Un viaje en tren interesante y un individuo en riesgo

Para mi equipo de trabajo este representa el final de la semana 3 de ministerio en Mongolia , pero para es mi semana 1. Y asi contaremos.

La semana pasada termine mi historia antes de mi viaje en tren. Es importante entender que el tren de 12 horas que tome, implico dormir en un cuarto de aproximadamente 2 mts x 2 mts, con 4 "camas" o literas y compartiendo en la litera inferior con la misionera que me acompanaba en este "interesante" trayecto y dos desconocidos: una senora de aproximadamente 70 anios y un senor tal vez rondando los 40 que ocupaba toda la anchura y longitud de su camarote y un poco mas.
Todos nos preparamos para dormir y alrededor de las 3 AM senti la necesidad de ir al bano. Al regresar a la habitacion y tratar de treparme al camarote superior senti un brazo fuerte que me "asistio" de un tiron a subir a mi cama, desde el otro lado.

Trate de darle las gracias al individuo y volver a dormir. Sin embargo, a partir de ahi senti una presencia misteriosa. Al tornarme al otro lado pude ver como mi companero de viaje extendia su brazo para alcanzarme como si tratara de abrazar a un peluche (yo), a traves de espacio abierto que nos separaba entre las dos literas. Obviamente entre intercediendo y como buena dominicana defensiva nada mas pensaba "hay si me topa te corto la mano! hum!".

Despues de dos o tres horas de vigilia, alrededor de las 6 AM pude conciliar el sueno y confiar que Dios me protegeria (y al individuo) hasta llegar a Erdenet a las 8:00 AM.

Finalmente me reuni con mi equipo y tengo en mi coleccion de anecdotas una interesante anecdota mas.

Interesting Arrival, God encounter. Hungry Hearts.

I finally made it to Mongolia. Your prayers have been answered and God's purpose is being fulfilled. You can check previous posts from before.

So I will describe a little bit of my travelling to get here. As most of you might know my missions base is in Taipei, Taiwan. I live in Danshui and my journey started Tuesday morning after monday afternoon finally getting my renewed ARC (Alien Resident Certificate) that will allow me to keep serving in Taiwan for at least another year.

So monday morning my ministry leader picked me up at 5:00 AM. Our ride to the airport is usually 40-4 min. However the road was very misty and foggy and one could barely see ahead. So, I had a feeling that if that did not clear off by 8:00 AM the time when my flight was suppose to depart, I was going to lose my connecting flight in Korea to Ulaanbaatar, capital city of Mongolia. And so happened.

I got to Incheon Airport, run through check points and the had to change me to another flight because I lost my connection. So 4 hours later I was in UB (Ulaanbaatar) but no luggage.

But I was rejoicing. My contact and close beautiful Mongolian friends Bogi, came to pick me up at the Airport.

So Bogi and I did catch up while we sat in UB traffic for almost two hours before getting to Papa Cafe, where her friend who was going to take me to a their friends house where would be staying there by myself for the night. Avery cozy couch and quiet apartment was waiting for me.

At 6:00 AM I woke up to a kitchen window view with a frozen fresh snowed UB.After thanking God for that day and for finally getting me safely here I started praying and getting ready for a very hectic day ahead of us, before catching a 12 hour overnight train to my ministry destination at Erdenet city, the second most important city in Mongolia.

And the story continues but you will have to read more tomorrow with some pictures because is 10:47 pm and my housemates need to go to bed. And so do I after travelling almost 24 hours!

Missions, connection and providence: REVIVE OUR HEARTS!

This week I wrote of my rebellious episode due my "delay" in my long time planned outreach in Mongolia. For more details you can check previous posts.

And as the Lord is unchanging, faithful, merciful and abounding in steadfast love, one  purpose in His overall plan started to unfold.

This weekend my beloved local church International Baptist Church (La IBI) in Dominican Republic and a group of sister churches are hosting the event Revive Our Hearts with Nancy Leigh DeMoss as main speaker. And it is streamed live online, so I get to participate.

I remember when a small group of us were planning to go to the first conference back in 2008. Shortly before the event I had to cancel my assistance but a group of more than 100 women ended up going that first year. Little imagined or knew my beloved accountability, counselor, adoptive mom (she is too young!) and friend Laura imagined that God was just starting something that three and a little more years later would be happening in my beloved Dominican Republic.

This weekend more than 3,000 women are meeting, praying , worshiping and seeking God to revive their hearts. And here is where the connection starts: Our hearts.

I needed this time more than ever. Many people think of us missionaries as super-extraterrestrial christians. But we grow weary. We lose focus. We sin. We are human. Crossing geographical barriers doesn't change the sinful nature, the heart or flesh, however you want to call it. Only Jesus redeems us. Only through the process of sanctification, daily closeness to the Father makes us closer to that. To his image but very far of being perfect and irreproachable. Only when we find ourselves glorified, face to face to Him, in awe, we will be the finished product.

In the meanwhile this "deviation" in my planned schedule has given me the opportunity to be connected with the beloved sisters in the DR. Through phone calls. Through prayer and intersession. Even small long  distance service opportunities. But most important, God has brought me to a place of stillness, not anymore in the kitchen but at His feet.

Although I am still serving here in Taiwan and hopefully next week I will finally get to Mongolia, right now I am ready for Him and together and connected to my sisters, I want , desire for Him to also Revive my Heart! Our hearts! And He will!

I waited patiently for the LORD; 
   he inclined to me and heard my cry. 
He drew me up from the pit of destruction, 
   out of the miry bog, 
and set my feet upon a rock, 
   making my steps secure. 
He put a new song in my mouth, 
   a song of praise to our God. 
Many will see and fear, 
   and put their trust in the LORD
Psalm 40:1-3 (ESV)

The Waiting

I don't even know ho to start. This is my confession. I agree with the Bible: I have an ugly heart. This is my most recent discovery.

As foolish as it may sound, such a "discovery" it isn't only we are face to face to our giants and as I like to call it "little monsters" when our nature is revealed.

View of Ulaanbatar Airport on January 28th, 2012.
By Mila Guio