All is well...

We were able to catch our flight without a problem and made it to Seoul at around 4:45 AM on Saturday. We went to our reserved room at the airport hotel, showered and crashed.

I got up a few hours later and went to the transfer desk to get our boarding passes. Miraculously they gave me Mark's as well as mine. Only one little problem: we got the last two seats (literally) on the plane; last row against the toilets. I didn't complain because at least we were on the plane.

But, I've learned a few things and so three hours later I went back and asked if any better seats had become available. Sure enough (praise God) two aisle seats in the middle of the plane had become available and I instantly snagged them. Mark was a very happy guy to hear that.

The flight was uneventful (I say that a lot) and we arrived about thirty minutes early. Customs was a breeze and we had a few anxious minutes waiting for our luggage but it finally arrived and off we went to drop Mark off.

The trip was virtually perfect, which is saying a lot for going halfway around the world. Mark was a great traveler and was wonderful in every way with the Mongolians. We both had a great time.

I'm already missing being in Mongolia while loving being home.

You can view all my pics at www.flikr.com/pastor-chris

Thank you again for all your prayers and financial support. You have no idea the impact you make by blessing the Mongolian church with your generosity.

Not quite leaving yet...

On our way to the airport we got a call that our flight was canceled. After a few calls we discovered Korean Air had canceled the flight due to weather. We went back to Tom's and spent the night, waking up to waffles and pancakes. What a treat.

The hot water was still not on so we took "bucket baths" (we hadn't been able to shower for two days). Another treat.

I've been able to get all my internet work done and in a few minutes we're off to see some more sights. We catch our plane tonight at 10:00 PM. We have a hotel in Seoul for twelve hours and then we catch our flight to Seattle. We land at 12:40 AM Saturday.

Please pray that our flight leaves tonight on time. Pic's to follow.

Day 5 in Darkhan

After breakfast Mark and I talked for a few hours and then gave Pastor Hetee a call to see what’s up. Hetee met us at our hotel and off we went to the “black market”, which is basically now the city market where just about anything is available.

Hetee needed some meat, flour and eggs and I bought a watermelon ($5.00). I wish I could show you pictures of the meat market but the meat vendors get pretty upset when you take pictures. (The fruit and veggie vendors don’t care, though.) I told Hetee that if Sandy had to get our meat from the market she’d be a vegetarian.

We grabbed a taxi and took the groceries back to Hetee’s house. We stayed there a bit (Mark and I fell asleep on the couch) and then it was off to the church office for a meeting with Hetee’s “12” and Melanie’s “12”. They use a modified G12 cell group model in their church and we were meeting with their leaders.

Mark and I were asked to share for about 45 minutes a piece and then we prayed for all of them. It was so good to see familiar faces who have become friends over the years. I was especially blessed to be able to encourage their worship leader who’s baby died one year earlier from a fall.

After the meeting we walked across the street to the Empire restaurant for a dinner with two pastors and their wives and a leader couple from Hetee’s church. Hetee wanted to introduce us to these pastors and let them get to meet us and see if wider ministry opportunities would open up. We had one of those really great times and the Spirit of God was knitting us together as new friends and brothers and sisters.

By the end of the meeting I was almost falling asleep at the table so we began the walk to the hotel. We were supposed to go from there to pray for one of the leader’s parents but I was simply too tired to do it. We decided to pray in the morning. Mark and I said our goodbyes to Hetee and Melanie, got to our room and crashed.

Day 4 in Darkhan

On Monday Mark and I spent the morning discussing a myriad of topics and we can really see why God put us together. It’s a real bonus when you spend two weeks sharing a room with someone in a foreign country and you actually get along. Seriously, though, we have a long list of things in common and are enjoying talking about the Lord and His plans for Mongolia.

Around 1:30 PM we walked to Pastor Hetee’s for some lunch and fellowship. Melanie had fresh bread, sausage, egg salad and a patte ready with cherry juice and “Tang”. Hetee told us a friend from church was coming to drive us about 20 km into the countryside to look for their signature camels to ride. Kenny, Abi and Kenny were coming with us while Mel stayed behind to get some needed rest.

We found their gers and the people were great. They invited us in to their ger and while their kids sat on the floor playing cards they offered us dried milk and airag (fermented mare’s milk). This was my first time to finally have some airag and it was good. Mark had a few big gulps and then they showed us how they milked the mares to get the milk for the airag.

After a working display of horsemanship it was time to go find the camels. We hopped in the car and literally took off across the prairie in a Hyundai sedan. Up and over the rolling hills we went until we crested one hill and there they were: the famous Gobi camels with two humps. Our host had driven these camels all the way from the Gobi desert and now owned over 130, along with all his horses.

Our host put the simple “saddle” (basically a fitted piece of felt) on the camel and I was allowed to go first, no instruction. I mounted the camel, locked my feet in the stirrups and then, as it got up, I felt like I was on a rocking horse in slow motion. As this is happening I’m getting hand signals to grab on the the hump so I don’t fall off. Mission accomplished. The spine of the camel hit me right on the bottom of my spine; for the few minutes I was on the camel it was fine, but I could not imagine going much further without a caravan of chiropractors.

Mark got his chance to ride and then Nate and Kenny (Abi opted out). When we were done the kids played in the grass while the men sat down and shared some conversation. It is hard to describe sitting in the middle of a pasture in Mongolia, surrounded by rolling hills from horizon to horizon, with a mammoth blue sky overhead. Nothing but the sound of crickets and a slight breeze. Take away the car and it could be 800 years ago. Nothing has changed.

We drove our host back to his ger, said our goodbyes, paid him the 10,000 tugrat he requested for his time ($7.00) and then we were off to Hetee’s again.

We rested until dusk and then we took a taxi back to the city monument and shrine for a family walk. We walked up the many stairs to the monument then crossed the bridge to the shrine. By now it was dark and beautiful lights had come on, some on the bridge but also a very long parkway lit up. As we walked music was coming out of little Alice in Wonderland type figures. The city had provided little games and entertainment for the kids and hundreds of people were enjoying the cool of the evening.

We eventually walked to our hotel where Pastor Hetee and his family caught a taxi back to their house. Mark and I were really tired, but we were also really hungry, so we went up to the hotel restaurant to eat. We both had Hungarian goulash and it was superb, even though we both almost fell asleep eating it (just like toddlers do). Total cost for our meal: $6.00.

We got to our room and crashed. I called Sandy to say hi and then it was off to bed.

A perfect day.

Day 3 in Darkhan

Yesterday we went to Hetee’s home in the morning and stayed with them until it was time to go to church. We took a taxi to old Darkhan where the church meets another church’s building. The service started at 2:00 PM and after worship Mark and I were invited to share. Mark shared on the work in Sudan and then I share a short word from the Scriptures.

When we were done Mark and I prayed for the entire congregation, one by one, me on the left side and Mark on the right. As always, God faithfully met the needs of the people as they presented themselves before Him.

After we were done we walked to Modern Nomads, a traditional Mongolian restaurant, for lunch. Mark and I ordered virtually the same Mongolian meal except I ordered the kid’s size. (pictures) Mark thoroughly enjoyed the traditional food.

We took a taxi back home. Hetee plugged in the series “24” but Mark and I were struggling to stay awake. Eventually we walked home is it was getting dark and crashed.