Getting to know my town.

This last week has been a blast. It started with me getting some weekend rest and washing my clothes with my Mongolian mother on Sunday in preparation for the week. I had a really cool experience on Sunday. I went up the hill in the back of my house and looked down over the town. This is where I had my devotional time. I played the guitar, read scripture and prayed giving God my best praise. Each night this week held something different, something good. Actually, I found out that my host mom would like me to be in the house by 9P.M. At least that’s what I thought I heard....there is still a big language barrier but I'm starting to understand. I have a curfew.... (Humbling aye)
Learning how to start a fire thing has been an experience fun and awkward at times. The other night I got one started but it was not blazing until I fell asleep. It was the wind blowing through the exhaust hole that probably caused it to burn so big. In my Mongolian mom's cabin she can keep a fire burning for hours smokeless and warm. I have been spending a lot of time with my host family, I think its most appropriate and helps for learning the Mongolian language met my Host mom's daughter in-law who quickly told me that she was a Christian and that there was a small church ran by Koreans in the town saw the lil cross on the building and thought nothing of it. How awesome is that? She also told me that her English teachers was a missionary who started that church and live in Mongolia for 12 years and 9years somewhere else and is now serving in the Philippines. I thought to myself this and man and his wife are awesome examples and missionaries...
Mongolian language classes are fun. We spend 4 hours each day in class. However, it is not as brutal as it may sound. We do many different activities and games. Although, the youngest person in the training group is 22 we all act like 12 years in most cases when it comes to the fun learning activities. Our Mongolian Teachers Adiya and Baggii are great and simply good teachers. They rarely use English in the class... Well.... really.... they don't know much English. However, they do well with use 12 American students. Yesterday (6-17-2010) I was feeling so sick from the second round of vaccinations. Today I feel better and plan to hike with some of my fellow trainees.
Random …. Last night I was out past curfew, which did not seem to matter. I arrived home at about 10pm. I initially was going to cut my oldest nephews' hair. But the American clippers were going crazy being hooked into the Mongolian power, even with the converter plug thingy, it did not work! After trying different methods I gave up and was sucked right into a late night home improvement project in my mother cabin. I and my oldest nephew and a younger nephew put a wall paper (or something like it). This project took us 1 hour in a half. I was so exhausted by the time we were finished, it had been such a long day. I went to my cabin and realized I had to use the outhouse (LOL) and quickly ran back out only to stand in awe of what I had not notice a few minutes earlier. I marveled! It was like I was able to see every single star in the sky... I never say anything like it … I cannot wait until the day me and some of my fellow trainees go camping. I will be able to sleep under this awesomeness.... Until Next time Peace AND LOVE

Clifton A. Hurt