Warmer Tonight

For those of you that read our previous post thank-you for praying. Our heat came back on at midnight & hopefully other were soon to follow. Tonight it is much warmer -25 Celsius.

This week has been a busy one with our Mongolian language classes happening & getting ready for Christmas. Teresa & I spent the week trying to find ingredients for some of our favourite Christmas treats. Some things we could find while others not. Teresa & our language helper were busy trying to make the sweet treats that we had ingredients for. Here is a picture:



The kids had a great time helping too. But, Kiel & Esme said it best & I will quote them. "Mom the sweets are great, but could you get some apples & mandarins? We really want something healthy." Russians & Mongolians make the most amazing ice cream, candy & chocolate which is everywhere. But getting fresh fruit sometimes can be a challenge & they like fruit more then sweets.

Tomorrow will be the start of our Christmas parties. We are hosting a kids Christmas party. Mongolian & foreign children that our kids know will be coming over for games, food, a craft & a gift to take home. We thought it would be great for our children & a great time to connect with others as Christmas will be spent with friends this year & not family.

An hour ago I was walking in front of our building when I saw 10 red glowing lights in the sky. I stopped to try & figure out what they were. They were not helicopters or aircraft. When a waited & looked closer I saw that they were flames. I saw our landlady & here daughter watching them also. I spoke to her (in Mongolian) asking what they were & why. She replied that today was a special Buddhist holiday & the temple down the street the monks were praying & after they lit up these things to fly in the sky.The Buddhist Holiday is in memory of a Lama.

A Cold Night With No Heat

It is cold tonight -35 degrees Celsius & there has been a break in the heating line in our neighbourhood. We lost heat 2 hours ago & may not have heat until the morning. Please pray for the thousands of people that live in our neighbourhood who many not have extra warm blankets like we do. Pray that all of us are not too cold this evening.

Challenges

Yesterday during class my mongolian language instructor knows how much I like Mongolian food/drink & offered me something new. She would not tell me what it was before she poured it into my cup. She poured herself a cup & we drank together. What was it you ask. It was sour Mongolian Camel milk. It was not fresh milk, not yogourt, but in between. It tasted like runny plain yogourt. I liked it of course.

Teresa had a very challenging Mongolian language class on Wednesday & she was very stressed. Their was an observer present in her class evaluating her instructor & lesson. Both Teresa & her instructor were very stressed. Things are ok now as her stress has passed. I also had an observer 2 weeks ago & Murphy's law it was the worst class I had since starting Mongolian language classes. But things continue as we both learn Mongolian.

Teresa sewed us new Christmas stockings out of beautiful Mongolian silk fabrics. The fabrics she used are used to make the traditional Mongolian dells & jackets. They look beautiful as usual. The kids have a home-made advent calendar made with blue ribbon & 24 toddler socks. each morning both Kiel & Esme are excited to see what is inside the sock. Also Teresa & Aunt Jenna have started planning their Christmas baking day & what sweet treats they will make for Christmas.



I have had challenging times this week. Most mornings I take our garbage out across the street to the dumpster. In the past 2 weeks I have not been throwing the bags into the dumpster because the poor have always asked me for my bags. They want to see if there is anything recyclable in my bags to make a little money & if there is something small to eat in them. My heart is challenged, I pray for them. Every morning while walking to class pass by many sewer caps & pray for the 10's of thousands of homeless Mongolians that live in them to stay alive during the cold winter. The 7km walk to & from classes are filled with prayer for Mongolia & it's people.

It is also difficult in the evenings when the temperature is dropping below -28 Celsius & a 1 or 2 month old stray puppy/kitten runs by you leg. You know that they might be hungry & are cold. I want to take them in, but know I can't. We already have a great pet & know there are too many to save. You cannot see some, but can hear the cries of puppies & kittens that will not survive the night.

A month ago Esme, Kiel & I were walking to the store at the end of our building & we walked next to a frozen kitten laying in the snow. As we were walking back i knew it was hard for the kids, but in a soft way explained that in most of the world things like this happen. Many times Kiel & Esme have been with me when I have given the poor our garbage bags to find things they need & have asked, "why dad?" At home it is easy to miss/not see the poor, but here you are faced with them. I am glad that our kids at such a young age get to see reality for most of the world. We give them the freedom to ask questions, are honest when answering them & encourage them to pray for the less fortunate here.

Fruit

The kids, Teresa & I were eating our mandarin oranges this afternoon. I took another orange, but before I started eating it took a couple of pictures to show you the size. I know many of you are not going to believe it, but here they are.




They are seedless, very sweet & tasty. But small don't you think?