Sunday update

Last year in November, we finally started to grow. This year in November, it seems as if the group we have is static. After our return, each week our attendance seemed to grow with a total of 20 Mongolians several Sundays ago. Since then we have had a basic core group of Mongolians come but few visitors. I've included in this post a picture of the people who regularly attend our church here in Mongolia. There are others who come some of the time. But the picture includes almost all of the people who come regularly.

Ganaa is the Mongolian lady whom we are trying to train to teach the children. She is an excellent teacher. However, her husband Bob is unsaved and not very supportive of her teaching. However, because she really wants to help with the children we have been working with her. On Saturday, Ganaa told Kristie she would be unable to come on Sunday.

Then on Sunday morning, Joann - Kristie's missionary partner here in Mongolia - called to say that she was sick and unable to come. So Kristie went from having someone lined up to teach the story and provide the children with a craft while she led singing to being responsible for everything herself.

Next week we will be baptizing people. It will be the first time in a while that we have baptized, and there are six that are prepared for baptism with another two who are possibilities. Please pray that there will be no hindrances to these being baptized next week. I hope to post pictures here next week of the baptisms so come back next week to see them.

Ministering to neighbors

Wednesday night about 9 PM our neighbors showed up to trade recipies with Kristie. You can see the plates and cookbook on the table. In the middle is Badma with her son Tsogdoo who lives next door to us. On the right is Zaya with her daughter Khuslen. They live two floors below us. Zaya spent some years in Germany. The recipie that she brought was for a German cake. It was good.

We have had the opportunity to talk of our Savior with Badma and Zaya. Badma come to our church service on Easter once. Please pray for the salvation of our neighbors. Also, it is easier for Kristie to get together with the ladies than it is for me to get together with the men. Please pray that I would have opportunities to be a witness for Jesus Christ to our neighbors too.

Prayer update

I have two requests that I would like to mention this week. One is wisdom, grace, and strength for us as we have opportunities to interact with Mongolians every day. Some days, Kristie and I do not really feel like interacting with Mongolians. (We would much rather type e-mails in English to loved ones back in the U.S.) But we want to have a vision to minister to Mongolians, the motivation to do it with joy, and the wisdom to minister effectively. Monday night a neighbor came over and heard the Gospel; Tuesday night a neighbor came over, heard more about our services on Sunday, and received a Gospel tract; Wednesday night a neighbor is scheduled to come over; and Thursday night Mongolians friends are to visit.

The second request is this: pray that Bilgee would be eager to follow God's path instead of his own and be willing to repent. I cannot say more than that presently except that Bilgee has made some decisions to continue in sin and seems unrepentant. Of course, if he continues he faces church discipline which would not be pleasant for anyone. But we believe that God changes hearts through prayer, and I would urge you to pray for Bilgee this coming week.

Prayer update

This week I would ask for your prayers for some of our Mongolian friends. Ganpurev and Ulzee are doing well enough, but their son Bilgoon (the one with the eye trouble) and Ulzee's mother Aya are both suffering this week. Last week something like a boil developed on the back of Bilgoon's head. When the boil-like bubble was lanced, pus and blood came out. His parents expected him to make a swift recovery; unfortunately, pus and blood continue to drain from the lanced boil nearly a week later. The school nurse looked at it and sent him home. Currently, Bilgoon is taking antibiotics and resting at home.

Aya is probably in her 70's although I have never asked. (I am one of those who firmly believes one should never ask a woman's age or weight). One of her knees has developed a problem that is painful and makes it impossible for her to walk without assistance. She has been to see the doctor, and they have ordered some tests. However, I do not hold out much hope that Aya will have the treatment she needs in Mongolia's national health care system.

Most of all, Aya needs to recognize that Jesus Christ is her Savior. Virginia Powell has been praying for her salvation for some time. Would you please take any opportunity you have this week to pray for her salvation? I dearly enjoy seeing Aya make a public profession of faith in Christ before it is too late.

Sunday's attendance

I must admit that yesterday's attendance was a little bit of a disappointment to me. We had been steadily growing by one or two each week. Yesterday, we had eight Mongolian adults come but only two children. Last year at this time, eight adults would have been a great turn-out.

I am planning to use my free time this week to do some more visiting. Please pray that it would be profitable.

Benjamin Franklin's Investment

When Benjamin Franklin died in 1790, his estate was valued at about $250,000; in today's dollars, he was a multimillionaire. In a codicil to his will Franklin wrote that he wanted "to be useful even after my death if possible." He then bequeathed 1,000 pounds to both Boston, Massachusetts and to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with the instructions that from that money loans were to be given to entrepreneurs of good standing and moral character. The low interest loans were intended to give these young people a start in business. The interest would collect over the years and expand the program.

Benjamin Franklin calculated that by 1890, 100,000 pounds could be subtracted from the funds and spent on various transportation projects, and there would still be enough funds to continue the loans to entrepreneurs. So he directed that one hundred years after his death 100,000 pounds was to be taken from each fund and used on such things as roads and bridges.

He must have had great faith in American character and the American system of government that he helped found because he further directed that after 200 years the remaining monies in the trust funds were to be divided between Boston, Philadelphia, and the states of Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. So in 1990, a total of 6.5 million dollars was divided between these four governments. All from an investment of 2,000 pounds.

We too are investing our lives. Only eternity will show the results of the investment that we have made for Jesus Christ. Only then will we watch with agony the wood, hay, and stubble burn and watch with amazement the building that God has made of our gold, silver, and precious stones.

So many have invested in me over the years that, excepting my parents, it would be foolish for me to mention them all. But I have been conscious of their efforts and wish to take their investments in me and re-invest it in others.

When it comes to missions, I am reminded of something Nate Saint, the famous missionary killed along with Jim Elliot by Auca Indians in the jungles of Ecuador. He once said, "People who don’t know the Lord ask why in the world we waste our lives as missionaries. They forget that they too are expending their lives … and when the bubble has burst they will have nothing of eternal significance to show for the years they have wasted." To some, it may seem as if the missionary is wasting his life. But to those whose eternity has been changed by the arrival of a preacher of righteousness, that life certainly does not seem wasted.

Just as Benjamin Franklin, we can invest for the future or allow our lives to be frittered away on so many unimportant things. Except that unlike Benjamin Franklin our investment will not only continue to for several hundred years, our investments by God's grace will continue forever. So how about you? What on earth are you doing for heaven's sake?

Sunday's attendance

We were blessed with 12 Mongolian adults and 10 Mongolian children for a total of 22 Mongolians on Sunday morning. While preparing to take a picture, I took this one to warm up and then my camera batteries were dead. Of course, I had not contemplated bringing more batteries. Still, in this picture you can see nine of the twelve Mongolian adults and Roland Gay, our current partner here in Mongolia.

On the far left is Enkhamgalan (if you are interested in a brief history: initial meeting and latest information) and next to him with his head behind the girl in a camo jacket is Mandaa. Please be praying for the salvation of both of these men.

Mandaa and Bayambaa update

I had a chance to spend some time with Mandaa and Bayambaa today. This young couple is just a few years younger than us and has two children. Bayambaa was led to our Savior by another missionary who is no longer in the city and began to attend our church last year. This last June she gave birth to their second child.

Mandaa is not a very talkative fellow and his job as an artist requires him to work long hours. Interestingly, as an artist he has been involved in making statues of false gods, of literally making idols. He claims no religious affiliation. Between his long hours and his reluctance to speak, I do not feel as if I have had much of a chance to get to know him.

Today Bayambaa told me that Mandaa has been reading a Bible that she has. Please pray for his salvation.

Mongolian language help

For those of you that are interested, I stumbled across an interesting site that offers free tutorials in classic Mongolian. Check out Lingua Mongolia. Have fun!

Enkhamgalan update

I met with Enkhamgalan last night. He had some things that he wanted to translate and two questions about the Bible that he wanted to ask me. He wanted to ask about the meaning of Ephesians 5:16 and Luke 18:27. We finished his question from Ephesians quickly and moved into the translation which took some time.

Then it was time to deal with Luke 18:27, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God." I pointed out that the context was salvation because the rich man has asked what he had to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus was teaching his disciples that doing good and keeping certain rituals was not the way to eternal life. Still not clearly understanding Jesus the disciples responded, "Who then can be saved?" At which Jesus responded that it was only possible with God.

This was just the spiritual lesson that Enkhamgalan needed regarding salvation. Like the disciples, he did not understand why Jesus thought that salvation was impossible for men to do without God. I took the opportunity to again stress that the way to [peace with] God is faith in Jesus Christ.

Enkhamgalan however by his own admission is looking for proof that God exists and that Jesus is the only way to God. But incontrovertible truth and faith are mutually exclusive. As one man wisely said, "Were there no room for doubt there would be no room for faith either." So I challenged Enkhamgalan to have faith in God.

His response was very indicative of his spiritual condition: "I have faith," he said.

"Good," I said with joy expecting something like the Philippian jailor - now what must I believe to be saved - or at least the cry of the father of the demon-possessed son - I believe, please help my unbelief. Instead his followed up with the rhetorical question, "Now where's my proof?" So I can see that he still does not have the faith that is the evidence of things not seen.

Continue to pray for Enkhamgalan. Pray that God would give him faith, saving faith.