GrX Mongolia 2004 | Team

Although my name is Christine, I've been known to answer to "Ohms" - an unfortunate legacy from my college years. Speaking of then, instead of studying as a student, I learned to love sleep which I still love today. However, when I go to Mongolia, sleep will be the last thing on my mind because I want to make sure every minute is as fulfilling and meaningful as the next. This is my first missions trip and I truly hope that God will open my eyes to see how He works in places and circumstances unlike my own. I also want this experience to show me the depths of Christ's love for people. Thanks in advance for your prayers and support as all the GrX missions teams go out this summer!

I was born in Taiwan and moved to Hawaii when I was 9. I lived in Hawaii until I left for college in Los Angeles. I have spent the last several years working in Southern California and I moved up to the Bay Area a little over a year ago. I have been attending GrX for about a year and am learning what it means to live life as a God glorifying adventure, day-by-day in His grace, love, and mercy.

God has recently opened my eyes about His vision for global missions and my need to be involved in His plans. This is my first overseas mission trip and I am excited to see what God will show me and how He will lead me!

Please pray that we may see God's glory go forth in Mongolia and that we may all gain a greater vision of our role in His plan. Also pray that we may be open and sensitive to His move in us, thru us and around us.

I've had a heart for missions since the summer of 1999. For no reason other than it being all God, I came across an opportunity to spend a summer at Campus Crusade for Christ Headquarters, where I witnessed the global extent of His love. I was inspired to pursue a deeper involvement in and understanding of the Lord’s bigger picture - what He has done, what He will do, and where I fit into it all.

My heart goes out to those who have not had the luxury of ever hearing the Gospel, or of experiencing true transformation from within. I also love to explore and be completely immersed in another culture. I don't know what the Lord has in store for me down the line, but I'm open to whatever (and wherever) it is. I do know that I am grateful for the opportunity to go on this trip with this team, and I'm looking forward to it!

We would appreciate it if you could please pray for our team to be unified in spirit... and for good health and safety, compassion and respect for the locals, boldness to speak Truth, gentleness to share God's love and promises, open minds to appreciate a culture different than ours, open hearts to worship and appreciate the Lord in a different setting, and perseverance in our individual walks. Thank you!!

I was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. I graduated from high school at Hawaii Baptist Academy and finished undergraduate studies at Santa Clara University ('98). I have been attending GRX for over two years and served as a small group facilitator for Alive!, Spring Training, Renovation and Lighthouse small gruops. I am currently attending and helping out with the Renovation and (RU)^2 small groups. I found out about GRX through college friend and classmate Abbey Tung. Running in marathons, mountain biking, ultimate frisbee and basketball are sports I enjoy. I also list reading, wine tasting and cooking as current hobbies.

My journey to accepting Jesus Christ as my personal savior began at a young age. I attended a Catholic elementary school and then a Baptist junior high and high school. Growing up, I seldom spent time with my parents who were often away working. We had our share of financial struggles and it led me to a lifestyle of delinquency while I was an adolescent. My good friends at school would often invite me out to his church functions while we were in junior high, but I refused. Slowly though, we all began to develop a close friendship and I realized that I longed for a community reflecting God's love. I made my decision to accept Christ when I was a sophomore in high school. I've had my ups and downs since then, but I praise God for His unchanging love. I continue to celebrate my weaknesses for the power of His grace and glory is revealed through them.

Even though I may look like a humble, mild-mannered administrative assistant at church that does all the bulletins, I actually lived in Toronto, Canada for 9 years. And I placed near the top of the national women's polar bear wrestling championships for most of those years, eh. So, don't even THINK about messing with me!!

I'm born and raised in Santa Clara, and I've grown up in a local Korean church. I have had a heart for missions since my senior year in high school. I get excited when other people go, and I can't wait to go on this one. Mongolia will be my first time to go on missions outside of this continent. I'm sure God has a purpose for giving me this heart for missions, but of course I'm a little nervous. I'm just praying not to be disappointed because I tried to go to India and Guatemala three years ago and it was totally out of my control that plans with the organizations changed. Last year was also a disappointment because I was ready to go to Indonesia with GrX but the terrorism risk caused us to cancel. Even though I'm a nurse, it's not even about wanting to go on medical missions. I just want to GO, and I pray that God will teach and challenge me to share with the people. May we be His eager hands and feet for whatever His will is in Mongolia and everyday.

24, working in Advertising/Marketing, University of Michigan graduate, originally from the East Coast. I enjoy food, music, friends, and a good time. I'm very excited to see the immense work God will do on this mission. I pray that it will bear fruits of a church-wide missions initiative that will encourage and strengthen GrX. Please pray for team unity, soften and open hearts in Mongolia, health and travel mercies, and blessings on the missionaries in Mongolia, the team, and the people in Mongolia.

I had grown up in a Christian household but did not truly accept Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior until I was in high school. My life revolved around God and church all throughout high school but after I started college, I began distancing myself. For the past ten years, I went to several different churches for only a few weeks at a time. However, for 2004, I made the decision to try and attend weekly services and what a true blessing it has been since then. I will be honest and say the trip back has not been easy but it’s awesome to see how God has been tugging at my heart to change. The first tug came with a desire to go on a missions trip. I have no idea what God has in store for me, this team, or the people in Mongolia but there is no doubt in my mind that He will show us great things. I never realized that He would use me this fast after being away for so long but then again, I should know by now that God is full of wondrous and awesome things!

From what I could remember of my childhood, my parents had always taught a "fear of the Lord" into my life and family. God showed His unconditional grace and Holiness to me in junior high and I fell in Love with Him during that time. After graduating from UCSD, I spent a year abroad in Corea. It was in Corea that God gave me a distinct vision and heart for missions and this world. All my gifts and opportunities have come together in Gods perfect timing. I am definitely excited about this trip!

Interests: I love sports, travelling, eating, reading, and just having fun.

Prayer Requests: For the people of Mongolia. That God will bring His glory upon His people there. And that we as a group develop a heart for Gods children in this world. And of course, the logistics, team unity, humble and teachable hearts, and to experience Gods power in our lives!

An attendee of Phileo Fish small group of GrX, I was born in Indonesia. I have lived in various cities around the world: Jakarta, Los Angeles, Singapore, Pittsburgh and San Jose. I moved to United States in 1989 at the age of 11. At the age of 21, I was saved through my college fellowship in Pittsburgh, PA. I am very thankful that someone had rebuked me about my faith prior to receiving Christ. I am also thankful for my parents and younger sister. I currently live in San Jose with my dog, Bosco.

Started joining GRX almost a year and half ago and it was a turning point of my Christian walk. By Grace of God, I’ve been able to receive God’s unconditional love in a very tangible way and growth has been an inevitable result since then. This is going to be my first mission trip and pray that God will use me to impact people’s lives in Mongolia for his Glory, and also I’d like to take it as an opportunity to discover God’s calling for mission for me. I know that there is going to be an unavoidable challenge waiting for me, but I believe that the experience I would get out of this trip to be unexchangible.

Prayer request: since I had to make a last minute, unexpected trip to Korea for two weeks, I’m having a hard time to take another time off this year from work. Please pray that God will change my boss’ heart so that I can go.

My name is Sophey Phuong Tiet. I'm half Chinese, half Vietnamese. I grew up in Salinas (Central Coast), Ca. I went to University Of the Pacific, Stockton, Ca and got my BS degree in Computer Engineering. I currently work in Sunnyvale, Ca as a Electronics Design Engineer. I enjoy hanging out with friends and doing indoor and outdoor activities. Although, sometimes it hard to get me out of the house, but once I'm out, there's no stopping me =). I LOVE to travel and would like to travel more. I'm a fairly new Christian so I hope this trip will teach me more about God, about my self, how to be loving and forgiving and for me to grow as a person.