Today was the first day of Naadam, a cultural festival similar to our independence day that focuses around the ancient sports Chinghis Khan used to train his army: Mongolian wrestling, archery, and horseback riding.
Erik, Taivan, and I had the privilege of attending the opening ceremonies where we saw the national Olympic team. Watch for several Mongolian wrestlers this summer in London. We heard the opening speech given by the President of Mongolia, and saw the presenting of the ancient battle flags. These banners were placed in the middle of the stadium, and become the centerpiece of the wrestling tournament which a sum of over five hundred wrestlers participate in.
We then went and watched the end of the first round of archery, where a reporter from Hong Kong snagged Dave and Susan, American friends who are here helping the Teachers' Movement through Campus Crusade and have helped with Young Life camps in the past, and asked them to give an interview about the festival. Dave made sure to plug both Campus Crusade and Young Life in the interview. We'll see how they edit him.
After archery, Taivan, Erik and I grabbed some khuushuur (pronounced something close to "horse shoe" with a slur) for lunch, essentially fried mutton that is the equivalent of a taco sold on the street corner in San Diego. Erik and I both ate a total of seven throughout the day.
We then met Magnai and Anji and headed to the horse races.
It was a long drive, and I slept most of the way through the countryside, but once we finally arrived in the middle of nowhere, I awoke to what I can only describe as the blending or collision of the Caruthers Fair, the Clovis Rodeo, and the State Cross Country Meet at Woodward Park. Food vendors were everywhere with their gers set up for the week. Horses with riders and everything else that comes along with horses, spread for miles. Everyone, including the other horses and riders, crowded around the finish line watching as young riders completed the 12 kilometer race.
It's been a good first day of Naadam, and has been a pleasure to spend more time with our friends. Tomorrow, we're looking forward to taking the Young Life staff to a concert and hearing traditional Mongolian music. Then, on the morning of the 14th, we will be heading home.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Monday, July 9, 2012
Second Generation
We're back in UB, and contact with family and friends has taken priority over showers and laundry. All the blogs from camp have been posted, in the order they were written, but they probably have to be read from the bottom up.
Overall, camp went really well. The team was full of energy and new ideas, flexible with the rainy weather. It was great to see this Mongolian team all grown up.
Erik made the point one day that we are now working with the second generation of Young Life in Mongolia. Magnai is Coach's son. Anji is Chuka's daughter. There is a mother and two daughters involved in Darhan. Nara and Puche's son is a leader. Taivan's little brother, Bilge is coming on staff this fall. Tuvsa, Jackie's son, will also be returning to staff in the fall.
This second generation has handled camp so well. At Say So the first week about half the kids responded to the gospel for the first time. The second week saw a greater number of second timers and recommitments, with about fifteen first time decisions. We are encouraging the team to spread and do more contact work and more club, while continuing the work they are doing with campaigners.
We are very proud of our young Mongolian friends and the work they are doing in the name of Christ. Kids are hearing the good news. And they are responding. Please continue to pray for this young team as they move forward into the new year of Young Life and meet new kids and new challenges along the way.
Overall, camp went really well. The team was full of energy and new ideas, flexible with the rainy weather. It was great to see this Mongolian team all grown up.
Erik made the point one day that we are now working with the second generation of Young Life in Mongolia. Magnai is Coach's son. Anji is Chuka's daughter. There is a mother and two daughters involved in Darhan. Nara and Puche's son is a leader. Taivan's little brother, Bilge is coming on staff this fall. Tuvsa, Jackie's son, will also be returning to staff in the fall.
This second generation has handled camp so well. At Say So the first week about half the kids responded to the gospel for the first time. The second week saw a greater number of second timers and recommitments, with about fifteen first time decisions. We are encouraging the team to spread and do more contact work and more club, while continuing the work they are doing with campaigners.
We are very proud of our young Mongolian friends and the work they are doing in the name of Christ. Kids are hearing the good news. And they are responding. Please continue to pray for this young team as they move forward into the new year of Young Life and meet new kids and new challenges along the way.
Light in the Dark
An interesting phenomenon occurs on the fourth night of just about every Young Life camp. Typically, everything goes wrong. It rains while you're rock climbing, or there's a rash of sprained ankles and sore throats. At Woodleaf one year, with Capernaum, it was the night that we lost a feeding tube and had a seizure. Everything goes wrong. We know and acknowledge that this is the work of the Enemy. But typically, at other camps, this phenomenon coincides with the night redemption is preached. For those of us who work with Young Life, it almost always coincides with the bad news, the sin talk.
The Enemy does not want our kids to hear this bad news because only when they know they need a Savior will they look for Him. That is why this night is key. The Enemy attacks because kids can disregard the good news if they don't know or don't hear the bad news. And his scheming is underway tonight. I've heard more stories of abuse today than I care to tell about. Our rock climbing day was nearly rained out. Kids are growing attitudes. And I'm missing club, recovering from a panic attack. All of these are recognizable signs that the Enemy is fighting against the work of the Kingdom.
This morning, Erik and I were talking about just that, preparing for the madness heading our way on this fourth night of camp. We talked about how kids respond differently and uniquely to the bad news of sin. Some get quiet and pensive. Others get vocal and angry. You never know. But then we got to talking about why that is. Kids don't want to hear the bad news. They don't want to know that they are not perfect.
The struggle can best be summed up by John 3:18-20:
"Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear tha their deeds will be exposed."
It's this Light and Dark struggle that is being fought out tonight. These kids don't know they're in this fight yet, but I'm here battling it out right now as I write these words. The light is shining, no matter the attacks used by the enemy, for there have been friends who have described my current state as full of darkness, that I have no light in me, but Psalm 139 tells us that even the darkness is as light to our Lord and Savior. He will shine brightly in the night, and gain the victory for himself. "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of the darkness,' made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ" (2 Cor. 4:6).
The Enemy does not want our kids to hear this bad news because only when they know they need a Savior will they look for Him. That is why this night is key. The Enemy attacks because kids can disregard the good news if they don't know or don't hear the bad news. And his scheming is underway tonight. I've heard more stories of abuse today than I care to tell about. Our rock climbing day was nearly rained out. Kids are growing attitudes. And I'm missing club, recovering from a panic attack. All of these are recognizable signs that the Enemy is fighting against the work of the Kingdom.
This morning, Erik and I were talking about just that, preparing for the madness heading our way on this fourth night of camp. We talked about how kids respond differently and uniquely to the bad news of sin. Some get quiet and pensive. Others get vocal and angry. You never know. But then we got to talking about why that is. Kids don't want to hear the bad news. They don't want to know that they are not perfect.
The struggle can best be summed up by John 3:18-20:
"Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear tha their deeds will be exposed."
It's this Light and Dark struggle that is being fought out tonight. These kids don't know they're in this fight yet, but I'm here battling it out right now as I write these words. The light is shining, no matter the attacks used by the enemy, for there have been friends who have described my current state as full of darkness, that I have no light in me, but Psalm 139 tells us that even the darkness is as light to our Lord and Savior. He will shine brightly in the night, and gain the victory for himself. "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of the darkness,' made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ" (2 Cor. 4:6).
Plan C
Today we learned that every room in this camp has a leak. It rained all day long, washing out any plans we had for outside games. The staff and volunteers did good to get kids to sit through an hour of skits and dances in the outdoor amphitheater, but then decided to move all the afternoon activities indoors.
Of course, the afternoon activities were soccer and Tasmanian baseball and a tug of war. Three activities that do not work indoors. And we didn't have room for the whole camp to do anything active indoors. So we split into two groups, and Erik and I wrote down a short list of easy mixers. The favorite was "Honey, if You Love Me."
The way the game works, one boy and one girl start in the center of the circle and then have to go up to a person of the opposite gender and say the words, "Honey, if you love me, give me a smile." The other person then replies, "Honey, I love you, but I just can't smile." Or they laugh hysterically. Both groups played this game for nearly an hour.
About that time the sun came out and we were able to have some sort of free time, though the soccer field and basketball courts were still wet, and it took a while for the mountain board hill to dry up. But it was a day that could have been a big bummer that became a huge success. These kids already know each other better than the kids did last week. I love the creativity and the go-with-the-flow attitude that surrounds this team. I'm so glad that this rainy weather hasn't held us back. Now, we're looking into a week of even closer relationships than what we expected.
Of course, the afternoon activities were soccer and Tasmanian baseball and a tug of war. Three activities that do not work indoors. And we didn't have room for the whole camp to do anything active indoors. So we split into two groups, and Erik and I wrote down a short list of easy mixers. The favorite was "Honey, if You Love Me."
The way the game works, one boy and one girl start in the center of the circle and then have to go up to a person of the opposite gender and say the words, "Honey, if you love me, give me a smile." The other person then replies, "Honey, I love you, but I just can't smile." Or they laugh hysterically. Both groups played this game for nearly an hour.
About that time the sun came out and we were able to have some sort of free time, though the soccer field and basketball courts were still wet, and it took a while for the mountain board hill to dry up. But it was a day that could have been a big bummer that became a huge success. These kids already know each other better than the kids did last week. I love the creativity and the go-with-the-flow attitude that surrounds this team. I'm so glad that this rainy weather hasn't held us back. Now, we're looking into a week of even closer relationships than what we expected.
New Crowd
It's always a strange feeling when kids leave a camp. Even though we went into the deal knowing they'd leave in six days, there's still a slight sense of abandonment that comes as the busses pull away. And it's a stranger feeling when those same busses have just dropped off the next herd of kids.
Again, the busses arrived early, and Erik and I raced down to greet the kids, snapping pictures for our evening slideshow as they stepped off the bus. This group of kids came with their own intrinsic excitement, so glad to be at camp. And it's a good thing that they came to us excited, because it has rained off and on for most of the afternoon.
Taivan just finished his talk on creation, and the thunder and lightning picked where he left off, and the wind joined the chorus. The tin roof on our room is rolling with each gust, exaggerating each roll of thunder, each drop of rain. And we can feel the breeze through the walls. It could be a long night.
And it's been a long couple of nights. We have both had trouble sleeping, unfortunately on opposite ends of the night. Days have been long as a result, but good. This new week looks to be more exciting than the first, though there are still dark clouds and rainstorms on the horizon. These kids bring all the energy themselves, and we're looking forward to introducing them to Christ.
Again, the busses arrived early, and Erik and I raced down to greet the kids, snapping pictures for our evening slideshow as they stepped off the bus. This group of kids came with their own intrinsic excitement, so glad to be at camp. And it's a good thing that they came to us excited, because it has rained off and on for most of the afternoon.
Taivan just finished his talk on creation, and the thunder and lightning picked where he left off, and the wind joined the chorus. The tin roof on our room is rolling with each gust, exaggerating each roll of thunder, each drop of rain. And we can feel the breeze through the walls. It could be a long night.
And it's been a long couple of nights. We have both had trouble sleeping, unfortunately on opposite ends of the night. Days have been long as a result, but good. This new week looks to be more exciting than the first, though there are still dark clouds and rainstorms on the horizon. These kids bring all the energy themselves, and we're looking forward to introducing them to Christ.
Plan B
Plan A was to go on a hike, climb to the top of a hill, look out over Ulan Batar and have a short devotional time. All that changed when it threatened to rain at breakfast and opened up into a down pour thereafter.
So, plan B fell into place. The truth is, there had been no plan B before 10:00am. Erik and I got together before breakfast and saw the dark clouds in the southern sky, and pulled Taivan aside and convinced him the hike was a bad idea. he didn't believe us until it poured. Then everyone was inside. Erik put on some music, and someone ran and grabbed a guitar. I put on a short concert of American songs, while kids sang along, and then we improvised "Time with the Americans," where kids could ask us questions about Young Life or America. They were very curious about Young Life in the US and in other countries.
Then Taivan did a short club talk with a question and answer time at the end. All impromptu, but the kids would never know. Afterwards, the sun was out, and we all headed over to play basketball. Then it poured again. It looks like the hike is no longer postponed, but rather canceled. If weather permits, we may mountain board again this afternoon, but otherwise, it's a quiet pensive afternoon while the kids wait for the good news of the cross.
So, plan B fell into place. The truth is, there had been no plan B before 10:00am. Erik and I got together before breakfast and saw the dark clouds in the southern sky, and pulled Taivan aside and convinced him the hike was a bad idea. he didn't believe us until it poured. Then everyone was inside. Erik put on some music, and someone ran and grabbed a guitar. I put on a short concert of American songs, while kids sang along, and then we improvised "Time with the Americans," where kids could ask us questions about Young Life or America. They were very curious about Young Life in the US and in other countries.
Then Taivan did a short club talk with a question and answer time at the end. All impromptu, but the kids would never know. Afterwards, the sun was out, and we all headed over to play basketball. Then it poured again. It looks like the hike is no longer postponed, but rather canceled. If weather permits, we may mountain board again this afternoon, but otherwise, it's a quiet pensive afternoon while the kids wait for the good news of the cross.
I Can!
Today, we climbed. Erik and I headed to the rock outcropping first thing this morning and set two routes for the campers to climb. It took some figuring out, some retiring of gear, and some retraining of the Mongolian staff, but we got everything set with just enough time for a couple of pre-climbs each.
The kids had a blast. It was such fun to see the joy on their faces when they reached the top, when they accomplished what they had thought to be the impossible. One girl reached the top and started jumping up and down, arms raised above her head in victory, shouting in English, "I can! I can!"
It was a reminder of Philippians 4:13. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, each and every day, on the good days and on the bad days. Today was good day. But yesterday was hard. I'm not sure how to explain it, and I'm not sure what it was, but I was low all day. But today I got that reminder that "I can! I can!"
It's been a tough road thus far. We are tired, but I know we will finish strong. Christ is at work here, and that is sustenance enough. Tonight the kids will struggle through the idea of sin and its effects on their lives. And tomorrow they will hear of the salvation and forgiveness offered them by Jesus Christ.
We're looking forward to the next seven days of camp, and sharing more stories when we get home.
The kids had a blast. It was such fun to see the joy on their faces when they reached the top, when they accomplished what they had thought to be the impossible. One girl reached the top and started jumping up and down, arms raised above her head in victory, shouting in English, "I can! I can!"
It was a reminder of Philippians 4:13. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, each and every day, on the good days and on the bad days. Today was good day. But yesterday was hard. I'm not sure how to explain it, and I'm not sure what it was, but I was low all day. But today I got that reminder that "I can! I can!"
It's been a tough road thus far. We are tired, but I know we will finish strong. Christ is at work here, and that is sustenance enough. Tonight the kids will struggle through the idea of sin and its effects on their lives. And tomorrow they will hear of the salvation and forgiveness offered them by Jesus Christ.
We're looking forward to the next seven days of camp, and sharing more stories when we get home.
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