Day Two: Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Yes... this is Kath, the one causing all the trouble getting here.

God  is sooooo good. Showing up at the airport with a cancelled ticket was a beautiful start of the trip. I'm not kidding. I wasn't happy about it but I guess all my life I've heard of people going on mission trips and the amazing ways God chooses to work out the obstacles. As the team gathered to pray in the airport Katya said in prayer. "Lord we are just believing that Kath is going to get a ticket to go into Mongolia." I thought to myself, "I am just going to believe and not wonder, not worry or anything.'

So because of not worrying I got to enjoy a totally smooth flight, a tasty Korean dinner on the airplane and I wandered about the airplane visiting with the team members getting acquainted better. Upon arrival in Korea we went immediately to the ticket agent and presented our problem to her. A fleeting look of dismay crossed her face before she smiled nicely and her fingers began to fly across the computer. Pausing for a moment she spoke rapidly in to the phone, then fingers flying rapidly again. Suddenly, a brilliant smile crossed her face and she printed out my boarding ticket and handed it to me. God is great! Since then we have had a lovely time getting used to the culture. This is one adventure I would not have wanted to miss.

I know others have updated you so I'll jump to Wednesday our time. We awoke early, 5:30,  got ready for the day and were fixed a nice toast and jam breakfast before we went out walking around the block to an internet cafe where I called home. It was great to hear the girl's voices and Jeff's. After that we walked back to the guest house where we had morning devotions and prayer. I am so proud of Tammy. She came up with the worship songs and then shared about last night at the G12 meeting in UB. Pastor Ganbold came up to her afterward and said he had kind of had a vision and felt as though he were one of the women and that God was going to break the hurts in the hearts that had bound the women. He then said that he saw or felt the women look up and raise their hands and voices as they were set free. That was cool. Then Vera led the devotions and did a great job. She spoke about how Jesus needed to go to Samaria. The woman wasn't necessarily the one that we might have imagined Jesus would need to see but she was.  We weren't necessarily the ones that we might have thought God would choose when we look at our back grounds but this is not "chance". We were brought here for this time to do wonderful things that God chooses to do through us. Then we headed off on our bumpy journey thru the Mongolian countryside to Darkhan. The van was soft and cushy which was very nice since we were comfortably squished.

At first the country side was rather barren, hills in the background with gehrs here and there. Soon, though, trees (birch trees) were in clusters on the near hillsides. We stopped for gas and enjoyed seeing the destination sign all written in Mongolian. Melanie was keeping us company with Nate and that was great fun. Nate and I counted so many Mongolian horses and cowboys. We even got to see many of the Mongolian "speed bumps", at least that is what Melonie calls them,  the cattle and sheep just randomly decide to cross the road at any given moment, bringing the van to a quick slow down and halt. We took many pictures and I was so glad to get a picture of Darkhan as it was approaching, only to find out it wasn't Darkhan at all. Sue had to remind me when we finally did arrive to take my picture.

Well we are all settled into our accommodations and they are great! Not only that we only have to share the bathroom with 2-3 people. Luxury.  The rooms
have a knotty pine like furniture, twin beds and a shower and sink in the bathroom. Hetee and Melonie went to a late lunch at the nearby Texas pub where Vera, Ted and I had a great 't-bone steak,  in fact everyone's looked great.  We are now  at Hetee and Melonie's , Diana has won Nate's heart and so she is
playing with him and I am writing. Sorry if I am overly wordy but this is sooooo great. We are so excited about what God is going to do.

Keep praying everyone, a blessing from God is about to arrive and we are going to see it.

Love in Christ,

Tell Sandy this is sooooo much fun that she has to go with someday.

Kath