Mongolia

Sandwiched between Russia to the north and China to the south, Mongolia is ten times the size of the US State of Illinois and is the least densely populated nation in the world. Mongolia has about five people per square mile. (The US has 80 and China has 353 people per square mile) In the 12th and 13th century the "Mongol Hordes" under the leadership of Chinggis Khan ruled nearly the entire continent of Asia and much of Europe. In 1919, China invaded Mongolia. In 1921 the Chinese were defeated and Mongolia declared independence. Shortly after that declaration, Russian influence overwhelmed the country and Socialism under the Soviet Union controlled the landlocked nation until the Soviets announced that they were leaving Mongolia in 1990. With the disappearance of the Soviets, economic problems and social confusion made life very difficult for this nation that once ruled Asia and much of Europe.  Problems were multiplied by an extremely high rate of alcoholism due to the ample vodka that was available under the Socialistic control of the Soviets. As a result of the addictions to alcohol, severe unemployment, and the resulting poverty, disfunction  resulted in children escaping to the streets and families, often fatherless, hanging on by a thread. But these are resilient people, toughened by centuries of hardship. When given opportunity to learn, to work and to improve their lives, they can excel beyond expectation.

Short-term Mission Trips  Travel Brochure for 2010 trip to  Mongolia   The short term missionaries that travelled to Mongolia in the summer of 2009 include (far left above) Tuvsho Tsoogie (our translator), Denice Lafferty, Heather Sarabie, and Patsy Schwanke. In the picture on the right are team leaders Marcy and Dan Hennenfent. In August, 2009, five short term missionaries ventured to Ulaan Baatar Mongolia for the purpose of encouraging missionaries, loving children and learning more about the CCWM mission field there. The trip included serving as “mothers” and “fathers” at the Star Camp for children that live in the government shelter. Star Camp included many activities for the kids including crafts, music, games and bathing stations. At the end of the week, tears were choked back and the question of “will you come again” rang in their ears on the two hour bus ride back to the capital city. Short term missionaries visited the Desert Rose Shelter for Children, a home for girls that have been living on, or under the streets of UlaanBaatar. Part of that ministry includes a remote site two hours from the city where girls are far removed from the temptations of the city and are in a location where good discipleship can continue. The team also spent time at the Community Center in the ger district. A simple building with three large rooms, a basketball / soccer court, and a number of shipping containers serves as the hub for that part of town. The emphasis is on educating the pre-school and kindergarten age children, tutoring the older children and providing adult education in practical ways including English lessons and gardening. We expect the Mongolia trip to occur annually in the July / August time frame. Contact the CCWM Director to learn about the upcoming trip. dan@ccwm.org We have included 5 videos taken at Star Camp. Just Click on the following links to watch: Mongolian Minute Talent Show Star Camp - Morning Assembly Morning Star Camp - Family Skits Mongolian Star Camp

Desert Rose Shelter for Girls

The Desert Rose Shelter For Girls was opened by CCWM Missionary Mary Patterson to serve the needs of some of the girls from among the thousands that seek shelter on the streets of Ulaan Baatar. Most are not orphans, but abuse, neglect and physical dangers leads many girls from their homes into the streets. Wintertime temperatures often exceed 30F below zero. Street refugees are forced to the tunnels where hot water pipes are buried to prevent freezing to death. The Desert Rose Shelter provides a clean, warm and safe place to escape the dangers of the street. Hot food for the body and the soul are available for all who enter Desert Rose. Mary Patterson has successfully raised up a staff of Christian Mongolian women to tend to the physical and spiritual needs of the girls.

Community Center

All smiles at the Community Center (Click on picture to view more photos.) The Community Center provides a place for families of the neighborhood to gather for events, education and fun. Educating children is a primary function of the Community Center with emphasis placed on pre-school and kindergarten classes to prepare the children for the rigors of public education.  Many children who fall behind by the third or fourth grade drop out for good, destined to live a life without formal education. The Community Center provides tutoring services to students of all ages, and also adult education in classes that are of practical value in their daily lives. By cooperating with Rinky Dink Travel, visitor from across the world are brought to this ger district twice a week to visit and to engage Mongolians in practicing their conversational English. The Community Center also serves as a place for sports, recreation, wedding receptions, and community fun.

Susan Griffeth

The following video of Susan Griffeth gives a good overview of life in the Ger District Susan Griffeth is a veteran missionary originally from Pecatonica Illinois. Susan first arrived in Mongolia in the late 1990’s for the purpose of teaching English. Over the course of a couple of years, she fell in love with the people and the country, and at the same time she saw the great need of the families. Alcohol and abuse had taken it’s toll and was causing much hardship and destruction among families that she has come to love. Over the years, Susan married her husband Batcha, who is a native of Mongolia. Together they have two beautiful children an a number of older foster children whom they have raised. Susan has done an outstanding job of training and engaging Mongolians to take key leadership positions in the various ministries that she is engaged in.  She oversees the Community Center, and along with Batcha she started Rinky Dink Travel Company. Rinky Dink Travel began as a way for her foster children to be employed by taking tourist into the country side and around the city to experience the authentic side of Mongolia. Guests often stayed in gers alongside families that we being helped by the Mongolian organization known as Flourishing Futures. Rinky Dink Travel has caught the imagination of the Lonely Planet Travel Guide, and now Rinky Dink fields calls and travelers from all corners of the world. Part of the commitment made by Rinky Dink guest is to donate at least part of a day to serve the people of the ger district. Susan also teaches mathematics at the very elite International School of UlaanBaatar. In addition to her teaching duties, she is in charge of the community service program for students. Through this, she is able to help open the eyes of affluent and influential children to the needs of the ger district.

Mary Patterson

How does a lady who is floor manager of a huge bridal shop in sunny San Diego end up serving the needs of girls who are outcasts from their own homes in the deathly sub zero climate of Ulaan Baatar Mongolia? Just ask Mary Patterson. In the late 1990’s Mary went to teach English for two summers. While she was there, her heart was captured by the people and the needs of this nation. With families living in stairwells and children living in tunnels that crisscross the downtown of the capital city, Mary heard the call to do something about their needs. Over the course of the years, Mary has assisted many children in finding safe refuge among families who provided safe and nurturing environments. More recently, Mary has devoted her energy to providing shelter, safety and an opportunity for discipleship through the Desert Rose Shelter for Girls. Located in a rented building, Desert Rose is operated on a day to day basis by a staff of highly skilled and dedicated Mongolian women who truly care for and love the girls. To help provide for their own support, the girls at the shelter create jewelry which is offered for sale as well as making tortillas for restaurants and other regular customers. When the weather allows, many of the girls are relocated to a site far from the temptations of the city for a time of discipleship and learning. There, the girls live in community, grow some of their own food, and are learning how to deal with the hurts and neglect that they have suffered throughout their lives. The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. They will be like a well-watered garden and will sorrow no more!

Troy & Shari Tvrdik What they did in their first year in Mongolia www.youtube.com/watch Hard to believe that just a few years ago we were an ordinary family living an ordinary life! Troy had his Construction Business. I was a busy soccer mom with four kids running in four different directions. We owned our beautiful home in a tiny Midwestern town, not perfect, but certainly living the American Dream. Inside our hearts, we had settled it. Long ago, both Troy and I felt called to the mission field, but that was when we were kids. Wrong decisions and sin had lead us so far away from that. We both had rebelled and walked away from “Gods Best” for our lives. We were married in 1992 and within a year welcomed our first son, Trevor, into our world. It was shortly after Trevor’s birth that Troy and I came back to Jesus and made a commitment to serve Him with all our hearts. That was 16 years ago. We realized at that time that we had missed out on God’s call for us. It was too late for Bible College, and now we had a little family. We felt the best thing to do was to build our lives, and give our best to God. So we chose our mission field to be right here in the USA. Each place we moved became our next mission. Our neighbors, kids down the street, and community. Our family grew!  We welcomed Sarah, Josiah and Elly. Our lives became full, and years passed as missions became a distant memory. In December 2006, Troy approached me with a ten year plan. Mongolia was not even a thought at that time. He was at a point in his business where he could see some growth about to happen. He asked me if it was ok to grow the business without getting rich! “I want to eventually be giving all this money into missions Shari…how do you feel about that?” I had to wrestle for a few minutes with the idea of letting go of the bigger house and the new car, but something felt so right in my heart that I just agreed to it and we prayed. It seemed that after this conversation God began to test our faith. He would ask us to do things that seemed strange, even ridiculous. One night, I felt the Lord speaking to my heart, telling me to put an ad in the local paper that Troy would give a discount to any single mothers or someone going through a hardship. I woke Troy up to tell him this and he said, “Shari…that’s absolutely nuts, just go back to sleep.” I really felt it was the Lord so I just asked God to reveal it to Troy if it was something HE wanted us to do. A few days later Troy told me he put the ad in the paper! We had never spoken together about it again, but in prayer the next day he too felt it was something we needed to do. Incidentally, we never received a single call about this ad, even though it ran for the next year. It was a test. We couldn’t see it then, but God was preparing us for the BIG one. It was Late August of 2007 that God spoke into Troy’s heart, “Sell your house and get ready to move to Mongolia.” As you can imagine, that is not something ANYONE is prepared to hear. Troy tested it questioning, “Lord, is that you?” However, after the last year of learning His voice, he was certain it was the voice of his Heavenly Father asking him to do this. He asked for confirmation in his heart. After three days of this continued thought, he prayed and accepted, “God I’m holding on to this, I hear you and I will obey, now…how to tell Shari?” I was away at a conference. Each time I went to the Lord in prayer He was speaking strongly to me, “Trust Troy”. I had no idea what this meant; yet each time I prayed it was stronger and stronger. When I returned home from the trip Troy asked, “Shari, has God been talking to you?” I said,“ Yes, but it’s not really any big deal, He just keeps telling me to ‘TRUST TROY’”.  Troy’s eyes were so serious, I knew he was about to tell me something big, but I had no idea HOW big. “I have something to tell you that is going to change our lives forever.”  I held my breath wondering, Then Troy said, “God is asking me to sell the house and get ready to move to Mongolia.” Words cannot describe all the emotion that fell at that moment. I felt like the rug had just been pulled out from under me. Yet, I knew it was a word from the Lord. I felt no doubt. After a long talk, and some prayer we went upstairs to Google Mongolia! I was not even certain where it was! Our only knowledge of Mongolia was from my mom, who had been praying for a missionary there named Susan. About three years ago, mom had watched a documentary on Mongolia’s children living underground in man-holes. They were freezing in the sub zero temps and in the most desperate state. Mom had become overwhelmed by this. Her burden for Mongolia’s Children increased and soon she was in contact with a missionary, Susan, who had been in Mongolia for almost ten years. That night, we realized moms burden, her prayers, were all a part of what God was about to do in our lives. God’s confirmations began to come quickly. Our pastor, Barry Caudle, prayed with us right away and gave us a “Go!” He said, “I will be by your side all the way, right up until you guys get on that plane and fly over there!” We had looked up information on Susan and were directed to her Mission Board Cup of Cold Water Ministries. We sent off an email asking the director, Dan Hennenfent, “What’s happening in Mongolia? “ We were even so bold as to tell him, “God is calling us there and we have a LOT of questions.” We wanted to contact Susan. Dan told us, “Susan is originally from Illinois and she is home right now on furlough, would you like to meet her?” Two days later she was at our kitchen table eating dinner with us, praying with us, answering questions and confirming that she needed help. We were concerned that we had no background in Bible Training. We had both given the last few years to serving in our Home Church, Harvest Chapel, but neither of us had any formal training. We felt like fish out of water, we didn’t even know what a mission board was, but we knew we needed one. God really took over at this point in our lives. It felt we were on auto pilot and He was at the controls. He opened doors for us, shut doors for us, moved us where He wanted and made it all run so smoothly we could take NO credit for anything. Our house sold. We gave away almost everything, packed up what was left and shut the door on what was. A new life had begun. Cup of Cold Water Ministries became our mission board and before we knew it our little family of six began a year long journey of public speaking and fundraising. We were so far out of our league that it was laughable at times, yet GOD provided the courage, the determination and the power we needed to fulfill his command. On January 8th, 2009 we loaded up the van with twelve pieces of luggage, and our family. Dan and Pastor Barry were In the car behind us. As we pulled out of the drive we saw the little street lined with friends from church holding up signs and cheering us on as we made the biggest leap of faith of our lives! Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Today we are serving as Missionaries to Mongolia. Our lives resemble NOTHING of the life we were living just a few short years ago. We live amongst the poorest of the poor in Mongolia. Our hearts are full, and satisfied. We KNOW this is where God wants us to be. Nothing is impossible with Him, and its NEVER too late! Sheri Tvrdik maintains a blog on their ministry in Mongolia. To view their blog simply click on this link.