a little overwhelming

yesterday we went to visit nara, an awesome lady we have gotten to know through the youth center, at the hospital. you'd never know by looking at her...she's always dressed immaculately, or by talking with her...always energetic and positive...but she is battling breast cancer...

we didn't get to talk long before she had to enter the room for her treatment, and as we weaved in and out of corridors to leave the hospital, i was overwhelmed. i couldn't believe how many people were there. we passed by one room and i tried not to react as a young lady cried out trying to get into her wheelchair. it was more than i could wrap my mind around.

i'm here to make a difference...an eternal difference...a difference i'm told by everyone takes time...sometimes a LOT of time...

but i couldn't fight the feeling of failure as i walked passed so many dying people...knowing that most of them have NO idea how to have hope beyond this life...i felt my sense of human time pressure building...and my ability to trust the divine timetable waining. i wished i could rush in to each room...tell them of the hope of Jesus (can i even adequately DO that in mongolian!?)...and watch them all embrace it...i wished it were all that easy!

i walked outside and saw everyone walking around the streets...and i realized that...every one of them...each one of US...is just as near death as the patients in that hospital really...we're all just less aware of it on a daily basis. that didn't help the overwhelming feelings...

so i just prayed...(wondering if that was just the easy way out)...for the people in the hospital...to hear of Christ before passing on...for anyone they know that might know Jesus...to share with them...for nara...because i AM that person she knows who knows Jesus...

so i still haven't sorted it all out really...but i do pray that the eternal thoughts that came while seeing all those cancer patients would remain when i see the cashier at the supermarket...or the drunk man staggering across the street...and that i would accept my part to play in the divine timetable...in every moment...of every day!

new friends

about a month ago we had a missionary family move into our building...the next entrance over from ours. they have two kids and one on the way...and they are just about our kids' ages.

we also met some of their teammates (the husband goes to our language school)...and we all got together to let the kids play at "the blue mouse".

we're all busy so the kids don't get together all the time...but when they do...it's tons of fun! it has been SUCH a blessing for abby...and for us! praise the Lord for english-speaking friends! ;]

spring?

when i first heard that mongolians consider "white month" (the lunar new year) to be the start of spring...i thought it was the funniest thing i've ever heard...especially since i was still wearing two pairs of pants to stay warm...and the forecasts called for 10-20 degree days...

but i must say...i'm with them now.

in the last two weeks the days have grown suddenly longer...we're not losing the sun at 4:30 anymore...and it actually gets high enough during the day to shine on our building's courtyard below...we haven't seen that since october maybe? it's amazing how actually FEELING the warmth of the sun can be like finding new life...

i never thought i would ever talk about how amazingly warm 20 degrees feels...until i felt how seriously cold 20 BELOW can be!

and today was actually warm enough to take the kids outside and play on the playground...

so there are no flowers blooming...unfortunately that won't really ever happen here in UB...the concrete capital of the world...

there are no birds singing...

but everything and everyone around us seems to be thawing out and coming to life...

so with the mongolians...i'll put on two pairs of pants, zip up my furry coat and say "welcome spring"!