Pandemic Quarantine Orders Tighten in Germany

You may have seen this statue of Brazil's Christ the Redeemer covered in flags of the nations affected by the Corona Virus Pandemic.  Both Mongolia and Germany are among those affected.

But Germany is quite a lot worse than Mongolia now.  

This picture was taken a while ago, before more strict orders of separation were issued.  Only 60% of  the girls' the dorm sisters remain in Germany, since many left town earlier this month.  

This picture was also taken a while before Quarantine regulations mandated no more than 2 people meeting or walking together in public.  The local neighbors don't understand that these girls are affectively all members of one family living under one roof.  

Maggie and Johanna said they took a 10 km bike ride this weekend, just the two of them, because that's all that's allowed outside together in public.  

Thank God everyone is healthy and happy, even though because of travel bans, we won't get to see them during their spring break this year. 

Mongolian Alliance Churches Worship Online

Many of our Mongolian brothers and sisters are more savvy online than us.

These pastors collaborated to make this online service from 3 far flung locations...

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Darhan, Mongolia

Arkhangai, Mongolia

It's amazing that a tool that was created for war purposes (the internet) by the world's most powerful military, is being used in a pandemic for commerce, communication, and church, even at the ends of the Earth!

Church from Home Via Web

Well, I guess it's official now, the whole world is finding out that church can happen remotely.

Our church's last services were held in late January.  But we have been able gather a few families in our living room to sing the hymns almost every week since.  Conversations around the book of John or other portions of scripture have followed and kept us encouraged and full of faith when things look bleak.  But this week one of us had a little sore throat, and let the other families know.  So it was just the Bergevins in our living room at 11 am Sunday morning.

So we decided to watch our church's service from Ellensburg, WA.  Mercer Creek was on week 1 of doing church remotely.  The kids and all of us really enjoyed participating with our American church for the past two years.  So we thought we'd share that with you if you're interested.  The singing is great, with at least one new song we hadn't heard.  The sermon is on Jesus feeding the 5,000 and the Bread of Life.  Just click on this link if you want to join us at our local Alliance Virtual Church!

Pretty Good Perspective on Virus Crisis in Mongolia

This article from Forbes commends Mongolia for the early closing of its borders resulting in only 4 cases in the country so far. It is written by a reporter who lives here, but left earlier in March.  It seems she would like to return but can't.  

New Dorm Sister Ceremony

The girls got new dorm sisters at their boarding school last month.  Maggie helps 'decorate' the new arrival with hand imprints into royal dorm sisterhood.

Looks like to show solidarity with the new recruits several others got decorated.  

Johanna with Gabby and the girls.   

And here is Johanna, Lydia and Maggie being served food at school by dorm staff.  

First Case of Corona Virus Found in Mongolia

Here is Renee on our date Saturday at a restaurant called Soup Bar, run by a French guy.  

Check out that ladle holder!  

Tuesday morning our phones started ringing from our Mongolian colleagues telling us the first case of Corona was discovered to be brought into the country from Moscow by a French National.

In times like these fear creeps in so quickly.  We both admitted we had already separately wondered whether the owner of this restaurant could have been the culprit, or unfortunate patient zero.

So if that's how our mind works, what do you think people think when they see us?  Even with my obligatory mask on today were people thinking of me:  "Is that the French guy?"  I think I caught an old lady shaking her head at me when she walked by. 

So our Mongolian trusted colleagues were calling to offer to bring us anything if we need it, and encouraging us to stay out of stores and public places for a while.  

Quarantine measures are being stepped up.  They canceled public transportation and are asking people who can, not to come to work.  So we're planning on laying low for several days now.

Josiah and I still went out for him to play in the snow, and nobody bothered us.  By the way, the patient zero in Mongolia turned our to be a miner, not a restauranteur.  

The only thing we have to fear is..... Never mind, keep the faith!

Woman's Day Gathering

Have you heard of International Women's Day?  It's a big hit in Mongolia, and lots of other countries like Korea.  Russia celebrates it and we think brought it here.  This year I learned it was started in America in the early 1900s by the Socialist Political Party of the time.  

It's not surprising perhaps countries like Mongolia celebrate it.  After all some of the biggest hits on the radio can be ballads of love of a man for his mother.  So the holiday has kind of become the Mongolian Mother's Day.  Well, we've been here long enough to celebrate it with gusto now.  Here's a couple pictures of our Sunday gathering.  

Most of our songs were sung to God using the good old Hymnal though:

Clara and Josiah join in the singing, as we read the words from my phone photo of the hymnal page.

 Renee and the ladies brought a pot-luck lunch which was great. 

(going out to eat is not an option with kids during the quarantine)

And Renee made "Texas Sheet Cake" for the birthday of her friend from Texas.

Happy Women's Day!

Outdoor Quarantine Activity

Clara and her friend on the sledding slopes.

And here she is on the downhill slope, with the city behind her.

While schools and churches are closed, we figured meeting with friends out in the great outdoors, would be low risk.  It was a great fun time.  We celebrated with Roundtable Pizza for dinner at home.

Remaining Calm

If you're from Seattle, you may recall the motto of the famous Ivar's Seafood Restaurants: "Keep Clam" Of course, that was a pun on the phrase "Keep Calm", similar to the safety tip for boating.

We were alway taught if you fall into Puget Sound and the shock of the 40 degree water hits you, the first step is "Remain Calm", or as my loving lifeguard mother put it: "Don't Panic!"

Likewise if a viral pandemic breaks out, we need to follow a similar pattern, not on moral grounds, but on health grounds.  Having trouble keeping calm? Here's a helpful word from a scientific source:  Regaining Your Calm

Having trouble keeping calm? People of faith can exercise calm when reasons to fear materialize.  Scriptures such as this one from Ephesians can help us keep the shield of faith protecting us when fear rears its head:

"Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

BFA High School Retreat

Maggie, Lydia, and Johanna to spend the weekend in Freiburg with their whole high school!

Maggie is the central pillar in this pyramid of princesses.  

And three sisters found a sunny spot to record the memory.