Sedores in Mongolia
Update: 11 June 2009
8+ months in Mongolia, 14 weeks in US
This then is how you should pray: 'Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.' Matthew 6:9-11.In NT Wright's book, "Surprised by Hope" he says, "That remains one of the most powerful and revolutionary sentences we can ever say...Jesus' resurrection is the beginning of God's new project not to snatch people away from earth to heaven but to colonize earth with the life of heaven."
One year ago today, we left for Mongolia, not expecting to return for several years. Now we have been back in the US for 14 weeks and we are waiting for our working visas before we can return to Mongolia. So much has happened.
Yesterday I was listening to a recording we made while in Mongolia last July. Our Mongolian friend, Boloroo, was telling us that she believed we would tell many people in the US about what God has done in our lives, both spiritually and physically. God would be glorified through our testimony. At that time, we assumed she was talking about how Liz's leukemia has been in remission and we assumed Liz would tell that story three or four years from now when we first returned to the US.
Instead, Boloroo's prophesy has come true this year. In the three months we have been in the US, we have told thousands of people about our time in Mongolia, our surprise return to the US, Jim's prostrate cancer diagnosis and successful treatment and our mother's care (more later).
In February, while at a missionary conference in Thailand, Gary Walter, president of the Evangelical Church, was in a small prayer group with Liz. Liz explained that we were unsure about returning to the US so much earlier than planned. President Walter confirmed that we should return and said, "God is up to something."
Now we are ready to return to Mongolia. But this year our arrival in Mongolia will be much different. We have a little Mongolian language skill. (Hopefully we have not forgotten most of it.) We have friends and colleagues who helped up find medical labs and whole wheat flour. We know where to find milk, peanut butter (sometimes) and root beer. We know the difference between Russian vinegar (70%) and US vinegar (5%). We have a church fellowship, a JCS small group and a community of teachers and friends at our language school. We have an apartment that is owned by an American missionary so we can communicate with him about problems (no heat in the kitchen).
But most of all, we have another year of memories of God's love. He has gently led us to do the next thing, whether that was leaving our daughter at the airport in June of 2008 or returning to visit her in February of 2009, years ahead of "our plan." While I had no awareness of my prostrate cancer, God directed a "series of fortunate events" which lead to curing my life-threatening disease. (For more details, see our blog at http://www.LJMonGO.blogspot.com. God has provided wonderful Mongolia language teachers and tutors, and Mongolian and expatriate partners in "colonizing" Mongolia for the kingdom of God.
When we return, Liz will continue full time Mongolian language study and part time work with "Streams in the Desert," a ministry to Mongolian prostitutes and part time work training church leaders in Celebrate Recovery for Mongolians addicted to alcohol. Jim will continue Mongolian language study part time and will begin a new position with Joint Christian Services International as the New Venues and Strategies Director.
Answers to Prayer:
- A wonderful conference in February meeting other Asian Covenant Missionaries
- An inspiring mission conference at Central United Protestant Church in Richland, WA with more than 100 members committing to greater work in missions
- Liz's leukemia is still in remission
- A surprise diagnosis of Jim's prostrate cancer, four days before we were scheduled to return to Mongolia. One church friend "just happened to be" a prostrate cancer research surgeon. He did the surgery robotically while his wife hosted us in their home in Virginia for 12 days. Follow-up blood tests indicated that Jim is prostrate cancer-free!
- Jim's brother Dan found a new home he could manage independently and Jim's mother moved into a retirement the same weekend, while we were there.
- Liz's sister a new full time caregiver for their mother. Her wonderful past caregiver is moving away by the end of June
- Working visas to be granted & delivered to us soon. New visas are required because we begin full time work.
- Plane tickets. (It is tourist season. Current ticket costs are 1 round trip for $4000.)
- Extra baggage details. (Thanks for the fabric and bead donations for Liz's ministries.)
- Health as we transition back to the high desert of Mongolia.
- Wisdom for Jim as he begins the new position.
- Language recall & learning.
Check out our blog at http://www.LJMonGO.blogspot.com for new photos and updates.
Blessed by Him & you. Jim & Liz Sedore LizardGym@gmail.com
| In the US: Sedores 6833 Foster SW Olympia, WA 98512-7118 |
In Mongolia: JCS International Attn Sedores PO Box 189 Ulaanbaatar 210351 Mongolia |