Recently a guide was in Hatgal and noticed the way in which Trina Cofer and her daughter were dressed. She decided from the way that they were dressed that they must be Christians. She approached Trina and heard the Gospel. Trina told her that when she returned to the city (Ulan Bator), she should call me and I would teach her the Bible.
The guide whose name is Uganaa called me last Monday as I was waiting at the airport to travel to Hatgal to visit the Cofers. I asked her to call me back on Thursday and she complied calling me again on Thursday to arrange a meeting. Uganaa, Kristie, and I met Thursday night and for several hours on Friday to discuss who Jesus is.
Uganaa has studied the Koran with a religious teacher from Turkey, has studied with the Unification Church, and has a Book of Mormon which she has read parts of. She has also read the New Testament completely. She has lots of questions and admits that she has lots of misconceptions about what the Bible teaches that she must rid herself of. But she is open to learning. She says that she will be at our church service on Sunday, and we expect to meet with her several more times next week before her job as a guide takes her to the countryside again.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Friday, August 15, 2008
Picture of the week
This is Yuri, a Mongolian with a Russian name. While in the countryside several weeks ago, Ganpurev and I had the opportunity to witness to this elderly man. He is holding in his hand the book of John from the Bible that has been bound along with a Gospel tract. Please pray for Yuri's salvation and the salvation of Mongolians.
A trip to Hatgal
I returned from our church camp on Sunday afternoon because we had held our Sunday service in Terelj. That evening I led the singing for our English service. Our English service had a visitor. Attendance has been light during August.
Monday I had several things to accomplish before I left for Lake Hovsgol in northern Mongolia. I was traveling to visit the Cofers and see their ministry. They are in need of a translator for their ministry there since Tunga who has been translating for them since they went to Hatgal is leaving in September.
It was a quick trip: the Pattersons, Mickey, and I flew out to Muron on Monday. Then it was several hours of driving to get to Hatgal.
We were beginning the trip back on Wednesday morning.
Hovsgol is one of the beautiful places in Mongolia. The world's second deepest lake, it holds almost 1% of the world's fresh water. The lake is surrounding by majestic mountains and fresh green forests.
The Cofers have a vision for developing an old wool factory that they purchased into a community center, youth camp, and training facility. Ultimately, they would like to be able to host campers and conduct Bible training seminars at their facility. They have a long way to go, but recently Kevin and Wendy Dudley came to help them in their efforts to repair and restore the buildings.
On Wednesday morning, we left Hatgal for the drive back to Muron where the plane was waiting for us. It took us back to Ulaanbaatar. I made it back in time for our prayer meeting on Wednesday night.
Monday I had several things to accomplish before I left for Lake Hovsgol in northern Mongolia. I was traveling to visit the Cofers and see their ministry. They are in need of a translator for their ministry there since Tunga who has been translating for them since they went to Hatgal is leaving in September.
It was a quick trip: the Pattersons, Mickey, and I flew out to Muron on Monday. Then it was several hours of driving to get to Hatgal.
We were beginning the trip back on Wednesday morning.Hovsgol is one of the beautiful places in Mongolia. The world's second deepest lake, it holds almost 1% of the world's fresh water. The lake is surrounding by majestic mountains and fresh green forests.
The Cofers have a vision for developing an old wool factory that they purchased into a community center, youth camp, and training facility. Ultimately, they would like to be able to host campers and conduct Bible training seminars at their facility. They have a long way to go, but recently Kevin and Wendy Dudley came to help them in their efforts to repair and restore the buildings.
On Wednesday morning, we left Hatgal for the drive back to Muron where the plane was waiting for us. It took us back to Ulaanbaatar. I made it back in time for our prayer meeting on Wednesday night.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Church camp
We had 17 adults and 10 children at our church camp - the first we have ever done in Mongolia. I was encouraged by the good turnout; and except for one accident which I will tell you about in a minute, we all had a good time.
About a third of the adults that were at our church camp were unsaved. At my first opportunity I preached an evangelistic sermon for them and to remind the saved ones that salvation is not something that we do therefore we cannot be proud of being saved and boast of our own righteousness. I used the other two preaching opportunities to preach on Christian living.
There were late nights playing games and laughing, a soccer game during the heat of the day on a field covered with cow chips and pocked with holes, a creek nearby to splash in and wash our faces in the mornings, basketball played with an old soccer ball, and competitions such as throwing a small inner tube and trying to land it on a fence post.
One of the competitions was a tug-of-war between couples. After winning our initial bouts, Kristie &I were pulling against Buren & Sonin. For being a man about the age of my father, Buren has amazing strength. With his wife, he had already beaten Ganpurev & Ulzee. We pulled and pulled, they got the initial upper hand but we seemed to be making progress. Then it became apparent that they were winning. The goal was to pull the other team past a stake that had been posted in the ground. As Kristie neared the stake, thinking that we were done, I let go of the rope. Buren and Sonin both tumbled to the ground. Sonin bumped her head on the ground. She had to be helped to her feet and took a few seconds to get up but said that she was ok.
However, a few minutes later Buren saw her sitting in the shade by the tents away from the action. Buren and later I went over to join her. She complained that she was feeling funny and had no feeling on one side of her head. She thought she might be about to vomit. I was
concerned that she might be experiencing pressure inside her cranium from the knock on her head. She could also tell that her blood pressure was very high. She has trouble with her blood pressure. She just wanted to lay down in the shade.
To make a long story short: I prayed and prayed, Ganpurev went and found a nurse in the local village who was willing to come out to the campsite and competently administered some treatment. After she was feeling somewhat better, Buren took her home.
Sonin saw a doctor on Monday and as of Tuesday was feeling normal. I will post again if I find out more information.
About a third of the adults that were at our church camp were unsaved. At my first opportunity I preached an evangelistic sermon for them and to remind the saved ones that salvation is not something that we do therefore we cannot be proud of being saved and boast of our own righteousness. I used the other two preaching opportunities to preach on Christian living.
There were late nights playing games and laughing, a soccer game during the heat of the day on a field covered with cow chips and pocked with holes, a creek nearby to splash in and wash our faces in the mornings, basketball played with an old soccer ball, and competitions such as throwing a small inner tube and trying to land it on a fence post.
One of the competitions was a tug-of-war between couples. After winning our initial bouts, Kristie &I were pulling against Buren & Sonin. For being a man about the age of my father, Buren has amazing strength. With his wife, he had already beaten Ganpurev & Ulzee. We pulled and pulled, they got the initial upper hand but we seemed to be making progress. Then it became apparent that they were winning. The goal was to pull the other team past a stake that had been posted in the ground. As Kristie neared the stake, thinking that we were done, I let go of the rope. Buren and Sonin both tumbled to the ground. Sonin bumped her head on the ground. She had to be helped to her feet and took a few seconds to get up but said that she was ok.
However, a few minutes later Buren saw her sitting in the shade by the tents away from the action. Buren and later I went over to join her. She complained that she was feeling funny and had no feeling on one side of her head. She thought she might be about to vomit. I was
concerned that she might be experiencing pressure inside her cranium from the knock on her head. She could also tell that her blood pressure was very high. She has trouble with her blood pressure. She just wanted to lay down in the shade.To make a long story short: I prayed and prayed, Ganpurev went and found a nurse in the local village who was willing to come out to the campsite and competently administered some treatment. After she was feeling somewhat better, Buren took her home.
Sonin saw a doctor on Monday and as of Tuesday was feeling normal. I will post again if I find out more information.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Quote
It takes God a long time to get us to stop thinking that unless everyone sees things exactly as we do, they must be wrong. That is never God's view. There is only one true liberty -- the liberty of Jesus at work in our conscience enabling us to do what is right. Don't get impatient with others. Remember how God dealt with you -- with patience and with gentleness. But never water down the truth of God. Let it have its way and never apologize for it. Jesus said, "Go . . . and make disciples . . ." (Matthew 28:19), not, "Make converts to your own thoughts and opinions." - Oswald Chambers
Saturday, August 09, 2008
Quote
"It is absurd for the Evolutionist to complain that it is unthinkable for an admittedly unthinkable God to make everything out of nothing, and then pretend that it is more thinkable that nothing should turn itself into anything." - G.K. Chesterton
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Prayer requests for church camp
We leave for church camp tomorrow. We will be gone from Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon. Here are some prayer requests.
One very exciting thing is that many of the people who say they are coming are not Christians. Buren and Bob said that they are coming. Dawaajab also said that he will come. A friend of Bilgee's and his wife are also planning to come. Please pray for the salvation of these. Pray also that the Christians who are at the camp will take opportunities to witness and live lives that show Jesus to others.
Pray for protection. One never knows what will happen in Mongolia. Food poisoning, being kicked by a horse, even heat stroke - I have heard of all of these happening. Also pray that God would minimize other distractions. We want to spend more time than usual studying God's word so also ask God for a hunger and thirst for the Bible among those that come.
I will update you next week on what happens.
One very exciting thing is that many of the people who say they are coming are not Christians. Buren and Bob said that they are coming. Dawaajab also said that he will come. A friend of Bilgee's and his wife are also planning to come. Please pray for the salvation of these. Pray also that the Christians who are at the camp will take opportunities to witness and live lives that show Jesus to others.
Pray for protection. One never knows what will happen in Mongolia. Food poisoning, being kicked by a horse, even heat stroke - I have heard of all of these happening. Also pray that God would minimize other distractions. We want to spend more time than usual studying God's word so also ask God for a hunger and thirst for the Bible among those that come.
I will update you next week on what happens.
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Weekly update
Temperatures in the mid-90's may not seem all that hot until one realizes that such temperatures are a 130° difference from our winter temperatures. I feel like a chicken that has been taken out of the freezer and thrown into the pot.
This weekend the church will be having our church camp. Mongolians like such things, and many churches in Ulan Bator have a camp every summer. I am letting some folks organize it and not everything is being done the way I would do it. But the experience is good for me and for them.
Please pray that everything would go smoothly. Already there was a scheduling conflict with place we were planning to go. God provided another place on short notice ... only three days before we are scheduled to leave. Also both Buren and Bob for whose salvation we have been praying for some time are saying that they will be there. Along with those two there are another half dozen or more unsaved friends and relatives that are planning to join us. God's hand on our lives during our time at camp is needed to bring Him glory and fulfill His purposes. I will update you next week on how it all went.
This weekend the church will be having our church camp. Mongolians like such things, and many churches in Ulan Bator have a camp every summer. I am letting some folks organize it and not everything is being done the way I would do it. But the experience is good for me and for them.
Please pray that everything would go smoothly. Already there was a scheduling conflict with place we were planning to go. God provided another place on short notice ... only three days before we are scheduled to leave. Also both Buren and Bob for whose salvation we have been praying for some time are saying that they will be there. Along with those two there are another half dozen or more unsaved friends and relatives that are planning to join us. God's hand on our lives during our time at camp is needed to bring Him glory and fulfill His purposes. I will update you next week on how it all went.
Friday, August 01, 2008
Medical updates
Aya is in the hospital again undergoing chemotherapy. She did fine through the last round although her hair is beginning to fall out. She also says that she is tired of going to the hospital. Continue to pray for her to have a clear testimony of salvation.
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