| June 2008 Dear friends and family, Right now I am sitting in a terminal of Seoul/Incheon Internation Airport, knowing I should probably a little farther along in the reflection/transition stage than I actually am. I have, after all, had five days in UB—staying with an American sister, saying goodbyes to leadership and other friends there, having daily internet access, and eating vegetables almost every day. But, even though I left my three girls crying by the side of the road as I drove off in the dust over a week ago from Hovd, I have to admit that it still doesn’t feel final. It feels like this is summer break and I’ll see them again in August. Who knows when it will actually hit me that I’m not going back (at least for a while)… maybe I’ll be with you personally and you’ll have to help me mop up the tears! There were a couple of moments, however, that I certainly felt a sense of finality and closure. And those are the moments I’d like to share with you in this letter. Several weeks ago, I started asking Dad for ideas about what to give my girls and guys as a ‘memory’ gift. After a few days of asking, He gave me the idea of Lewis’ “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” for the guys and Max Lucado’s “You Are Special” for the girls. I proceeded to order the books from Amazon (they mail all the way to Hovd!!) and then write letters inside each of the books individually to Shash, Lhamaa, Tsolmon, Ganbaatar, Ganzorig, and Batzul. I had the guys over the Tuesday before I left and it was a good time of hanging out and talking. They really liked their books (they didn’t read the letters while they were at my home so I didn’t see that reaction) and listened attentively when I reminded them yet again of Dad’s love for them and my love for them. After “serious” time, they decided it would be a good idea to use my balcony as a strategic launching pad for grocery bag water-balloon bombs. They eventually stopped after I begged enough. J Then, the day that I left, I took my girls out to lunch and brought them back to my house. I gave each of them their copies of “You Are Special,” and read it aloud to them. (Aside: For those of you who have never read this Lucado book, it’s a ‘children’s book’ about a wooden people who spend their time giving each other stars and/or dots based on merit and demerit. One wooden boy has only dots—until he meets a girl who has no dots AND no stars. Her secret? Visiting the carpenter every day and learning what He thinks about her…) Near the end of the story, my driver called and said, “Come NOW! I’m leaving!” This was very unsettling because he called on time (!!) and in the middle of our last minutes together. At that point, we all became a little flustered because reality had just hit, but I finished reading the story to them anyways. Then— “I love you girls so much, and you are incredibly special to me. But, you know, even more than that, you are special to J. because He made you and He always loves you perfectly…” (tears and sniffs made their appearance here) “…and, if I can’t come back to Hovd and see you, I trust that I will see you with J. in the next home He’s making for us.” And then, we all lost it. But, thank Him, I know that their future is not in my weak, transitory hands—it’s in His powerful, never –ending, never-changing ones! Please join me in overflowing with thankfulness for that grace. I talked to Shash while I was in UB, and she said she reads her book every day and she cries—and I know it’s because He’s calling her and He won’t stop His work in my absence. I talked to Lhamaa and she told me she was pr-ying that J. would help me be able to come back to Mongolia next year to see them graduate. I talked to Tsolmon, too, and once she messaged me because she had lost the Word passage I had sent them the day before and she wanted to read it. I can’t see their hearts and I don’t know exactly where on their journey they are. But I do know that you, my dear, dear friends, have played a key role in bringing them farther along the path of grace and truth. Thank you for enabling me to be a part of that on the ‘front lines,’ as a dear college prof used to say. Thank you for asking the Father, right alongside me, to draw them to Himself and transform them. Dad was also very gracious to give me wonderful times of pr-yer and reflection with my fellowship leaders in the time shortly before I left. I will miss my Hovd fellowship dearly—its simplicity, sincerity, and passion. Thank you for supporting them personally (remember the coal situation?! Your gifts are still giving!) and also indirectly through me. The last two years have been the most memorable of my life, and I’m excited to see how Dad uses the experiences I’ve had to continue leading me in His plans for His glory in my life. As I close this, my last ELI/C snail mail newsletter, I have one more favor to ask of you—please, even though I am not in Mongolia, continue to lift up the people there! Dad is moving in big ways, and your petitions on their behalf will play a huge role. May His Light shine powerfully and unceasingly! In His power, by His grace, Elizabeth |
