I have to be completely honest when I say that I am really starting to get excited about finishing my Mongolian language classes & starting to serve Mongolians living in the Ger district. A lot of people have told me that they can't believe that I have studied for 2 years straight. Most people start their Mongolian language classes & after a year or 18 months of study, go back to their home country, Europe or a warmer Asian country for a month or 4 & then return to finish their classes. Teresa & I are the only ones that most people here have said have done the whole 2 years without leaving the country. The next thing they do is ask how we have done it without going crazy. We know why & are thankful.
I have been a little frustrated lately. I gave all the documentation needed so that I could get a Mongolian drivers license, but the person waited for 2 weeks. When I was on my way to meet him to pick up everything he decided to go into the office to try & get my license then. Well, you guessed it. He could not get my license because he waited until the last minute to apply. Please pray that I am able to get my drivers license this week because after getting it can start the process of applying for my work visa. Time is running short only weeks of Mongolian language classes left & some of you know when applying for a visa in a foreign country weeks is not a lot of time. Please pray that I am able to get my drivers license this week & am able to get my work visa with the Ger district community centre.
On the home front, Kiel is loving school & is slowly making friends. This month he has been so excited because he started swimming as part of his gym time. One thing that all of us miss, is water to go swimming. Coming from NS the joy is that you don't have to go to far to go swimming. Esme is doing really well with her schooling & has made 2 friends her age (5 & 7 year old.) All three girls get to play together at least 3 times per week. Teresa is doing well with her language part-time, really likes helping out at Kiel's school each week & is enjoying the other things she is doing. I am doing well. I still am studying Mongolian full-time, during the week am studying online PC certificate classes (to help my visa application), helping out two days a week teaching Esme home school & taking her to gym class as well as the other things.
I have to laugh because the kids said to me just last week. "Dad won't it be awesome when you have finished Mongolian classes & know everything about Mongolian & can say everything." I chuckled & told them both that 2 years of language study is not even close to knowing everything about a language, especially Mongolian. But it is enough to be able to communicate with them on a basic level so that I can help/serve them. Best of all Mongolians can teach me more about their language & culture to which I have grown to love.