Missing my 15 minutes of fame

I had just finished my lunch at home and was preparing to go out again when a phone call came for me. On the other end of the line was a Mongolian speaking frantically. She said that she was from the local committee (a layer of bureaucracy here in Mongolia) and had some questions for me. When did I arrive in Mongolia? How long was I planning to be here? (How do I answer that one?) Did I have a valid visa? Did I have residency permission? How many foreigners were living with me? What kind of work was I doing?

After I answered all her questions, she demanded that I come down to her office immediately with all my official documents and with copies of them. I hung the phone up and explained what had happened to a Mongolian friend who was at our home.

"Oh yes," she said, "Koreans, Chinese, and Americans have become the most prominent foreigners in Mongolian. Many of them are here past their visa's expiration date or have not obtained residency permission. So the government recently passed a law requiring all foreigners without the proper papers to leave the country immediately."

I pulled my passports out, hoped everything was in order, and went to make copies of everything: passport front page, visas, residency permission, etc.

When I arrived at the official's office, she was on the phone talking obviously to another foreigner. She was putting many questions to the other foreigner too although it seemed that the foreigner she was currently speaking with did not have all his things in order. Finally, she hung up the phone and turned her attention to me.

I handed her my passport which she looked at briefly.

"Where is your visa?" she demanded. I showed her my visa which is valid through 2010.

She fired off another question, "Where is your residency permission?" I showed her my residency permission.

Next, "where is your work permission?" I explained to her that my visa type did not require residency permission. We sparred briefly before she agreed that I did not need work permission. (I do not hold a wage paying, Mongolian job.)

Then she picked up my wife's passport. "Who is this?"

"My wife."

"Where does she work?"

I explained that she did not have a job either.

"What about the other four passports?" She spoke as if she were frustrated that all my documents were in order. I wondered briefly if she was going to pull out a bureaucratic hurdle for me to jump through.

"Those are our four children." Should I add, "They don't work either"?

"Fine," she said taking my copies and handing back my passports and refraining from assigning me any bureaucratic obstacles to overcome. And that is when I missed my fifteen minutes of fame. [CAUTION: THE REST OF THIS POST IS SATIRICAL]

You see, the quickest way for a missionary to become famous is to die on the mission field. But for those who are not ready to die, the next best way to become a famous missionary is to be kicked off the mission field. So that means that by allowing me to stay, the Mongolian bureaucrat caused me to miss my fifteen minutes of fame.

a James Fraser quote on prayer

Just as a plant may die for lack of watering, so may a genuine work of God die and rot for lack of prayer. – James O. Fraser

Sunday update

We had eight Mongolian adults attend Sunday's church services. Although eight to ten adults seems a good number compared to last year, it seems that we have been stuck on that number for a few months without much change.

Dashgaa was scheduled to lead singing but must have forgot. He arrived about 15 minutes after we began. Kristie and I had actually discussed the possibility of Dashgaa being unprepared. So when he was not there at the starting time, I picked up the ball and ran with it. I preached from the end of Mark 9 which has a warning from Jesus about the eternal nature and reality of hell. Buren was there, and I plan to follow up this week. Continue to pray for his salvation.

For this Sunday's update I am also including a short video of my preaching. Obviously, I am speaking Mongolian so let me give you a little synopsis. I was preaching that you are either for Christ or against Him, that when it comes to Jesus there is no neutral ground.

Bayambaa's baptism

Here's a video of Bayambaa's baptism for those of you who'd like to see it. Since you probably won't understand the Mongolian, I've included a voiceover with some information about Bayambaa.

In other news ...

I visited Aya in the hospital on Saturday. As mentioned in previous posts, hospital visits in Mongolia often involve extended treatments. Some common treatments while Mongolians are in the hospital include injections of vitamins, massage therapy, and plenty of rest. Strangely, the public hospitals that make up the Mongolian national system do not feed their patients. The families of patients bring in food.

Aya went in with high blood pressure; a very sore, arthritic knee; and ear trouble that was preventing her from hearing well. When I visited on Saturday she was already feeling better, and her blood pressure was lower. She expects to leave the hospital on Thursday.

We probably had our last day until next spring with temperatures above freezing on Sunday. Sunday's high was 37° F. A cold front moved in during the evening bringing a little snow and a low of -9° F. Somehow are bedroom window was left partially open, and I awoke in the night very cold and shut the window.

The forecast says that temperatures will go even lower the next few days. Of course, the Lord has blessed us with a warm apartment - warm enough that someone opened a window when it was hovering near zero outside. Several of our families though live in shacks or gers (Mongolian tents). The price of coal has doubled since last year making heating expenses go through the roof for these families.

Baptismal service

We had our baptismal service on Sunday. There were seven baptized including my ministry partner's daughter Julia. In the picture above you see from left to right: Roland Gay, my partner in ministry; Bilgoon, Ganpurev & Ulzee's son; Chimgay, Buren's middle daughter; Julia, Roland's daughter; Nyamkaa, Ganpurev & Ulzee's daughter; Bayambaa; Tsenday, Bayambaa's father; myself (you do recognize me, don't you?); and Uchkaa, Buren's youngest daughter.

It was exciting to Tsenday baptized. He is older than the others and often the elderly here in Mongolia have a hard time accepting the truth. His daughter Bayambaa became a Christian through the witness of a Mongolian and then began attending our church services last year. A rough pregnancy prevented her from coming for several months, but recently she has begun to attend again faithfully. She began to bring her father early this year. He showed much interest in the Bible and Jesus Christ but years of Buddhist beliefs hindered his understanding. Gradually, as he continued to attend and heard the Gospel multiple times, he realized his sinful heart and his desperate need for Jesus Christ. It was actually during the summer while I was in the States that he told Roland and Bilgee that he had become a Christian. Please pray for Bayambaa's husband Mandaa to be saved. He has heard the Gospel a few times but claims to be irreligious.

Another blessing of the Lord was that we had a good turnout. There were seventeen adults who attended the baptismal service. Roland did a good job of preaching and the Gospel was clearly given. I would say that about half of those that attended were not Christians, many of them Ganpurev's family members who came to see his children baptized. Also Buren was there to see his daughters baptized. There were several who were under obvious conviction during the preaching. I would like to get out and visit them this week with Ganpurev. Please pray for opportunities to do that and for more chances to preach Jesus Christ to these people.

James Fraser and prayer

James Fraser came to realize in a greater way the importance of prayer by watching D. E. Hoste who was general director of China Inland Mission at the time. Although CIM had hundreds and hundreds of missionaries spread throughout China, Hoste spend huge amounts of time in prayer, both individually and praying with other missionaries. Fraser was amazed at the length of time that Hoste would spend in prayer. Hoste quickly pointed out to Fraser that his time and energy were always saved by prayer and wasted without it.

It reminds me of another quote I once wrote down: "Everything vital to the missionary enterprise hinges upon prayer." Think on these words.

a James Fraser quote on prayer

James Fraser is a missionary whom I encourage everyone to read about. A good student with prospects as an engineer, Fraser left England to work in China and eventually ended up with tribal people in the mountains of south China. People whom I know personally have had the opportunity to visit these tribal people and witness their continued Christian testimony. Like Adoniram Judson in Burma, Fraser left behind a lasting ministry with results that continue to this present day. Even though he ministered before international telephone service and instant e-mail, James Fraser believed that keeping people in England informed was a worthwhile use of his time. He would write detailed letters to his supporters that might take months to arrive but that assured him that they would be praying intelligently for him and specifically for the requests that he would mention.

He once said referring to I Corinthians 3:6-7, "Paul may plant and Apollos water, but it is God who gives the increase, and this increase can be brought down from heaven by believing prayer, whether offered in China or in England" (emphasis mine). I too believe that people who live in North America and pray for us have a direct impact on our ministry here in Mongolia. That is why I take time to update the blog and why I include the names and pictures of individuals. We need your prayers!

In the coming weeks I hope to post a few more of James Fraser's quotes and thoughts on prayer. I know that many of you pray diligently for us and for those to whom we minister. May God bless you for your faithfulness in prayer.

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.