News from Mongolia

October 15, 2008

Bill Crossman

Dear Brethren,

Another visit to Mongolia and another successful adventure in the service of our King! This year I was able to make the trip with some experience behind me. It helped! Please keep in mind that this is still a new gospel outreach and there’s a lot of work to do. This includes time to cultivate contacts and form friendships. I am confident in the work we’ve done and significant progress has been made for the cause of Christ.

Preparation for this trip began long before the Boeing 737 backed out of its docks at MCI on the morning of August 10. Mentally, I was already in Mongolia -- sorting out my agenda and rehearsing what little Mongolian I know. I reviewed previous encounters and friends of last year’s visit. I was looking forward to renewing these ties and to deepen former relationships. The agenda this year was to capitalize on what has been done; to build upon what can yet be done. I had experienced some hesitation at the news of a riot in Ulaam Baatar in July, but decided it made my trip more imperative.

Many thanks to brother Perry Taylor and the Coverdale Church of Christ in Florence, AL. Perry has been a significant focal point of various email contacts with brethren across the country. I was able to call on him for information and encouragement. He was always ready to help in every way. The Church had purchased a computer to be set up in the Credit Union office of for persons engaged in Bible study via World English Language (WEI) on the web.

I also received a number of e-mails in response to an article written by brother Erik Tryggestad and published in the May 2008, issue of The Christian Chronicle.

Thanks to Bob and Jan Towell of World English Institute, Round Rock, TX, for supplying some sixteen names of potential contacts in Mongolia. My first step was to e-mail each of them. Two had no e-mail address; three were returned as addresses no longer valid; three were in a province beyond my reach. The contacts successfully made were rewarding. The WEI teaches English via the Internet using the Bible and has students over the globe. The Towells had asked me to place an ad offering free English language lessons via the Web. With the help of my interpreters at the ZuunMod College, I was able to place the ad in Mongolian and in English in the

Өäðèéí Ìýäýý

(Daily News) newspaper.

During this trip I discovered five small churches in ZuunMod who regard themselves as Christian. I did not know this during my first trip. Two of these churches are Korean. The remaining three are Mongol. As in the USA, there are those who take upon themselves the guise of Christianity to form their own group. Hence, five groups in ZuunMod, a town of 18,000 people.

In the course of teaching the gospel, I distributed forty-eight English New Testaments. Many of these were given to my students at the college. So, in teaching conversational English at the college I have used the Bible as a text for reading and pronunciation exercises. As an example, the Sermon on the Mount lent itself well in introducing an unbeliever to the simplicity that is in Christ Jesus.

A primary objective in this trip was twenty, fifteen minute, Bible lessons to be recorded and later broadcast over a TV station in Ulaam Baatar. I am pleased to say that, with the help of my lovely host, Shagdar Battsetseg, the lessons were professionally recorded and delivered to the Eagle Broadcasting Station. We did the recording in a small restaurant in downtown Ulaam Baatar. Battsetseg has volunteered to translate the lessons into the Mongol language. I’m happy to say that this has been successful!

Upon arriving in Mongolia I had to contend with jetlag. There’s an eleven-hour difference between the city of ZuunMod, Mongolia, and Leavenworth, Kansas. So, nigtht became day and day became night and it took a good five days to adjust. A problematic situation was the “down-time” which is the long hours when I find myself alone. Generally, I used this time in reading and studying the Bible and preparing class material for the English class each day. Yet I was not without visitors now and again.

Here are a few emails from some of the Mongolian friends and students.

From Bayantur Purevdorj, “Dear Bill! How are you? Sorry I lose your number, can you call I will tell you where is our church building.” Bayantur is a young man teaching and preaching for a group by the name of International Church of Christ. He was explaining that they are Church of Christ and they worship without instrumental music, teach a good Bible sermon and proper prayer. Unfortunately, they do not have communion on the first day of each week. As he explained, “We have a lot of visitors on Sundays and it is not right for non-members to take the communion. So we have our communion on Wednesday evening with the offering because only members come to that service.” When I asked where they learned such a practice, he explained that some “brethren” came up from China and told them it was all right. I took this opportunity to rehearse a good number of scriptures regarding the first day of the week and that the projected reason for the Saints coming together each first day of the week was to participate in the commun-ion. It is important, I added, that we follow the pattern given in the New Testament.

From Tsoogii Sangaa, “Hello dear William Crossman, Thanks for the nice photo of you and your family. Next time I’ll send you my family photo. Yes, I want to improve my English. How will you help my English? When you come to visit I want to have you in my home for dinner. I will cook for you.”

From Sendenpurev Batbold, “Dear Bill, How are you? It was really good to meet you last autumn. You have encouraged us. I still remember that I am student of Him. It is cold in Mongolia now. This week we are going to celebrate Mongolian Thagaan sar which is big holiday of Mongolia. Many times I have had a questions when I read the Word. Then I always remember you. I hope to hear from you.” Sende has been one of my closest friends in Mongolia. He volunteers to be my driver and interpreter for many trips to Ulaam Baatar. He has shown himself to be more than a willing student of the Bible.

I took these photos from my hotel window. We had had some heavy rain and the sky was shrouded in deep and dark overcast. Yet the light of the sun that was able to penetrate those clouds filled the entire sky with the joy of the Lord. Brilliance it was! That night I reread the story of Noah and gave special attention to Genesis 8:20-22. That the Lord affirms His covenant in a land that knows Him not is testimony of His long suffering for mankind!

I end this summery report with great hope and expectations for Mongolia.

To each of you I want to express my gratitude for the prayers and financial support for my latest trip to Mongolia. Your generosity has been very encouraging. You may be confident that your support has been well used.

In the service of our King,
William Crossman