Choibolson

This Monday through Wednesday, November 25-27, 2014 we spent some time in Choibolsan, Mongolia.  Choibalsan is on the far east side of Mongolia.  The surrounding countryside is flat and wind blown. There was no snow when we were there, but the wind was really blowing which made it feel really cold.  However, it was nice to see some sky and breath air that was not full of smoke.

 Flat and wind blown.

 The Church of Jesus Chris of Latter-day Saints meeting house in Choibalson.

Our Hotel was just across the street and down a little from here. 

The Hotel is in the background. of this next picture.
You can tell that our translator Muugii and I were feeling the cold. 

 Sunset in Choibalsan

The reason that we traveled to Choibalsan was that a final payment was due on a water dump station that Deseret International Charities contracted to have built.  Nobody from Deseret had actually seen it and verified that it was working.  So before we made the final payment we felt that we should see it.

The water dump station was a different design than they build in UB with a flat roof.  The workmanship looked okay, but they had a hole in the wall where the pipe is suppose to be for the water truck to dump the water into the tank that is in the building.  Apparently, they had taken the connecting pipe out because they were afraid of people contaminating the water.  They were going to get something welded on to the end of the pipe, some kind of shutting locking cap.  I don't know why they had to take the pipe out to get it welded. Maybe because of the cold?  They promised to have it fixed and are suppose to email us photos.  

 While we were there we met with Altansuvd who was the representative of the government for the building of this Water Dump Station.  She is a member of the church.  We also met with some other government officials and the Governor of the First Bag , which is the location of the Water Station.  They all expressed their gratitude to Deseret for the Water Station.  The water station is well used.  It goes through 2 truckloads of water a day.

Also while we were there, they wanted to show us some more possible projects for Deseret International Charities to consider.  

We saw a building that the government had put a roof on and supplied heat to for 12 homeless families.  Each family pays 1500₮/per month (about $1)  to live there.  No water, there is an outhouse. The inside had different rooms where each family stayed.  Some were larger than others.  All of the rooms were in a very rundown condition, You could see and smell the mold.  Some of the families were trying to make it better by plastering the walls.  I count my blessings everyday for the bounties I have.  I have a warm and clean apartment, hot running water, my health and knowledge of who I am and who my Savior is.

This grandma lives in this small room with 5 grandchildren that she is taking care of.

Some of the other projects we were shown included a shelter for abused women and children.  They had the building built for it but did not have any furnishings for it such as beds, kitchen utensils etc.  I thought I had pictures, but I can't find them.  The idea of a women's and children's shelter is a new concept in Mongolia.  Alcoholism is a major problem in Mongolia and when a husband comes home and beats his wife and kids, most of the time there is nowhere to go.  This shelter is a place where they can stay for up to 3 days.  It is located in a ger district next to a training center.  In this training center they counsel abused women and children.  The goal is to get them back together as a family.  They know that probably who needs counseling the most are the men.  In Choibalsan the unemployment rate is still high.  When the Russians were here Choibalsan had a lot of factories going and work for the men.  Now most of the factories are closed with not a lot of jobs available.  So the women get some kind of job and the men stay home and get drunk.

We also saw a nursing home for the elderly.  Muugii our translator was sad when she saw it.  She said Mongolians know that their responsibility is to take care of their old parents and their children.  I have observed that also.  Family is important to them.  They are very good parents and in return the children take care of their parents when they get older.  But it was explained to us that these people had no family to take care of them, and had no place else to go.  No pictures here either because they asked us not to take pictures. 

We were suppose to leave Wednesday morning at 9:40 am. We got a taxi at 8 am at the Hotel and were dropped off at the airport.  We stand in line to check in, with our printed out itineraries that the airline printed for us and then were told that this is the wrong flight. The flight that is leaving, is for China not for UB.  Our flight was not going to leave until 2:40 pm. We were kind of put out.  They could have called us.  We were not the only ones who were not informed of the change of plans.  We tried to call and complain but no one would answer their phone lines.  So if you ever fly Hunnu Air call before you go to the airport. (I had tried to look on line before we came but they do not have online information about the status of their flights)  Never mind, that probably wouldn't work because they don't answer their phone.  Apparently this has happened to other Missionary Couples as well.  

We decided to just stay put, read the Book of Mormon and do some work on the computer. Here are pictures of the airport.

 Choibalsan Airport

 This site use to be an old Russian military airport so there are old aircraft bunkers all around the airport

 The plane was there for a long time.  It just wasn't leaving for a long time either.

 Our cute translator Muugii.  We don't know what we would do without her.  She puts up with a lot from us and is so kind and always thinking of others. Here she is pointing to the plane and saying "I want to get on!"

 At least the airport had WI FI that was a great blessing

Elder Nay reading his Book of Mormon

We arrived at the UB airport about 4:30 pm. and did not arrive back in office until 6:00 pm.

But we made it back safe and sound and we are grateful for that.

Another tip.  When you call and arrange for a taxi, ask if the taxi actually works!

Scripture for the week:Alma 34:38  ...and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

A delightful experience in Darkhan

On Saturday, November 23, 2013, We had the opportunity to travel up to Darkhan and to attend the turnover ceremony for Sun Child Orphanage.  It took us 3.5 hours going up and close to 5 hours coming home because of icy roads. However, this turnover ceremony was worth the long drive.  We went up with Elder and Sister England, (In his former life he was an adoption attorney for the LDS Social Services and both he and his wife have a special place in their hearts for children and especially orphans). Elder Farmer and our translator Muugii. We meet with Elder and Sister Fredley up in Darkhan.  They teach English at this orphanage and were instrumental in getting this project going and completed.

 One of four buildings.  I love how they have painted all of the buildings both inside and out to be so cheerful.

They do their own painting.

 They made their own cement blocks (staff and children) and put up their own wall.  The children did the painting

 Elder and Sister England, Elder and Sister Nay and Elder Fredley

Us, The Director, a cute kid and Elder and Sister Fredley

Deseret International Charities partnered with them in supplying some very needed kitchen equipment and cleaning equipment.  This orphanage is home to 40 children (20 girls and 20 boys).  We were impressed with how happy the children are, how hard they work and how well trained they are in the arts.  The director of this school learned when she first started that it was easier to have the children doing something than to be bored and getting into trouble.  She provides different kind of art training to meet the needs of the individual children.  Some are trained in the visual arts of drawing, painting, crafts or sewing.  Some are trained as singers, dancers or musicians.  The children also take care of the cleaning and cooking at this facility.  They have a large greenhouse where each child is assigned a plot of ground and they get to choose what to plant and to take care of it.  The director said that she wanted three things for each child:

1. To get an education both in school and the arts
2. To become productive citizens in Mongolia.  Ones who are self-sufficient and know how to work.
3. To become loving mothers and fathers in their own families someday.

 Cute Girls!

Doing her chores. 

 Elder England making friends.

 Best friends

 Finished cleaning the kitchen

Sweeping the snow. (You hardly ever see anyone shovel the snow.  The snow is so dry here they just sweep it.

The orphanage gave us a tour again of the facility.  The real treat however was a performance by the children.  Every year 20 of the children get to go to Japan and put on performances.  Last year they were able to perform at Tokyo Disneyland.  They are sponsored by some people in Japan to put on these performances and that is how they earn money to run their orphanage.  They also earn money by selling the children's art work, baked goods and garden produce.  They are truly trying to be self-sufficient.  They just needed a little help from DIC when their refrigerator, cooking pot and clothes washer are broke down at the same time.

 Throat singing.  It is a Mongolian art and very hard to explain the sounds they can get out of their throat.

 These two children were amazing contortionists.  It hurts my back just watching them.

Playing the Morin Khuur (The horse head fiddle)  It is so fun and to hear this instrument.  It only has 2 strings and they place their fingers under the strings on the neck of the instrument, beside the strings and on the strings to get all sorts of beautiful sounds.

Scripture for the week:  Doctrine and Covenants 136:28 If thou art merry, praise the Lord with singing, with music, with dancing, and with a prayer of praise and thanksgiving.

At last, a successful project!

Yeah!  We had a turnover ceremony for the Life Skills center on Monday, November 18, 2014

Deseret International Charities supplied 10 new sewing machines and a couple of pieces of cooking equipment.  This NGO provides vocational training free of charge to youth who live in the Ger districts of Ulaanbaatar that are poor or may be behind in school.  Once you are behind in School, you are not allowed back in unless you can prove you are up to grade level.  Anyway, this School believes in training the students in skills so they can become self-sufficient.  They also train them in life skills of cleanliness, hard work and good nutrition.

 Ribbon cutting with Us and the Director of Life Skills Center

All of the students are dressed neatly and are taught to take pride in their appearance.

The Director showing off the sewing machines and Deseret Stickers.

They had their cooking students prepare for us a wonderful meal.  It was presented 

very professionally, and beautifully and tasted great as well. We were very pleased

and very impressed with this school.

This young man sang for us.  He is a member of the Church attending this school

and is training to become a chef. He also sang beautifully.  

This is a meat slicer DIC purchased for their use in their cooking program

This is the group that attended the turnover ceremony. Starting at the left is

Ouyana, She is a member of the Church and a member of Parliament. Elder Nay, Sister Nay,

The Bishop of the Unur Ward, Sister England, Elder England, The Director,Staff and teachers.

It was good to have the Bishop there  whose ward is in the area of this Life Skills Training Center.  The Director and The Bishop were able to meet together and they were thinking of doing a joint service project of some kind for Christmas.  We hope that will happen.  It is good to get church members

involved in giving service and helping others and it is good for the students of this NGO to give service as well.

Some other good news is that finally we were able to get the vision contract signed.  A good step that took a long time.  The vision project this year provides Retrinal surgery pacts that they use in eye surgery. $50,000 worth.  Last year DIC paid for the training of the only Retinal Surgery Surgeon in Mongolia. The government hospital is getting there own equipment the beginning of next year which will be great.

 Signing at Hospital Three

Signing with Bolor Meii