July 4, 2004
We're sitting in the internet cafe now and I don't have my journal with me... it'd probably take too long to copy over. Besides, the rest of the team is doing a great job keeping everyone posted about the details. Just some thoughts and prayer requests to share...
I've learned so much from the FCS 1 students this past week and have been humbled by their generosity despite their limited possessions. I can't believe how fast one week has gone by already. Whereas eating out at a fast food joint for us is an inexpensive way to grab a quick meal, most of the students here don't have the finances to do so. The average income is $30 a month and the conversion rate is approximately 1200 Tugug for $1 so that's about 36,000 Tugug a month. The typical lunch budget we're allocating for the FCS 1 students is 600 Tugug or 1/60th of one month's salary. If your monthly gross salary is $3,600 then that comes out to $60 a lunch! If lunch costs us $60 a trip then I doubt many of us would be eating out as well. 600 Tugug would get you approximately three Hoorshuu (fried meat wrapped in bread) and a can of 12oz Coke. Back home I usually have so much left over soda that it gets flat and stale that I have to dump it. Here in Mongolia, I've only had the luxury to drink soda twice so far. I'm very blessed to be living in the United Sates and have the modern conveniences and luxuries I take for granted.
The Mongolian Christians are still a minority, but very hungry and passionte for God and Truth. Chun and I spent the night over at Huiga's (a graduate of the FCS fellowship and a Mongolian who teaches Korean here in Ulaanbaatar) apartment and went to service today with him. The people there enjoy dancing and body worship freely and the length of the service was approximately 2.5 hours. Chun and I were fortunate to have a translator sit next to us so we understood most of the sermon. They even used the word "multiply" for the cell groups that are springing up there and growing. A lot of the students in the Bible study group Jen and I lead have told us they face a lot of criticisms from their family and friends who aren't Christian about their faith.
Pray for the students and our team. We did a great job last week and everyone went full speed. A lot of us were feeling sick the past few days and tomorrow we're back at it again. This week I intend to strive for more depth and really seek out training and equipping future leaders there.
There's something special going on here that is ineffable. If I could give you a glimpse into their lives then I'd say to consider what it would be like to pay $60 a meal for lunch. I'd also tell you folks to drive less and walk more and get involved with the community service projects and share Christ in those situations. Maybe I'd also suggest you not watch television for a week or just spend two days online this week and don't use your IM. But alas these still paint a fuzzy picture into the lives of the folks here. Above all else consider what God has blessed you with and what you are doing with all that you have.