Both the Dentists we invited arrived this week.  They brought with them 3 suit cases of donated dental supplies ($3,500.00 worth).  Four months ago when we started this it seemed impossible.  Little miracles kept happening and now it is a reality.  The Governor of Choibalsan met us and treated all of us to a wonderful dinner and the next morning we found out he had also paid for our motel room.  After we met with the Hospital Administration they were so excited with the dental supplies and the dentist's knowledge and abilities that they changed what they were going to have the dentists do.  They were going to teach hygiene in the schools (15,000 students) and provide free dental service to the poor and needy children.  They are still going to do that but they are also going to provide training for the 9 dentists in the Province that serve 70,000 people. As you can see we are in way over our heads but we just keep going and heaven keeps helping us and miracles keep happening one after another.

Some of you know one of the dentists, Clyde Larsen, from Price.  He was in the college stake presidency with President Harrison.  Sally and Andy probably remember him.  Clyde will be in Choibalsan for 6 weeks.  It will cost these dentists $3-5,000 each to come and do humanitarian service.  We are amazed at the many generous people we have met.  People really can be amazing and do a tremendous amount of good which is very humbling to see and be a part of.

Pictures

--We visited this Chinggis Khan Statue--it's famous here and HUGE!

--Our friend, Nara, invited us to her geir for a BD dinner--her's and mine. This cake says Maynes:)

--then we had FHE with her, and her niece and nephews

--horses...uh, excuse me:)

--Fall is here!

Zuunkhaara

We took the train to Zuunkhaara to check on a well building DIC is building.  On the way we saw something that amazed us.  The grassy countryside almost looks like a huge golf course because so many flocks and herds keep the grass trimmed back. Because there is a fence along the railroad right of way, to keep the animals off the tracks, the grass grows taller -2 feet.  Farmers, by hand, are cutting this grass and raking it into piles. They then load it on trucks with pitch forks.  We saw these huge loads of grass on trucks.  The load is so big it almost buries the truck.  They take 16 foot long boards and put them cross-ways on the truck bed so that it makes the bed 16 feet wide and 20 feet long.  They then throw the grass up to someone on the pile who tramps it in place.  The pile looks to be 10 feet tall.  It is huge!  This is something out of American history, which I imagine Grandpa Maynes and Daw and Christensen did to harvest hay in the early 1900's.  It was an amazing sight.

We also had a closing ceremony at the Chingeltei Handicapped Association. They were so.........o grateful and appreciative.  We purchased sewing machines and sewing supplies for them: also origami supplies.  They've trained about 150 handicapped people, so that they can find employment with new skills. The things they are making are beautiful:  Slippers, wall hangings, shoes, pillow cases, cards, small stuffed animals, scarfs, etc.  They made all the prizes for the Mongolian Paralympics.  We are attaching pictures.  The embroidering, all done by machines, was amazing and beautiful.

 

 

FAT

This week we went to Choibalsan, which is on the Eastern edge of Mongolia.  We conducted 3 closing ceremonies for our water stations (pictures attached).  We had the following in attendance:  People from the Province Governor's Office, the Choibalsan City Mayor's office, the building inspectors, the city engineers, the contractor, the Branch President, the Relief Society President, and about 100 people that will use the water station to obtain their water.  They were very appreciative.  It makes you feel like you are doing some good.  

School will start this next week and our young volunteer teachers (missionaries) will be using the new digital lessons which some of our missionaries created this summer. 

We are doing good.  We get plenty of meat and some vegetables when we eat out. We try to eat lots of fruits and vegetables when we cook/eat at home. So we are getting fat! Can you imagine Laurie and Alan obese?  

Oh, and we went to a Mongolian musical performance Saturday and saw a contortionist, a really good orchestra, dancing and singing!  

Love, Alan & Laurie