God is good. God is merciful. God forgives. God cares. God listens. God answers prayers. God provides. God encourages. God delivers. God saves. God heals. God feeds. God refreshes. God is God.
It's so obvious that there is one true God and that human effort alone cannot account for the myriad blessings and benefits that were poured out on these people. Our feeble efforts have temporal effect but God's efforts are eternal. Eternal things happened on this trip.
Perhaps the most wonderful things that happened are the ones we'll never know about. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for all these things as well.
To God, the only God, be all glory, honor power and praise. He alone deserves our worship and He alone deserves all praise.
There is something very practical that you can do to help. I have a "Santa's List" given to me by the church in UB and Darkhan. Please help me help them by donating money. This way I can purchase the things they truly need and ship them as soon as possible. Thank you!
]]>I'm off to do some shopping. I hate shopping in airports but it's the only time I can get something for my family on this trip. And it all has to fit in my JanSport bag. Hey kids, don't get your hopes up. (Yes, Sandy, I know that diamonds don't take up much space.)
This will be my last update until I get home. Again, thanks to all who have prayed for me. You have no idea how effective your prayers have been. Thank you Jesus for your faithfulness!
]]>I'm sitting in the Seoul airport and it's 5:00 AM on Friday morning. I've typed this update three times and lost it all three times. I'm hoping this one sticks so you can read it.
There are so many wonderful things to report. With so many meetings there are so many blessings, healings and deliverances I can't recount them all. So much hospitality. So many challenges. I've had a great trip.
So many meetings. I have no idea how many people were prayed for but God has been so faithful to meet every one of their needs. Healings, deliverance, blessings, encouragements. All in just a few days. They wanted me to cancel my plane ticket and stay another week. I told them I didn't have enough faith to believe that my wife wouldn't kill me. They understood. :)
My only disappointment was coming home to UB on Thursday and not being able to shop for my family. It was the only time I didn't feel well. I'm fine now, but it was touch and go for a while.
[The oppression in UB is thick. I was aware of the darkness but you get used to it. I wasn't made aware of how strong it was until I went to Darkhan. Darkhan feels like my home town; quiet and refreshing. UB is different. I thought it was partly the air quality (which is bad at times) but it is truly demonic oppresion. The moment I came back to UB the personal assaults began again. Please pray for UB.]
After resting a bit and having some soup we walked out to the street to catch a taxi. On the way to the airport our "taxi" died, and I mean died. It was pitch black out, an inky, eerie blackness. The Lord whispered to me this was a legitimate demonic attack. I prayed under my breath, bound the demon and commanded the car to start. It actually did! No matter how many times God does these "miracles a minute" I am always amazed.
I can feel my body sensing the barn. I am exhausted. If you're reading this before I get home please pray for me. God's grace and strength carried me through all the meetings and ministry. Now I need Him to carry me home. And I know He will.
]]>Visiting the orphanage was a blessing. Melanie has gotten to know some of the teachers there and she took me to see the wonderful and difficult work they're doing. She bought some mandarin oranges to give the children and what a treat it was for them. After they ate we sat on the floor to play with the kids and they overwhelmed us. (You'll have to see the video.) Please consider what you can give to help these vulnerable children.
I can't go anywhere without being fed. The have a dumpling like thing called a bodz; we call them pot stickers. Unbelievably yummy. Bodz has a big brother called hoshor. Even more yummy if that's possible. A wonderful woman came and fixed fresh bodz for us along with milk tea that was actually really good (she used almost no salt in it). Later that day at another meeting the G12 leader made fresh hoshor. Then cookies and cakes. It never ends.
I didn't mention this earlier until I could check on it but a little 16 year old girl had her arm broken by an abusive father while I was there. The doctor gave her a note that allowed the hospital to put a cast on it but she tore it up and went looking for me. When I arrived for the combined G12 leader's meeting on Tuesday she asked me to pray for it because she was sure God would heal her. I prayed and nothing happened. I prayed again and asked if she could make a fist but nothing happened.
I told the Lord there was no way I was going to let this brave little girl go away with a broken arm so I prayed again. This time she could squeeze her fingers together a little so I prayed again. Now she could make a fist. Then she could move her wrist. Then she could move her arm up and down. Now she's smiling and laughing as the pain is virtually gone and she has unrestricted movement. Praise God!
At another meeting, after praying for them I needed to go because my strength was gone. It doesn't work that way, however. First milk tea, then candy, then dried fruit, then apples and tomatoes, then cake. Then small gifts. Then you can go.
I love it.
]]>After that it was off to two more meetings. The last one was for teenage boys and young men. What a night. I spoke to them like men and they loved it. Powerful time of ministry, especially to the ones who seemed to be too proud or "hip" to be prayed for. God put them out just like the rest. They were really surprised.
Today started out with a light snow. I walked with Hetee to the other side of town where he had to check on his passport. His little son Nate had torn out the last page of his passport and they told him he had to get a new one. This is no easy task.
He showed me his stationary store and then we went home. A woman came by and made homemade bodz, or pot stickers. We had milk tea and special bread; something like donut dough, sort of. It was out of this world.
After this I spoke with Hetee's and Melanie's G12 group together. Hetee told me to share my testimony and the difficulties we had endured in ministry. Almost all the leaders were in tears as the Holy Spirit moved on them with compassion for their people. I love these guys.
After that I was off to minister to another G12 of older women. They received me with such grace and I spoke about Eve for about an hour and then prayed for about an hour.
Tonight a couple from near Seattle is coming for dinner. What a treat to meet some folks from the States. They are working with the Peace Corps.
Gotta run. Blessings to all!
]]>Yesterday was a very busy but blessed day. I preached and ministered at the 11:00 AM service, then off to a G12 with young ladies at 2:00 PM. After that it was off to preach at the youth service at 6:00 PM. I asked Hetee to have someone video tape parts of the service. I pray it came out good; you won't believe it when you see it.
Today is rest and then two meetings. I think each day will be this way till I leave on Thursday. I fly out at 12:20 AM on Friday for home.
The needs here are great, especially with orphans. I pray that all who read this blog will consider how they can help (donate). The church here is so compassionate; they just need money. $50.00 will outfit two children with everything they need for winter. That's amazing.
When I return I will show you the picture of a very special little girl. Her mother abandoned her three days ago and a woman at the church found her and took her into her home. When I looked at her the Lord told me to call her up front and pray for her. She went out in the Spirit and then the Lord said to take her picture and pray for her every day. He said she will be a future leader in Mongolia. What a privilege to pray for her. When I prayed I did not know was an orphan or her circumstances.
Thank you all for praying for me. I can feel His strength in me as you pray.
Blessings to all!
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Last night I ministered to a group of young ladies from 15 to 24. I spoke on Jesus' mother Mary and her experience with the angel and being pregnant with the Messiah. The ministry time was very encouraging to them. God was so gracious with very specific words of blessing and encouragement.
It was late and as we left the apartment to go home we met six drunk men who decided they wanted to be our "friends". We would have loved talking with them but it was pitch black, they were drunk and we needed to move along. :)
Hetee and Melanie have been great. Melanie made some wonderful soup and for breakfast we had waffles. What a treat.
Gotta run. Talk with you soon.
Blessings!
]]>Hetee and Melanie pastor a large church in Darkhan and have a nice, neat apartment. Again, like Sheika and Haka, they slept on the floor and give me their bed. I am so blessed.
I just returned from ministering to Hetee's men leaders and will be speaking in a few minutes to a G12 cell group. Tomorrow (Sunday) I will be speaking at three services. Pray for my strength. Hetee has promised to keep me busy.
The Lord continues to enlarge my heart for the nation of Mongolia. I am so humbled to meet this first generation of Chrisitans and see their powerful love for Jesus and one another.
I will write more later tonight.
Blessings.
]]>Tuesday:
Today was a busy day. At 9:30 AM we had a staff meeting at the church office. After that I had a meeting at JCS until 1:30 PM. (Read more about JCS at http://www.jcsintl.org/.) I met with Bill Mills, Director of Partnering, and talked about their work in Mongolia and the emerging church. It was a very informative and fruitful meeting. If you're looking for a place to make a difference, give him a call. There is a place for you in Mongolia.
I left JCS and was going to walk straight to the studio but Eagle Broadcasting Company was on the way. I felt encouraged by the Holy Spirit to go in and say hi to the owner on behalf of a friend. This was a little awkward, but I felt strongly I should do it. The Managing Director, Tom Terry came out and was quite confused because his assistant told him that I knew him and wanted to speak to him. Obviously, this was not the case, but he invited me to his office anyway. He spent the next two hours explaining so many things I needed to know. Later, via email, he invited me to his home for dinner but I had to decline because I was going to Darkhan. This was indeed a divine appointment that I will better understand as time goes by.
Tom gave me a ride to the studio where Skeika had just installed the drum heads that Mike Proctor purchased for them. I hand carried these drum heads all the way to Mongolia and never had a single problem. (They were in an oversized box and should have cost me an extra $135US to get on the plane but God gave us favor.) Sheika was so excited to hear the great sound of these heads. (Mike: Skeika wants to know where the black bass head goes.)
From the studio Sheika and I went to the 6:30 PM Leadership Meeting. I was asked to speak and then pray for people. It was another great time in the presence of God and these treasured servants.
After this we went home and crashed. What a glorious day.
Wednesday:
At 10:30 AM I had a meeting with Pastor Gongbold. We went to lunch at a wonderful new cafe and then went back to the office. I was feeling very tired so I went back to Sheika's for a nap before the G12 meeting where I would be speaking and ministering to people that night.
It's so hard to describe these meetings because the Holy Spirit does so many wonderful things. I will tell you one powerful story:
I had been teaching and the Holy Spirit kept impressing me to pray for this one woman so I stopped and asked her if I could pray for her. (At this time I learned she was an unbeliever and this was her first meeting.) I told her that God wanted to touch her. She was amazed because earlier that day, a friend, who was with her, told her about the power of God and how God touches people. After their conversation the unbelieving woman prayed to the "unknown God" and asked Him if this could happen to her. She got up and I prayed for her and God overpowered her. As she was going down she said, "Oh my God!" (she spoke English). When she got up I asked her which God she was referring too. She laughed, seeing the irony of her expression. It was quite scary for her but she did not run. I asked if I could pray for her again and she said yes. Again the Lord overpowered her and then she sat down, quite stunned but very blessed. There is more to this story but it will have to wait for another day.
The rest of the prayer time was simply wonderful as God blessed them, one by one, with words and ministry. One particular leader came in at the end after another meeting and was out for about 30 minutes. God did a very deep work in her. (I later found out she is Chinzo's girl friend. Chinzo is a wonderful man and a great translator.)
Sheika and I left, and again, crashed at the apartment. Two of Haka's G12 girls had made homemade lasagna for us and what a treat, even if it was 11:00 PM.
I slept like a rock.
Please continue to pray for me for rest and strength.
(I will enter today's events tomorrow. I leave for Darkhan tomorrow so I'll try to get to the internet cafe and post an update before I go. Please pray for a safe journey there and back to UB.)
Everyone here sends their blessings.
]]>The Sunday evening service is an English service of just Praise & Worship music. It went for about an hour with Pastor Bat leading. Great time. Very refreshing to worship in English.
We returned home to Sheika's apartment for soup and eggs. Because of the bird flu situation it is very hard to find eggs. Chicken is forbidden now. As I laid down to sleep I found out the TV works in my room. It is so strange to watch English speaking channels (Fox News, CNN, ESPN, etc.) here. It was fun watching the baseball championship games. Earlier today I even watched part of Appollo 13, in English. Very strange.
Before coming to the internet cafe we went to exchange money and visit a new market. UB is stuffed with goods from China, Korea and Japan. Amazing. Quality is suspect at times, but amount of goods is still amazing.
From here I go to buy some phone cards so I can call my family. It will be good to hear their voices, especially my incredible wife. How she puts up with me I'll never know. It must be love.
I will have film of their new baby to show everyone. Cute.
Bye for now.
Pastor Chris
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