe!
A Conversation on Partnerships [21:41m]:
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February 12th, 2008
This is an important year in the Chinese Lunar Calendar. This is the first year of the 60 year cycle (5 cycles of 12 years): the year of the mouse. Mongolia celebrates the Lunar New Year every year with lots of food and visiting and culture. It is Mongolia’s biggest holiday, and the entire country takes three days (at least three days sometimes a couple of weeks) to bring in the new year.
We celebrated today with Bernie’s language teacher’s family. They showed us wonderful hospitality and allowed us to share with their mutton (that’s the slab of meat at the center of the table), fermented horse milk (called airag) and steamed meat dumplings (called buutz).
The head of the household shared his snuff bottle with all the guys in the room. Go to Jonathan’s web site and ask him his thoughts on the snuff bottle…
February 10th, 2008
Renee’ said that this has been the best week she’s had since coming to Mongolia. I would have to agree.
We had a little break from language class (always making the week better) and a little taste of what we really would like to do in the future.
We were asked to teach for a week in a three month winter Bible School being held here in the city. Renee’ and I team-taught the books of Deuteronomy and Joshua. It seemed to be such a God ordained week, as these are both books that we have either recently studied or taught from.
The thing I am most amazed with this week is the fact that God’s Word is so rich and so powerful. Hebrews 4:12 is real to me. It was thrilling to see these very young believers feast on the word of God.
One of the main things we wanted to help them to do is to see God’s Word as something more than a means of accumulating knowledge. At the end of the week we had them creatively present several stories from the book of Joshua and then ask the question, “So What?“. It was fun to see God’s Spirit illuminate His Word for these kids. They were able to not only understand the stories and history and the theology behind these two books of the Bible - but they learned how to make very practical application in life, ministry and leadership. Mongolians are a pragmatic people. As we helped them to see the practical application of God’s Word in their lives, they were eager learners.
Light bulbs came on. God was seen more clearly. It was thrilling to play a small part in that.
We will be doing this again for one week in April. We will be teaching Esther, Nehemiah and Ezra. Your prayers for us and for these students are appreciated.
We are back in class for a few days this week - with another break for the Lunar New Year Festivities next weekend. However, I go back to class strengthened, refreshed and inspired to learn in order to spend more time doing things like this - only one day doing it without need for a translator.
February 3rd, 2008
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