We started off with a birthday party on the 20th for one of Larry and Susan’s Mongolian “adopted” children. A family of three children whose parents died a few years ago. The daughter (also the oldest) in the family is looking after the two boys. The eldest boy had his 15th birthday, and with Larry and Susan visiting their children in Canada, we spent some time with Mandal-Sogt and Monkh-Erdene. We needed some help with the conversation, and Bodyo, our translator at ABTC came to help us for the evening.
On the 21st we had our annual Language School Christmas Party. This is the time when you have to introduce yourself - in Mongolian- and tell people about yourself with your teacher watching you. Well, what else can you do but just laugh at yourself making silly mistakes.
On the 22nd we had our CAMA Christmas party, for the workers and delegates from the different churches. Dennis and Marilyn’s told the group about how they celebrate the four weeks of advent. Gifts were exchanged, and we had lunch together. Pieter and I worked through twelve kilos of beef the previous night to make the biggest pot of stew which you would probably only see in an army kitchen.Christmas day was a quiet day here. Well, Mongolia goes on like every other day during the year. We talked to family and friends in South-Africa (and one of my sisters in Kansas). What would we have done without Skype!!!
We had our Christmas dinner with our neighbours and friends. Batbold, Gerlee and their family. This was their first time they had a Christmas dinner. All six of them came in with a Christmas decoration which they hanged on our Christmas tree. We became friends a few months ago through their daughter whom I’ve always greeted outside the building. She came to our door one day and asked if she could come and introduce her mother to me. From there on, we became good friends and we especially appreciate their help with some problems we encountered so far. Gerlee speaks no English, but that does not keep us from having long conversations. Pieter and Batbold has conversations about fishing, mining (Batbold is in the gold mining business) and books.
Today, the 27th, we finally have some real snow. It actually starts to cover the brown hills behind our apartment. And I get the time to write. Finally!
