You are currently browsing the monthly archive for August 2009.
by Mark
These are our friends from Belgium, WI who came to visit this past week. Thanks so much for coming and being willing to carry over a bag for us! It means a great deal to us.
by Mark
My brother Stephen is getting married to Grete on Saturday. We are very excited for them and welcome Grete to the family. So far they have not indicated that they will be honeymooning in Mongolia but who knows. I have been asked to write a prayer of blessing which I share with you here. (I thank and commend D.A. Carson’s wonderful book A Call to Spiritual Reformation from which I borrowed a line or two)
Lord,
You are the glory of the ages, from everlasting to everlasting is your renown.
I ask your blessing on Stephen and Grete as they enter into this covenant of marriage, that it would bring glory to your name.
We give thanks to you, Lord, for you have called them and,
Through the grace given in Jesus Christ, saved them and
By your Spirit empower them to live for you.
As your mercies are new every morning
May Stephen and Grete grasp,
How high and how wide
How deep and how broad is your love.
Bless them
Not with ease but with faithfulness
Not with satisfaction but with a hunger to know and do your Word
Not with fame but with humility that flows from being like Jesus Christ.
Through the Gospel of Jesus Christ
Give them eyes to see as you do,
A perspective that is eternal,
Focused upon the cross.
Give them ears to hear your call,
To die to themselves daily,
To remember the grace of the Gospel.
Give them tongues to speak,
Healing words of grace,
Used to call others to repentance.
Grant Stephen and Grete
An increasing love for one another
that flows from your love.
Bless their marriage, Father.
We ask this in the name of Jesus to the praise of your glorious grace
Amen
Annika has been learning Mongolian dance. This is her dancing dell that she had made!
by Cinda
Next year at this time I hope to trade my language-student status for language-teacher status! Actually, we are still enjoying the opportunity to focus on language-learning for now, but it’s time to begin looking ahead to what happens after language class. Yesterday a group of CAMA workers met together (Ali, Christina, Pieter, Haniki, and Cinda) to discuss plans and strategize for an English program. In both Darhan and UB, English classes have already been going on, so we are looking to continue and expand over the next few years. Both Ali and Christina have Masters’ Degrees in ESL, and Ali has a lot of teaching experience from her years in the Philippines, plus we are blessed with several team members who have already been teaching English here in Mongolia, so we are off to a great start. Ali Dench will be the director of the English program, which will be based out of the Training Center located in Darhan.
During our planning meeting, we came up with some items for a wish list to help with this outreach. In general, the various tools we need for any projects or programs are purchased with money from our Work Special Funds, to which many of you have been contributing — thank you! (I also want to add a Thank You for your contributions to the Great Commission Fund, to our Outfit Fund, and to our Vehicle Fund — your contributions make the work here in Mongolia possible!) Groups or individuals may also donate specific items if they would like. Some of the things we would like to have are: magazines with large, simple photos and shorter articles; white boards; projector; and picture dictionaries of varying levels. We also hope to add a language lab with computers, cd players, dvd players, etc. There will also be a need for books and games, but I don’t yet have specific titles to mention. Later I will add a more specific list in case you know of someone who is interested in helping with this project. For now, please feel free to contact me or one of the other team members mentioned above if you have questions or want to find out more information.
Because Ali, Christina, and I are all still in language study for one more year, the program will not officially kick-off until next year even though various classes have been going on for several years. There will be one or two classes available in Darhan starting this Fall, and classes in UB will start back up sometime in 2010.
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