Mongolian Update

Well I just got back last week from a vacation in Thailand. As I left Thailand it was 28 degrees C or about 88 F. Upon arrive back to Mongolia it was –31 degrees C or –24 degrees F. Winter had waited for me!

Before I left, Boka, the young Kazak man living with me, got baptized. That was a great day as we also had five other men get baptized!

I got back last Thursday night and on Saturday I had a very mixed day. First we celebrated with Oyuna (our first Lady to leave that way of life) and Zorga, one of the men who came to us last year, whom the Lord has changed, in their wedding ceremony! I have included some pictures for you. It was a tremendous day of celebration for them. They are our first wedding of anyone from the project, so we were quite excited. They both have gotten counseling and taken this marriage very seriously. We are excited for them and ask that you continue to keep them in prayer. Zorga is a very hard worker but has had difficulty finding consistent employment.

Then I went to visit Nomin. She had been sent home from the hospital in her home town of Nalaih, and told that there was nothing more they could do for her and that she would probably die soon, that there was no hope for her. A nurse friend and a few of us went to visit her. A Hospice in UB said she could come there, but Nomin said she just wanted to just be with her family before she died. She was quite pale and weak. We had brought an IV but Nomin refused it saying the doctors had told her there was no hope so why take any more medicine. I was really angry inside as it was obvious to the nurse and myself she was dehydrated and though she has some other difficulties, hopeless was not the word that come to our minds, in need of an IV and fluids, some good medical attention, but not hopeless. So we talked and prayed with Nomin and later she allowed us to give her an IV of fluids which when done of course had a profound effect on her color and her body. She is praying about coming back to UB for some medical treatment. Please pray that she listens to the Lord and allows us to help her get some good medical help. Well God answers quickly! As I was writing this my one staff called to tell me that Nomin is on her way to Hope Hospice in UB! Now please pray that we can get her the medical treatment she needs and a place to stay here in UB for continuing treatment.

We have two new Ladies who are coming almost daily and are very open to the Lord. They both were at Oyuna’s wedding and the one is now coming weekly to church. They both have left their old way of making money but again here comes the difficult part, finding them new work. Please pray for us for real wisdom on how to help when Ladies leave their old lifestyle. We have not been very successful as of yet with job creation. One of our women is barely making a living through jewelry making and our attempts at teaching sewing have been a bust, so please pray for us in this area. The same can be said about the men’s project also, we have not been successful with job creation. Please pray that God would send us someone that has a passion and the experience to help us in this area.

Thank you for all of your support and prayers, we can not do this with out you!

Continuing in His radical grace,

John

PS Please also pray for me, not sure even how I did it, but yesterday I did something to my lower back and I am in pain and barely able to move. The upside is I am catching up on emails and other things.