Post-Mongolia
Was gonna say something about my struggles here, but I got distracted. And now that I've returned to this page, I have got nothing to say.
Mongolia was a huge blessing to all of us. Oh, how precious were each of the interactions we had with each person there!! Watching the shy ones slowly open up, watching the more enthusiastic ones care for the new students, watching them eagerly/shyly try their best to make conversation with us despite the language barrier. Watching their SMILES burst onto those faces. The Mongolians like singing and dancing in general and they are very emotional inside, but the emotions come out in their words and not on their faces.
And. There's something about FCS that touches their hearts and encourages them to open up. A realness and frankness in the sharing sessions. A love found in community.
All this, set in a dual backdrop of city and countryside. A countryside of open grasslands and mountain ranges, where the mountains and rocks mark the size of the grasslands and the grasslands are so huge that they make the distant mountains look small. A countryside where hospitality is a ger with an open door, hot dough fritters, sour milk curd and a hot bowl of sootei che. A city with underlying issues of corruption, bribery, alcoholism, poor education system, poor economy, low employment, where its people are tired and satisfied with the status quo. A country that battles the low temperatures and dry climate each and every day of the year.
And in each of their homes lies battles of broken families, scabs, a heavy sense of family responsibility, persecution because of their Christian faith. Yet in the midst of all this, a sense of faith, hope and love.
God loves Mongolia with a passion that refuses to backdown or give up.
I've learned a few things, more to be fleshed out...
1. God is the God of the nations -- God is the God of me
2. Beginning to see the urgency of sharing Christ to non-believers whom we love, especially those we see in our earthly homes.
3. Something about "Turn your eyes upon Jesus"
Now that I'm back in Singapore. Life's tough, with Exco, BEST, and special term on my plate. More so, God is challenging me, just as He challenged Elijah. Also met people who are similar to me: Hosoo and Soyoung.
1. To take faith and worry less - lead me away from the temptation of worrying
2. To learn to love, since we are transformed by Christ's love and Christ's death on the cross
3. To let God take charge and set aside all agendas
4. To not focus on my inadequacies but remember that God made me
5. To pray for a softer heart
So even though Mongolia did refresh me, this comfort that I've received is also what challenges me. And right now, it's easy to just give up on this training, this discipline. But Isaiah 40:31 keeps popping up in front of me, and the weeds waving in the wind remind me. Just as how Elijah plodded on in his despondency, I must plod on too, but perhaps in a better fashion since I have the Holy Spirit.
Lord, have mercy.
Mongolia was a huge blessing to all of us. Oh, how precious were each of the interactions we had with each person there!! Watching the shy ones slowly open up, watching the more enthusiastic ones care for the new students, watching them eagerly/shyly try their best to make conversation with us despite the language barrier. Watching their SMILES burst onto those faces. The Mongolians like singing and dancing in general and they are very emotional inside, but the emotions come out in their words and not on their faces.
And. There's something about FCS that touches their hearts and encourages them to open up. A realness and frankness in the sharing sessions. A love found in community.
All this, set in a dual backdrop of city and countryside. A countryside of open grasslands and mountain ranges, where the mountains and rocks mark the size of the grasslands and the grasslands are so huge that they make the distant mountains look small. A countryside where hospitality is a ger with an open door, hot dough fritters, sour milk curd and a hot bowl of sootei che. A city with underlying issues of corruption, bribery, alcoholism, poor education system, poor economy, low employment, where its people are tired and satisfied with the status quo. A country that battles the low temperatures and dry climate each and every day of the year.
And in each of their homes lies battles of broken families, scabs, a heavy sense of family responsibility, persecution because of their Christian faith. Yet in the midst of all this, a sense of faith, hope and love.
God loves Mongolia with a passion that refuses to backdown or give up.
I've learned a few things, more to be fleshed out...
1. God is the God of the nations -- God is the God of me
2. Beginning to see the urgency of sharing Christ to non-believers whom we love, especially those we see in our earthly homes.
3. Something about "Turn your eyes upon Jesus"
Now that I'm back in Singapore. Life's tough, with Exco, BEST, and special term on my plate. More so, God is challenging me, just as He challenged Elijah. Also met people who are similar to me: Hosoo and Soyoung.
1. To take faith and worry less - lead me away from the temptation of worrying
2. To learn to love, since we are transformed by Christ's love and Christ's death on the cross
3. To let God take charge and set aside all agendas
4. To not focus on my inadequacies but remember that God made me
5. To pray for a softer heart
So even though Mongolia did refresh me, this comfort that I've received is also what challenges me. And right now, it's easy to just give up on this training, this discipline. But Isaiah 40:31 keeps popping up in front of me, and the weeds waving in the wind remind me. Just as how Elijah plodded on in his despondency, I must plod on too, but perhaps in a better fashion since I have the Holy Spirit.
Lord, have mercy.