The witness of a foreigner

Imagine with me that you are sitting at home one evening. You are in your comfort zone: you are in your own home, listening to your own music, surrounded by familiar surrounding and loving family. Then there is a knock at the door. It is a Japanese man and he wants to come in and talk with you. Except that he is not yet fluent in English. Would you let him in? Would you listen earnestly to what he had to say? I would not. I am too busy with my family, my ministry, and my friends to spend much time listening to someone from another culture who is still learning my heart language try to tell me something I have never heard about before.

It is the same way here in Mongolia, except we are the foreigners intruding into Mongolians’ comfortable lives. If it were not for the eternal consequences and the calling of the Holy Spirit, I would not be here trying to interrupt their lives.

I once heard a person equate witnessing with warning people that their house is on fire. That analogy breaks down rather quickly when we consider that if a person’s house is on fire, you can easily point out the fire to convince them of their need to escape. But how does one point out the fires of an eternal hell. It takes the work of the Holy Spirit to convince men that they are sinners in danger of eternal judgment. Then too, it usually takes the respect of the person whom you are trying to persuade.

I have found in Mongolia that few Mongolians are willing to listen to some foreigner about non-material things unless they have grown close enough to me to understand my love and concern for them. As one man put it, “No one cares how much you know [about the Bible] unless they know how much you care.” So we spend a large amount of time getting to know people here in Mongolia.

God has blessed us recently with the opportunity to get to know several neighbors much better. As you pray for us this week, please pray for the salvation of Vantchaa and Mongoo his wife and for the salvation of Javkhaa and Batmaa his wife. And if the Mongolian names are difficult for you, just pray for the Dean’s neighbors.

In other news, both Buren and Bob for whom you have all prayed for a long time along with me have been coming to our Sunday Bible studies. The last two weeks both of them have been there. Last weeks sermon about freedom from sin was a particularly pointed message about man’s need for Jesus Christ. Please continue to pray for their salvation.

Global Warming in Mongolia

There is a lot of fear and fear-mongering about global warming. Scientists around the world are warning us about the dangers of global warming. Here in Mongolia we take a different view of global warming. If implications are understood correctly, Mongolia has little to fear and a lot to gain from global warming.

First, global warming will raise the temperature. So what's so bad about higher temperatures? For Mongolia, that's great! Yesterday's low was -20; and it's not even December yet. Even a temperature increase of a few degrees would be appreciated. Seriously though, consistently higher temperatures would mean a longer growing season in Mongolia.

Second, increased global temperatures would mean more evaporation from the ocean which would result in increased rainfall. Indeed global warming would melt the polar ice caps and increase the surface area of the oceans (more on how that benefits Mongolia later) and decrease the surface area of the world's landmass. More surface area from which to draw water and less area on which to rain it must result in more rainfall.

Third, a rise in the level of the oceans would mean less land area for the world's population. Any economist can tell you what happens when supply decreases and demand increases - prices rise. With the supply of available, arable land decreasing and the world's population increasing, the price of land must rise. Mongolia with its lowest point at 1700 feet above sea level stands to lose no territory. Furthermore, by lengthening the growing season global warming will increase the amount of arable land in Mongolia. Even better, everyone knows that oceanfront property is some of the most valuable on earth. Of course, Mongolia doesn't have any oceanfront property ... yet.

Fourth, the same scientists who warn us about global warming also believe in the neo-Darwinian idea of evolution of species by random mutation and natural selection. Many of these scientists also believe that in the past new species evolved as climate change brought pressures that favored the species with newly developed parts.

One good example of this is the very common evolutionary belief about anaerobic bacteria, oxygen, and the emergence of eukaryotic life. Evolutionists believe that anaerobic bacteria was the initial life form on earth. This was because the early earth lacked much oxygen in its atmosphere. (Why do evolutionists believe this? Because oxygen would have made it impossible for life to form according to their understanding of life and chemistry. But I digress.) But as the anaerobic bacteria proliferated some of them began to produce oxygen as a waste product. This oxygen killed off many types of anaerobic bacteria but caused aerobic bacteria (the kind that uses oxygen) to flourish. Since all other life forms evolved from aerobic bacteria, I would think that we should thank our lucky stars that anaerobic bacteria produced oxygen as a waste product. Otherwise, we'd all still be giant mats of bacteria instead of thronging masses of humans.

Imagine though the situation above as the situation today. Instead of anaerobic bacteria, we have humankind, rather than oxygen as a waste product think of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, and rather than aerobic bacteria and every life form associated with it imagine ... well, now who knows what new life forms might evolve. We may be on the threshold of a new evolutionary future! So exactly why are neo-Darwinian scientists so bothered by global warming? Why not welcome it with open arms as an opportunity to spur new evolutionary development. After all, change is good.

So go ahead and fire up that two-stroke lawn mower. Take another Sunday drive with the kids (if you can afford it). There's no need to worry about global warming. At least , not from where I am in Mongolia.

Monday update

As I sit here writing this blog entry the temperature is plummeting. It was about 6 degrees about zero when we woke up this morning and now is about 6 below zero. The sun just went down and I expect that we are in for a cold night. Praise the Lord for a warm apartment! One weather report says tomorrow's high will be 19 above and another says 3 below. But no snow is forcast.

It's been a busy week for all of us. Usually, I am gone quite a few nights each week, visiting families and teaching Bible lessons in people's homes. Kristie often is at home with the children making sure that they get into bed at a decent hour. One of the reasons that I feel more comfortable than Kristie speaking and hearing Mongolian is that I am around it so much more.

Recently, however, that has all changed. You may remember that we live in a twelve story residential building. (If you haven't looked at it before check out my blog post about finding it on Google Earth. It's the bottom blog entry for August. Click here and go to the bottom of the page.) One of our neighbors whose name is Mongoo is a teacher. We had met her and her husband before, and everyone was friendly; but we had just never spent much time together. Two weeks ago while schools were out for a short break, Mongoo came over to visit Kristie. I wasn't home that night, but Kristie had a good talk with her. At least it must have been a good talk because she returned the next evening. When she found out I was gone again, she asked, "Isn't your husband ever home?"

One thing led to another and we're quickly moving past the acquaintance stage with them. I returned the visit with my wife the next evening only to discover that her husband, Vantchaa, was playing basketball with a group of workmates. So we finally all got together early this week. They have three children, ages 10, 6, and 1; and our children enjoy playing with their children. Several times this week, they have come to our house, or we have visited them.

This is an answer to prayer. Many of you have been praying along with us for help with the Mongolian language. It would be nice if one could absorb Mongolian in his sleep, but reality is that to continue our language progress, we need to speak and listen to the language. In the past, Kristie especially had trouble getting out of the house to speak and hear spoken Mongolian. After all, someone has to put the kids in bed at night. But in answer to our prayers, God has brought more Mongolian speaking into our house. Not only Mongoo, but another neighbor whom we know better, Batmaa, has also began to come over regularly. In fact, this previous Saturday, first we went to Batmaa's apartment for an hour or so, then immediately following that Vantchaa and Mongoo came to our apartment for a couple more hours, and later that evening Batmaa returned again to stay for a while.

Sunday morning, two of Mongoo's children and two of Batmaa's children came with us Sunday morning and attended Sunday school. With seven Mongolian adults, we had a total of fifteen Mongolians on Sunday which is another good turnout. As I've mentioned before, our desire is not only to reach the children but also to reach their parents. Please pray for Vantchaa's and Mongoo's salvation and for Javkhaa's and Batmaa's salvation. And if you can't remember the names, just pray for the salvation of our neighbors.

Ambassadors for Christ

Recently, a new ambassador arrived in Mongolia. In taking over his duties, Ambassador Mark Minton must have met with the Mongolian President, Enkhbayar, and the Mongolian Prime Minister, Enkhbold. He probably had many other meetings. But the new ambassador also wanted to meet with all the U.S. expatriates living in Mongolia. So a general invitation went out to all the U.S. citizens living in Mongolia.

I had the privilege recently to attend this meeting, shake hands and introduce myself to Ambassador Minton, and meet the other staff of the United States Embassy in Mongolia. In a short speech that Ambassador Minton had prepared for us, he reminded us that while he was the official ambassador of the government of the United States to Mongolia, all of us were representatives of our country.

It was another good reminder of the truth that we find in II Corinthians 5:20, "Now we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us." Everywhere I go, I represent Jesus Christ. Even more amazing God the Father chooses to call others to Himself through my life and verbal witness! Notice the second phrase, as though God did beseech you by us." I don't always understand why God does what He does, but I know without any doubt that God uses people. He could earnestly entreat sinners through angels or through His own voice, but God chooses to use me and my limited skills (especially in the Mongolian language) as His personal representative. What a privilege! And what a responsibility!

Language progress

"It's exhilarating to have a new adventure every day. And when I go [places] and find here and there a word that I can really understand, I feel like shouting." - quote by an unknown missionary

There are some days when language goes well and some days when it doesn't. Today was a "good language day." It started when I spent several hours with a Mongolian man from the countryside. He remarked on my good language skills - though he admitted that my language wasn't as good as another American that he knows, an American who had been here for 14 years, I might add. Then as the conversation progressed, he asked me several times, "Please come to my village to teach the Bible. We need someone in our village who knows the language." There is a church in his village, but it is currently led by an American who preaches and teaches through a translator. So that was thrilling.

Later, I called to talk to an American friend. When a Mongolian answered the phone I launched into the typical Mongolian greeting followed by a request in the Mongolian language to talk to Trina.

When Trina came to the phone, she seemed surprised to hear from me. "Scott, is this Scott? Oh, it is you," she basically said.

Since I hadn't told the Mongolian who it was, I was a little perplexed. "Of course it's me." I couldn't imagine why she would be shocked to hear my voice.

But she soon explained herself, "My Mongolian friend said that it was a Mongolian." It's nice to be mistaken for a Mongolian over the phone. Thrill number two.

Then I went to the store to procure some ham for our Thanksgiving Day celebration. Hey, we have a lot to be thankful for here in Mongolia too, even if there will never be a PlayStation 3 launch date in the foreseeable future. (I hope none of you wasted time standing in line for one this last week!) The meat shop where I was did not have any of the ham that I wanted. I called Kristie, explained the situation and asked what her preference was. Should I get the ham that they had? Kristie wanted me to ask when the other kind of ham might be available. My heart fell. Try to explain that I didn't want the ham they had but another kind that they sometimes had. I could envision going around and around with the shopkeeper. "Do you have any other kinds of ham?" "Yes, this kind." "Any other kinds?" "Don't you like this kind?" "No, I want the other kind." "What other kind." "The kind you don't have." "If we don't have it, why are you asking for it." You get the idea.

I hung up the phone, turned to the lady at the counter, and within one sentence had the other kind of ham in my hands. The key was to say, "Do you have any square ham like this round ham?" (Except to translate it directly from Mongolian would be something like, "This round ham like square ham have?" Try saying that fast five times ... in Mongolian.) Absolutely thrilling!

Then I was shopping for eggs. Usually when I shop the shopkeepers recognize my foreign face and simply shout at me as I walk by, "Buy anything?" But today, one man overheard me talking to another shopkeeper and remarked, "He speaks really well." After completing my purchase from the shopkeeper, the man engaged me in a conversation more complex than "Buy anything?" and I ended up buying some of his product too. Kind of thrilling, only later I wished I hadn't bought any of what he had to sell. That's one of the perils of knowing the language too well: aggressive shopkeepers can talk you into buying meat that's sat out all day.

Finally, a Mongolian friend who speaks some English but not much called me asking for urgent help. As we finished up, we left together. He was talking to me about how stressed he had been. I thought to myself, "Boy, it's amazing how much his English has improved. I understand him better than I ever did before." Then I realized, "Wait! He's speaking Mongolian - that's why he sounds so good." That simple recognition that I understood his Mongolian better than his English was like a glorious ray of sunshine breaking through the clouds after a week of Oregon rain. (Unless, of course, you like Oregon rain better than sunshine. In which case, you're messing up my analogy.) Another thrilling episode in language acquisition.

But I don't say all this to pat myself on the back. One day I'll write about a bad language day. (And I didn't bother to tell you that at the meat shop I responded to the question, "Do you want your meat cut?" with the answer, "Yes, you will.") But I do want to say that I attribute the language skill I have to the blessing and grace of our Lord! Many of you have been praying for my language, and God is answering your prayers. I'm still a long way from being good at speaking Mongolian, but it's something when you know enough language that you can be talked into buying meat that has sat out all day!

Sunday update

We had a good turnout at the meeting this past Sunday morning. In fact, we had the best turnout of adults since we returned, nine Mongolian adults came. That may not seem like a lot, but to me that's a crowd. Buren was there for the first time since I returned from the States. Although I've visited him, he had not been to our meetings on Sunday before this one.

In another first, we actually had a Mongolian preach on Sunday. Ganpurev was our first speaker. I know it won't be the last time. When I first asked Ganpurev to prepare, he seemed hesitant. I've spend some time the last several weeks helping him to prepare. He did a respectable job. Of course, it was his first time and he left many things unsaid that I would have said; but he didn't say anything wrong. And of course, he spoke Mongolian much better than I did. I enjoyed listening to him. He spoke about trials and temptations from James 1. I'm encouraged and hope that Ganpurev is encouraged. Keep praying for him.

Ganpurev's wife Ulzee passed out on the way home Sunday afternoon. So he had an immediate opportunity to practice what he preached about trials. As amazing as it sounds, I don't think Ulzee's problem is serious. She went to see a doctor today, I understand. If it's anything serious, I'll post about it soon.

I'm back

If you check this blog regularly, you've noticed that I haven't posted anything for about ten days. The day after the elections when I went to check the results, I found out that I had no internet connection. It took the company about a week to get it back up. I'll give you an update on things tomorrow so check back again.

Walking by faith

I found this today in a Spurgeon sermon that I was reading. It was such an encouragement to me that I had to share it with you.

"How shall I tell you what it is to walk by faith? I have sometimes had, before my mind's eye, as it were, a vision. I thought I saw a great staircase, made of light. There appeared to be nothing solid or earthly about it. I was called to ascend this staircase. Beneath my feet there seemed to be nothing. Each step I stood upon appeared to be the last, yet I went on, on, on, up, up, up, till I was at a dizzy height, and I thought that a voice said to me, "Look up." I could see no other step; but, as fast and I ascended one tier, I was told still to go on, and fresh steps of light revealed themselves beneath my ascending feet. I trod upon the clouds, and found them to be granite. It seemed to be thin air and mist; to mortal men, it was nothing. They laughed at me for trusting to it; but, each time my foot went down upon the stair, I found it to be like the eternal hills that are never to be moved. When, in my vision, I had climbed, and climbed, and climbed, till I seemed to look down upon the stars, I still climbed on, and I understood that this is walking by faith,--going ever upward, seeing Him Who is invisible, depending upon Him Whom no mortal eye can see, but Who is clearly recognized by our spiritual senses ... This is walking by faith, and it is a great mystery." (C.H. Spurgeon, The Suffering of Man and the Sovereignty of God, Oswego, IL: Fox River Press, 2001, p. 248-249)

Faith is a lot like that. There are many times when we have no idea how God's plan is going to work out because He has only showed us enough for today's step. Taking today's step is usually the hard part for me.

Prayer update

If you haven't checked out mongolia-ministry.blogspot.com in some time, you should check it out. I've finally been able to secure a regular connection to the Internet which means that I can update it more regularly. I've tried to add several posts every week.

We had a total of ten Mongolians on Sunday. That's a nice start but we hope to grow it from there. Please pray that those we invite would come.

I am also considering starting another Sunday Bible study across town with Ganpurev's help. We have three families who say that they are interested and another family to ask. Because it would take these families over an hour to ride public transportation to our current meeting location, we desire to start another Sunday Bible study at a location that is closer to them. As always it is the power of the Holy Spirit and the preaching of the cross that draws men to Jesus Christ. Pray that the power of Jesus Christ would be evident as we reach out to these other families. I will be visiting some of these families on Saturday.