H1N1 (Swine flu) arrives in Mongolia

Last week Mongolia got the first 16 cases of H1N1. In Mongolian, Swine flu translates to "Pig Cold." Because of the large number of university students and children, the government is recommending washing hands, avoiding crowds and wearing masks. Mongolia does not have vaccine nor other medicines for this disease.

Snow has arrived

About 4 inches of show arrived 14Oct. It will probably stay for the winter. Liz walks to language school at noon, I join her at 4pm and we walk back to the apartment getting there usually around 6pm.

Laughing with Sally Jo

Sally Jo Sebring, from Lake Stevens, WA, worked in children's ministry in Mongolia from 2000-2006. She hosted us several times when we were visiting Mongolia. She visited Mongolia last week so it was our turn to host her. We had a great time laughing and sharing our common Mongolian experiences.

It's Ulaanbaatar, the capitol city of Mongolia. Fancy hotels (3) and these nicely dressed women are shopping for fresh meat - out of the back of a truck loaded with goat carcasses.

Poor and Rich in Mongolia

In this country of contrasts, the children differ also. Most grow up living in a felt tent, hauling water and collecting dung for fuel. Others grow up wearing cashmere sweaters and pink berets. All need Jesus.

Living in a manhole

The winters are cold in Mongolia. Ulaanbaatar, the capitol, has a centralized heating system with buried hot water pipes running all over the city. The homeless survive the frigid nights in the manholes.

Mongolian "Long Song"

Bolooro, our first interpreter, is learning to sing a traditional Mongolian Long Song. It is called a "Long song" not because the songs are long (even if some of them are), but because each syllable of text is extended for a long duration. A four-minute song may only consist of ten words.
The accompanist is playing a Morin khuur or "Horse-head fiddle". UNESCO declared the Mongolian Long Song one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2005.

Made in China and Worn in Mongolia

The Mongolians say, "Everything is made in China. The good stuff goes to the US. The bad stuff goes to Mongolia." My apologies to my MinNesota friends.

Reading Mongolian

Learning a language is more than vocabulary. Transliterated this book is titled "Tsondolay younger sibling with became". In English we would say, "Tsondolay becomes a big sister."

Lunch from the garbage can

This morning we looked out our 5th floor window and saw 3 homeless men digging thru our apartment garbage can. They found a goat head that had been used for soup. They picked off the tiny pieces of meat and enjoyed a "light lunch."