The past week & a bit have been fun. here are some of the highlights
- We have joined the YWAM Truro base here in NS. It's nice to get to know the base staff, have a local base to be part of while in Canada & have a sending base for member care which we really did not have in Mongolia.
- Every Wednesday Teresa & I both drive to Truro NS (200km each way) for a mission class (2 hr. class) we both are taking at the YWAM base. The class is fun, runs for 13 weeks & some weeks is tiring because we leave 4:30 & usually don't arrive home until midnight or later each week.
I finished my graduate studies 8 years ago & Teresa her undergrad studies 9 years ago. It's been a long time since we have studied & some nights we are almost falling asleep on the textbooks. Sometimes we have to read to each other because we have no idea what the words are (so big & important sounding) or what the person is trying to say. I miss speaking Mongolian because it's such a literal language & understanding cannot be lost in metaphorical meaninglessness we use or say in English.
- I was the year opening guest speaker for Acadia InterVarsity Christian Fellowship
- We have been personally visiting our supporters to share in more detail about our time serving others in Mongolia, what we are doing this year & what our plans are for the future (to serve in Thailand.)
- We are visiting our supporting churches & churches that have asked us to share, preach & update them on our time in Mongolia & about our future plans.
- Teresa had many visits to our family doctor & had tests done. We were excited that she did not have TB, which our doctor thought many of her symptoms were. However, she does have adult onset Asthma & has prescriptions if her Asthma starts to get worse.
It was very difficult because Улаанбаатар (Ulaanbaatar), where we lived is the most difficult place to live if you have breathing challenges. The air is very dry, very cold (most of the year), being an arid desert dust/sand storms occur frequently, car exhaust pollution & the Coal smoke/smog from everyone burning coal to heat & cook with causes breathing challenges.
- Esme has started her twice a week tutoring to help with her reading challenge. She likes it & we are hopeful that it will help her learn how to overcome & enjoy reading.
- Both of the kids are enjoying going to school & meeting/making some new friends. I think they also really like it because they do not have any homework or tests. This is a bit concerning for Teresa & I as we left an Asian schooling culture (in Mongolia) & will be going back into an Asian school system (in Thailand.) If anything this year will be an easy time for them which is ok for one year.
- Teresa will be a guest speaker at ladies special gathering in Halifax/Dartmouth.