WHEC staff Our church’s missionaries to Mongolia, Mr. and Mrs. S, are currently with us in the States. Although they are unable to re-enter Mongolia due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis, they are actively ministering to their church plant online. Here’s their most recent prayer update – please read and join us in prayer:
Mongolia started the lockdown against the virus at the end of January. At the end of February, they extended the lockdown of all university campuses until March 30th. Because of this many students went back home to the countryside and we were not able to do much ministry at that time. Therefore in consultation with our ministry director, we decided to take our furlough to the US and Australia at the beginning of March instead of in July. Mongolia has closed off all international flights into the country until at least the 31st of May and they have also decided to close all schools until the 1st of September.
During these times of change and uncertainty, our family was truly challenged to hope in Christ and not in our circumstances, especially as we don’t know when we can go back to our home and ministry in Mongolia. Psalm 13 has been particularly encouraging to help us cry out honestly to God to ask “How long O Lord?” but also to remember to trust in the goodness and unfailing love of God, knowing that His plans and timing are sovereign and perfect.
Please pray Mongolia will open up its borders after the 31st of May and we will be able to go back to Mongolia. The first problem is that, as a non-US citizen, Mrs. S is here on a 90 day tourist visa which will expire on the 1st of June. Second is that we need to renew our Mongolian visas before the 1st of July, which will be logistically difficult trying to do it from America.
Third is that we usually need to apply for a special extension to stay in Mongolia during July and August, however it will be extra difficult to get this extension because all schools and training centers are shut down, so we don’t have an excuse to stay in Mongolia during the summer months.
Fourth, Mrs. S just heard from her university director that their school will be closing down for at least a few years because of financial difficulties, which means Mrs. S needs to find a new school that will provide her a visa. We hope to apply for a “spousal” visa for Mrs. S through Mr. S’s school.
In summary, please pray that we will be able to get back to Mongolia by early June, that Mrs. S can be issued a “spousal” visa, and that we will be approved for a visa waiver to stay in Mongolia during July and August. Please also pray that we would have peace as we entrust ourselves and our future to our Sovereign Lord.
Please pray for our Mongolian church brothers and sisters. Some of our brothers and sisters left for the countryside after their exams finished in late December, so they have been out of face to face fellowship for almost 5 months! Please pray that they will stand firm during this time of difficult and testing and not lose hope. We are thankful that our Servants Team have started many good initiatives to reach out and build fellowship online, especially to the brothers and sisters in the countryside. Please pray that together as a team, they will able to carry each other’s burdens in ministering to our church community.
We have been trying to keep in touch with the Mongolian church by Facebook and starting live stream church activities via Zoom meetings. Please pray for wisdom as we continue our normal ministry activities (University Bible Club, Girls/Boys Bible Study, Sunday church services, Servants Team meetings) all online!
Please especially pray for our Special Spring Training (SST), where we have set up a 30 day schedule studying the attributes of God, one attribute a week. They have split up into 4 groups where they are daily sharing what they learned from each day’s study. That’s been really encouraging as they have been able to spur each other on in their own devotions and also fellowship with each other without us being there. Please continue to pray that this will bear much fruit as they delve deeper into the character of God and continue to spur on their spiritual growth.