I was awaiting a visit from Gustavo and his wife last Thursday when about 8:30 Gantsetseg called me her voice sounded frantic. Whether because she was frantic or because we were talking over the phone I do not know, but I was unable to understand just what the problem was. Although I was not comprehending the details it was clear that something was bothering her about her husband and husband's family.
She paused as if waiting for me to say something. I hesitated unsure of what she had just said and not sure that asking her to repeat herself was the best thing to do. So I asked if she wanted me to do something in particular or just wanted advice. She then made the first clear statement in the entire phone conversation: she said "Call me in 10 minutes."
I waited ten minutes and then called back. This phone conversation was clearer to me. I understood that he father-in-law had called because there was some problem with her husband. She wanted me to take her from her home to her parents-in-law's home which was some 14 miles away. Not far by American standards but late at night with temperatures below zero, those fourteen miles could be a long, arduous trek. So not completing understanding the situation, I agreed to come to her place, pick her up, and take her to a suburb of Ulan Bator. I took Kevin with me.
When we arrived at her shack north of the city, she was dressed for the weather and putting a scarf on her daughter. I asked again what was wrong. She said that her husband called her and said that her father-in-law had been in a car accident. When she asked what hospital he was in, her husband Erdenesuren told her to come to his parent's house. "I hope he's alive," she said to conclude her explanation of the situation.
We got in the car and drove to a suburb east of Ulan Bator. Traffic was light but the roads were icy in spots so it took some time to get there. I talked with her some, but it was clear that she was unaware of the details of the accident or her father-in-law's condition.
When we arrived at the house where she was heading she asked us just to drop her off. I offered to go in with her or to wait for her, but she declined. So Kevin and I dropped her off, watched her proceed through the gate with her daughter, and then drove back home.
Later, I learned that her father was driving to a town east of the city in the early morning before the sun was risen. The roads were icy and slick when he collided in his small car with a bus. He was killed instantly.
As far as I can tell, all but one member of the immediate family are
not Christians. Gantsetseg has no desire to participate in the Buddhist rituals that the family is doing and has planned. Please pray for peace for Gantsetseg, for wisdom for her as she deals with her own grief and the grief of her family, and for the salvation of the family including Gantsetseg's husband.
This year we had more children than ever. Although we only invited a dozen children, 16 came to the party. Along with our four children that meant we had twenty children in our apartment. With temperatures outside below zero, sending the children outside to play was not an option.
While the children are listening to the Christmas story and participating in the gift exchange the cookies are baked. Then the cookies go home with the children at the end of the party. With sixteen different children all trying to find their cookies at the same time it was quite a crowd in the kitchen.
Somehow when I took the picture at the end of all the children who came I cut out two of children on the end. Not counting our own family, nine families are represented in this picture. We have had the chance to witness to most of the parents at least once. Please pray for the salvation of our neighbors and that the seed planted at this year's party will grow to fruition on the lives of these young Mongolians.
