“Teacher, what do you love about Mongolia?” (Week 3)

He probably didn’t know that this was not a great day to ask me what I love about Mongolia. He probably didn’t know that I had to force myself to walk out of my sanctuary, my apartment, and self counsel myself all the way through the bus trip to his school. He probably didn’t know that last night I seriously doubted I could handle being in his classroom today. And, he probably still doesn’t know that our 40 minutes of class conversation cemented in my mind and heart that I’m going to make it, and that we are going to learn together.

So, he asked me, “Teacher, what do you love about Mongolia?”

I love the people, especially the kids…beautiful lives, I wish I knew all their stories.

I love the potential for growth here. The church is celebrating its 20^th anniversary this weekend…20 years ago Mongolia was a much different place, and still today Mongolians are deciding what it means to be Mongolian, and for some, what it means to be the church. A student today was telling me her reason for wanting to learn English, and she included the thought, “It seems that Mongolia is behind the other countries…we are late in learning English.” I wouldn’t say that Mongolia is late—but it is definitely at a far different place than where I come from.

I love that my students have big dreams—and that in some small way, I have the privilege of helping them accomplish these dreams. I would love to one day see that Shur Erdene has accomplished her future goal of being #1 world’s best doctor, for Dulguun to become the president, for Enkhtsetseg to be a good mom.

I love that I’m being stretched, and that I can see God at work here…in me, in the church of Mongolia, in the people, in the missionaries.

I love that when I felt like giving up, Jackson pulled me back to the truths that I had forgotten. I am privileged to be here, and do love Mongolia.

He picked the best day to ask, “Teacher, what do you love about Mongolia?”