I found out today by one of our Mongolian employees that due to the Mongolian Presidential elections in June, Mongolian immigration may not be giving new visas or extending expiring visas to foreigners. I think that this is not good because I don't want all of us to have to leave Mongolia in two weeks time. "Please" pray that we will be able to extend my visa until the end of June when we'll return home for our time of rest.
The weather is changing here & it's so nice. The funny thing is that the smell in Mongolia everyone here laughs at. You know Spring has come when the air smells of pooh & pee. When the snow/ice melts all of the animal pooh & animal/human pee starts to thaw giving outside an outhouse kind of smell. We all laugh & call it "Spring in Ulaanbaatar." Our daytime temperatures are -2 to -10 Celsius & at night the usual temperature is -15 Celsius. We have changed our coats, put our winter hats away, are wearing sneakers & shoes.
We continued to have our community kids craft class at the community centre. Kiel, Esme & I always love going to the classes to create, talk, play & build relationships with the poorer kids in the community centres ger district. The kids always make me laugh. When they see Kiel, Esme, the ASU craft teachers & I driving up the hill to the centre their faces start beaming with happiness & they all start running towards the centres fence door. They are always so excite to learn, see & talk with us. This class is such a blessing for us each week & we know that it blesses the community kids.
If my visa is extended there is an opportunity for me to attend the "Global Member Care Conference" starting at the end of April in Thailand. Many people have shared with me that pastoral care is a gift of mine. I enjoy being able to help people who want a listening hear or feel they want something a little more. I am exited about the possibility because the last time I was able to attend a continuing education class/conference was to Europe in 2006. This conference will be an extra expense for us, but Teresa really encouraged me to try an attend this conference to further my learning in the area of Christian care & counsel.