Camels and yaks

Have you ever seen such a handsome camel. And he enjoyed the attention thoroughly, waiting for us to get as many pictures as we wanted. The yaks were not very far from the camels.

Back to work

It’s back to a busy schedule again. We all know that things happen with a reason. Pieter’s accident has changed our lives, and now that we’re back, we realize that it has changed other people too. Prayer has taken up it’s rightful place again. Pieter and I pray that this will continue. Nikidovnigon Church shows signs of maturing, young people come to ask to get involved in ministry. Even asking to get involved in prison ministry. Attendance is up every Sunday, our very young, all female worship team always there to lead the praise and worship.

Bangkok

We left for Bangkok at the end of October to attend a conference for all the Field Directors of Asia. We were halfway through the conference when while visiting the elephant park, one of the elephants picked Pieter and Richard up and threw them through the air. Both were rushed to hospital, Pieter with a scull fracture, multiple fractures in his neck and both shoulder bones, as well as his wrist. He was in the Bumrungrad hospital for almost 3 weeks, during which he had surgery to remove some of the bone in his neck which was pressing against the bone marrow. For five days before the operation Pieter could not move his arms, but soon after the operation, he could stand up and even walk. The hospital was quite amazing, felt like a five star hotel.

Sign

We have a sign up above our front door. Anri has designed our logo, which has a traditional mongolian pattern as well as the cross.

Playground

The playground behind CLTC looks much better now that it has some equipment for children to play on. The basketball hoops got moved so we have more space. The animal drawings on the fence will be completed once the weather allows going outside for longer than the ten minutes allowed now. We still have much work to do there, but it already looks so much better.

Nikdovnigon Church

One of our church members died last year and the family asked Pieter to help them with a true Christian burial. It took a lot of planning and explaining, but it was all worthwhile. The family was so moved with how peaceful and comforting a christian burial can be.

Christian Leadership Training Centre

In September classes started at the Leadership Training Center. Only evening classes because most of the students have full time jobs. Our days got longer, starting at 9 in the morning, and ending at 8 in the evening. Regular meals can be a challenge when you spend most of your time away from home.

Darhan and UB

Wow, I’m not sure I can write any more. We have been too busy the last six months.

I’ll go back a little and start my story halfway through 2009. Our lives got a little more exciting with living in two different places. Darhan and Ulaan Baatar. In UB we had to get used to traffic, pollution and living on the 15th floor. But I won’t complain about that, because Pieter can come home for lunch before he takes off again with a flask extra strong coffee for the afternoon session in the office. The other advantage is that my pantry looks a lot more interesting with the variety I can find here in UB.