It's been about 30 hours since we arrived in Mongolia. The 30 hours before that we were on the train from Beijing to Ulaan Bataar! It actually went by quite quickly for me because I slept a lot of the time. It was a cool ride, especially because on a train you get to see so much of the country side. And we saw an amazing variety from the farms in northern China through the Gobi desert and into the snowy mountains of Mongolia. We got so much dust from the desert in the carriage that when I woke up in the morning, my nose was outlined in black!!
I'll try to catch up on the past few weeks first, though.
Highlight from Taiwan... spent three days in Miaoli with some westerners who planted a church among the Hakka people. It was so cool to sit in on their English classes! One of our group discussions was holidays. So the Taiwanese told us about Chineese new year and the Harvest festival, and we told them about Christmas and Easter. After one of the lessons we had a potluck of sorts. I ate some yellow watermelon! Also a rice dessert that looked like a mexican wedding cake on the outside, but turned out to have a consistency like silly putty. It was yummy. (But I wouldn't mind some mexican wedding cakes when I get home, wink wink)
Highlights from China:
Walking through Tienamen Square and the Forbidden City was so cool! I was getting choked up to realize that I'm really here. At the same time, it is hard to see so many people with physical deformities and missing limbs.
We spent time getting to know people in our hostel from all over the world. I had roomates from Portugal, Canada, Switzerland, and England.
We also got to know some local people. I was at this place called the Temple of Heaven when two university students walked up and asked me if they could walk with me and practice their English. So we spent the day together. It's pretty common for this to happen. It's a great way to learn about the country and get to know our peers here in China.
When all is said and done, my time in China was kind of a blur. A lot happened at home, and I am learning what it's like to be away when everyone else is together. My grandpa passed away on May 1, one cousin got married on May 6. I am thankful for those of you who have been praying for me and my family. I hestitated to add this part, but I think it's an important to relay the good and the tough times. Even though I'm only committed to short term missions as of now, I have felt the distance in both the sorrow of a funeral and the joyous celebration of a wedding. While I had the experience of climbing the Great Wall, I missed some things just as monumental in my world at home. Every experience has it's price. But I don't doubt that this is where I should be right now, and am happy to finish this time with joy.
Highlights from Mongolia:
Well, like I said, I've been here for 30 hours... We're staying in a cool and colorful guesthouse run by a Christian couple from Germany/Switzerland. It gets pretty cold out at night, but we're in warm beds and have coffee and tea available in the morning! We'll spend time with the youth group, do some building, work with kids, visit a prison, and talk to some local Mongols. Haven't eaten anything too crazy here yet. I hear the favorite drink around here is fermented mare's milk... pray for us!! Hahaha, just kidding.
For the Minnesotans, you might be interested to know that the summer here is even shorter than there--only two and a half months! We don't have any leaves on the trees here and there's still some snow! But there is something here that reminds me of Minnesota, maybe the weather, maybe the northwoods air... I am thinking of you!
Thanks for your continued support and prayers.
Much love, Sara
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