This week we have been working hard to get a building renovated to be used as a student ministry center, in the heart of Ulaanbaatar. We have hired a young lady to manage the center. Her name is Onon (we’ll write more about Onon on a later post - but you can begin praying for her now!).
Friday photo’s for this week are some renovation shots (you may be getting a lot of these in the near future!). Our main accomplishment this week is getting a concrete floor stained. Onon said this is probably the first stained concrete floor in Mongolia. When we went to the building supply district (called zuun aile in Mongolian - think Home Depot explodes, and lands in a flea market setting) and explained our plan, we were told several times that it couldn’t be done. Well, as you can see below, it is being done! We’ll be sure to post shots of the finished product when we get it all done.
Until then, here are some shots of the work in progress.
Also, we recently put out this funding newsletter. Please be sure to read it and let us know if you are being led to help in this project!
September 5th, 2008
We missed Friday Photos last week due to renovation busy-ness. So our readers get a double treat this week!
The recent summer Olympic games were historic for Mongolia and her athletes. A Mongolian heavy-weight judo contender won the first Olympic Gold Medal in Mongolia’s history. Later, toward the end of the games, another Gold Medal was won by a Mongolian boxer, after he defeated a cuban in the title match. Two silvers were also brought home, in boxing and shooting, respectively. Needless to say, this city was beside itself with jubilation and revelry. Below are pictures I took while watching the final boxing match live on the jumbo-tron that we have outside our apartment, near the State Department Store. The street was blocked off and crowds had gathered to see the fight.
I must confess, as much as I love seeing the the gold brought home by our good ‘ole US of A (way to go Phelps!), it was fun to see Mongolia get so excited about winning a couple of Gold Medals. Young and old were high-fiving in the streets and a renewed patriotism was evidenced in all quarters. It was a happy time for the nation, particularly after the recent riots.
So with our Mongolian friends, we say “Altan avsan shuu… bayariin hurgiea!”
(roughly translated: We got gold! Happiness wished to you!)
September 5th, 2008