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By Mark
This chapel service held on September 4, 2009 in Darhan marks the start of the Christian Leadership Training Center. This program is designed to train individuals for leadership in the church. The training program will meet through the school year during evenings. It is designed to offer a certificate in Christian Studies which will build towards a Bachelor’s degree in Christian Studies.
Dr. Pieter Theron, our South African colleague, begins the service with Moogie, our translator. The direct translation of the wording in the background is Christ Believer Leadership Training Center. The logo was designed by Pieter’s and Haniki’s daughter and draws on the design of a ger door.
Dawaa, who serves as a pastor and is enrolled in the training program, reads from Matthew 28. (If you are interested in wrestling – ask Dawaa)
Introduction of many of the staff who help make the training center function from day-to-day. Haniki, Pieter’s wife, is in the middle.
You can’t have a celebration without food!
Cinda and I both turned out pretty good in this picture (where did the gray hair come from?) And it was cold, thus the three layers of shirts on Cinda!
Cinda, Narjaa (not sure about the spelling?) and Delgormaa. Delgormaa is the CAMA seamstress who made Annika’s dancing dress. Narjaa is the mother of our house helper and friend, Tuya, and she also works at the CLTC building. They are both on the leadership team and frequently teach in the church.
by Mark
Toby is now 5! Wow! We went out to dinner together, opened presents and ate the chocolate cake that Cinda baked. Toby got a Michael Jordan basketball outfit (unfortunately its with the Wizards, not the Bulls!) but loves it. He is really enjoying his HotWheel’s tracks from Granna and Grandpa and Grandma and Grandpa.
I’m 5! I’m also going to be bigger than my parents really soon!
Who is Jordan?
Walkie-Talkies, A Luke Skywalker Lego watch and a cake. What could be better? Over.
On the Saturday before his Birthday Toby had a fantastic pirate adventure birthday with all his friends (check out the awesome cake that Cinda made!) Check out the photos on the link below.
by Mark
Another school year has begun. It’s new for us as Toby and Annika head off to school together. We are still waiting for the MK school teacher to be able to come. In the mean time Annika is going to school until 1:00 PM and then working on history at home. Toby also goes until 1:00, but only four days a week. We will be having an interim couple coming to be able to help with the teaching until our permanent teacher Karen is able to join the team here.
Loaded and ready to go!
A new adventure awaits
On the bus
With our friends
by Mark (well MSNBC actually)
Here is an interesting story on the MSNBC wires. My only question is why is there a story on Naadam six weeks after it happened? I’m glad they posted it but its not timely- Naadam happens around mid-July. One comment asked about how long before all the TV stations show up and ruin it, well from what I hear most of the people at the National Stadium are gaadad xymys (foreigners)
Good pictures, good read. There are local Naadam festivals and then the big on in Ulaanbaatar, think of it like county and state fairs.
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.
by Mark and Cinda
Yesterday our language school went on an end-of-year picnic. It was a beautiful day for it (we changed the day to Friday after hearing that there may be snow in the forecast for Saturday)
Our language school (not everyone from the school is pictured) From the left is Toya Bagsh, our family, Toya’s brother-in-law and Mondahai a teacher from Ulaan Baatar, Ali and Averi, Oyunga Bagsh’s husband and daughter, Aruna Bagsh, The Lains, Toya Bagsh’s husband, Inxhee Bagsh and husband and Oyunga Bagsh. (Malo, a student from Brazil was also with us, but she took the photo.) Never realized how tall we are! And how white!
We drove a few miles south of Darkhan along the river that flows through Darkhan
Annika and Averi wading
Having a picnic is not just a meal, it’s an all day event. We got set up and started with the first round of Sharlock (shish-ka-bob or Shishkie or Charasco). Beef, marinated in some vinegrette, with dried apricots and red onions.
The Khorkhog is a traditional Mongolian dish. Originally it was done by de-boning an entire sheep through the neck (this is an incredible skill that doesn’t get done much anymore, except for with marmot). Rocks are then heated in the fire to red hot and were placed in the sheep to cook. The neck was sewn up. Today there are a few different variations on this theme. Mutton is still the favored meat by far (did I mention there are an estimated 40,000,000 sheep in Mongolia- yes 40 million you read that right). Some people will use milk canisters (think the big metal ones) that are filled with layers of hot rocks, meat and vegetables. The bad part about these is that its like a pressure cooker without a release valve, it can blow up, especially when rolled around to distribute the juices.
Most Khorhog does not have much seasoning, ours had some tomato base and Korean seasoning which was outstanding.
[Note: Mongolian BBQ as popularized in many restaurants in the US does not exist in Mongolia – except for BD’s BBQ – a US chain with a franchise in UB.]
Step #1: Build the fire. The Khorkhog containers are the pans seen in the foreground and background.
Step #2: Cut up vegetables and meat.
Step #3: Start adding hot rocks and meat together and cover
Step #4: Cover and cook for an hour or two. This is a heavy pan that seems to seal and pressure cook but allows excess pressure to vent.
It’s good that everywhere one goes in Mongolia, a stray dog or two is sure to follow. That makes it easier for us foreigners to discreetly dispose of the excess fat and grissle we find it difficult to eat, but that the Mongolians deem as the best part of the meat. Annika and Averi handled the secret disposal for their parents on this occasion by giving it to a mother dog who was sticking close. Annika and Toby didn’t care for the main dish, but they found plenty of other things to eat.
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