Recap and Video: Mongolia

Hey everyone! I am slowly but surely working my way through this last year and recapping where my team has been, the people we met, and the things we’ve gotten to do. I am still working on how best to do this as I’ve gotten behind so bear with me as I continue to figure that out. For now, this blog is in response to a question I received on my last blog: “What was one of your favorite countries?” 

Throughout this past year, I have consistently looked at Mongolia as one of my favorite countries that we visited; and that was for a number of reasons:

• First, this was our first legitimate open month. This meant that we did not have hosts to partner with while there, and that my team, Invictus, had the opportunity to pray into the month and see where the Lord was leading us. This was both exciting and challenging and really pushed our team in obedience and faith; trusting that the Lord would provide in each moment and place that he led us to. 
• Secondly, was the type of ministry that we were able to do. As we prayed into the month, my team felt led to seek out and spend time with nomadic families in the more rural parts of Mongolia, as we made our way to our meeting point in southwest Mongolia on the border with China. This resulted in a two and a half week trek across the country, with my team stopping in three primary cities: Bayanhangor (hot springs), Altai, and Khovd. In each city, with the help of our translator, Blod, we sought out local families with the hope of staying with them and sharing the Gospel. We carried along Bibles translated in Mongolian, something that was very rare, and were able to give them to families as we met. I loved this ministry so much. We walked out from these small towns/villages and would find families living very much in the middle of nowhere, and they would invite us, complete strangers, in to their homes. They would offer us food, let us try on clothes, play with their kids, and just have fun. In the midst of this, we would get to hear their stories and hear about their lives, and we would also share about our lives and our faith and would give each family a Bible. For many, this was the first time they had heard the name and story of Jesus. It was incredible. We had so many cool moments going from family to family. I had never been a part of ministry like this and can say for certain that this was a defining month for me. 
• Third, was the adventure that came along with this month. Mongolia felt so foreign and so wild and it was such an incredible month to step out and explore. As we travelled we climbed mountains, forded rivers, camped and cooked in the snow, rode horses, wrestled Mongolian style, got stranded in the Gobi desert and so much more. This month brought so much unknown and so much adventure with it. God worked in such cools ways and allowed for such an awesome month of ministry and fun for our team.  
• The fourth and final reason I loved this month so much was for the journey that began to unfold for me personally and spiritually. This was the first month for me in a leadership position as a team lead, which was new and challenging but also good, and I believe right where God wanted me. I had not expected to find myself in a role like that this year, but God had a different plan and absolutely used these different roles as a way of growing and challenging me, refining and building me up. This was a journey that would continue through the year, first as a team lead and then as a squad lead, but it largely began in Mongolia. I am thankful for how God used this role in my year and am excited to share more on how this would unfold throughout my World Race. 

So thats a little recap of one of my favorite countries! If you would like a taste of what our time in Mongolia was like, the video below was made by my teammate Molly, and shows a glimpse into our time in Bayanhangor. Bayanhangor is a city in central Mongolia, known for its Hot Springs, a place where thousands of people travel to every year for its healing properties. This was only a few days out of our two week trek but gives you a picture into how our time began. 

If you would like to connect or catch up while I am here at home, feel free to reach out! My email is [email protected]. I would love to hang out with as many of you as I can! Also stay tuned and be on the lookout for another blog in the next week if you want to hear about where I’m at and where God is taking me next! Love you all!