Mongolia Update #3

Saturday, April 17
I am learning some Mongolian words and phrases. I have decided that what makes a lot of languages (ex: German, Dutch, Mongolian) so difficult for us Americans is the fact that we do not use our throat (insert hacking sound here) when we speak English. They are very guttural languages. I always feel like maybe I overdo the hack/throat sound and am always worried that I might accidentally spit on the person I am talking to!
Today we worked at the clinic from 10-3 and had an early dinner. It was nice to actually get back to our apartment around 6 and be able to have some down time. They took us to this cute little store called Mary and Martha’s. It is run by Christian women and they sell Mongolian things that are fair trade. They have some neat stuff, so hopefully I will be able to go back before I leave.
Another American is arriving late tonight. Her name is Meg and she is a 2007 graduate of Michigan State veterinary school and is currently working as a vet in Arizona. She will be here until May 1.

Fun Fact of the Day: Monoglia is the size of the US east of the Mississippi River and has a population of 3.5 million and 1 million of those live in UB.
Mongolian Word of the Day: Ezen taniig ireeg—God bless you!

Sunday, April 18
We had most of the morning to veg and read, as we did not get picked up to go to church until noon. We went to eat with Pagma and Daavka and their 13 year old daughter. She was such a beautiful girl and I got a kick at her response to my question of what her hobbies were. She said, “watching t.v.—I am not going to lie”. After eating we went to their church called “Holy Way Fellowship”. The church was all Mongolians except for us, but they did have one girl translate for us. I am very impressed with the people who do translation for things like sermons because the person talking does not stop for them to translate and so they have to have one ear listening to the message and then their mouth talking in English something they had said minutes before. Most of the time we understand the general concept. 
Tonight we had dinner with Narra. She is a teacher for V.E.T.Net and just the cutest woman. She is currently living in Melissa’s (a veterinary technician missionary from the USA) apartment and so she fixed us a lovely dinner of chicken and vegetable soup. I was so so so excited for CHICKEN!!!! Mongolia is like a man’s paradise. The staples are meat, meat and more meat (with a little bread and milk in there occasionally). They eat all kinds of meats: beef, chicken, pork, lamb, goat, horse, camel. I have only had the first 4 since being here.

Fun Fact of the Day: It is tradition in this culture that when you enter a person’s home you take your shoes off at the door and put on slippers. If there are a lot of people at the house and no slippers available, you can just wear your socks.
Mongolian Word of the Day: Tanii neriig hen gedeg ve?—means “What is your name?”

Monday, April 19
Today was Kathryn’s (the Australian vet) last day with us. She leaves in the morning for the countryside and will be gone for 3 weeks. She is going to the Gobi desert. It will take them 2.5 days to drive there. Before she leaves she is stalking up on some dried fruits (remember I told you they do not eat many fruits and veggies?).  She will get back after Kellie and I leave for the States. She has been such a pleasure to work with and I have really enjoyed getting to know her and learn more about Australia. I told her if she is ever in the States, she must come visit. We went to a pizza place tonight together to eat and celebrate our time together. It was the first “western” food that I have had since leaving America.
Today I asked Karen a random question: Was there anywhere to possibly get my eyebrows waxed? I mean to tell you, mine were looking very bushy and I forgot my tweezers at home. I was definitely sporting a unibrow and just did not know how I was going to handle it for another 3 weeks. It just so happens that she goes to a little salon close to her house which is open until MIDNIGHT! Crazy huh! She made us appointments and so we visited the “Wax Museum of Mongolia” tonight! I got three things done for like $12. It was actually a nice time to sit and visit with Karen and get to know her better.
Karen is a 2001 graduate from Texas A&M Veterinary School (WHOOP!) and has been in Mongolia since 2003. She serves as a foreign advisor over the small animal hospital and Bright Future House. She mentors the Mongolian veterinarians and is very active in her church. She shared with me that she is working on her Master’s from Azuza Pacific University and has been taking a class on inner healing ministry. It was neat to be able to share about the Restoring the Foundations curriculum that Mercy uses. Her parents much of her family are atheists. I just commend and am so blessed to watch her following her calling to serve as a missionary abroad, despite the fact that her family does not completely understand why she is here. Please be praying for her and for her family: for her perseverance and for the hearts of her parents to be softened to the Lord. “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Cor. 2:14

Fun Fact of the Day: Every part of Mongolia that is outside of Ulaanbaatar (the capital city) is referred to as “Countryside”.
Mongolian Word of the Day: Minii neriig Bethany gedeg.—means “My name is Bethany.”