Spring Flowers, Bass and Snow Showers

Clara picked these flowers this weekend. 

And landed this bass out of the pond here.

Made this bouquet.  

It started snowing all over Ohio and the midwest April 20th. 

This is what it looked like on the morning of the 21st. 

It was nice to pull our shiny new used van out of the garage.  The heater works well. 

Two Mongolians Die After Vaccination

One of them was a middle aged military career man who was a distant cousin of our Mongolia Basketball Academy Director Mandax’s wife  This lockdown has 1 week to go, but families are cooped up in apartments, and infection rates are 250 per million people, which led Asian countries according this this chart sourced from Johns Hopkins.

This is the article from a Mongolian news site on the two deaths, which link is below.  Both men were in their 40s.

"Mongolia started its vaccination rollout against coronavirus on 23 February. Around 600,000 people...

 https://news.mn/en/795661/

Lydia and Johanna's Spring COVID "Staycation"

Sadly Lydia's senior trip to Rome had to be canceled.  

But is that shaved ice, or gelato? 

And here she is with her senior classmates touring in nearby German villages.

And with Johanna at a forest ropes course.

And again touring countryside close to their home town.

And enjoying some kitchen cooking and eating with their dorm sisters.

Even in a pandemic's resulting realities, there are always things to be thankful for. 

Down on the Farm

Josiah tries some time behind the wheel in this farm scene.

Sunrise in from the porch in Ohio, God's gift of a new day.

Josiah fished this goose egg out of the pond. Looks like no goslings this spring.

So far it hasn't started to stink or been swiped by any varmints.  

Speaking about Mongolia Again

We enjoyed speaking about Mongolia on Palm Sunday with Kingsway Alliance in Akron.

You can barely see Josiah joining his mom up front as she shares about Mongolia.  He spoke a little too.

And here's Renee at her Alma Mater Chapel Hill Christian School speaking to the kids...

and a couple teachers who taught her when she was a student, still faithfully serving.

We are so grateful Josiah has been able to remain learning here, in-person all year!

God bless teachers, especially at Christian Schools.  

Gobi Desert Drought Relief

Mongolian Alliance Church Pastors and President Luke traveled to towns in the Gobi desert to distribute 17 tons of hay and 11 tons of wheat bi-product feed.  Last summer's rains never came, and this winter's weather was brutal.  Herds were dying of starvation and cold.  Many families relocated hundreds of miles to try to find feed for the winter.  Our local pastor's network is grateful for the partnership of CAMA Services and the Alliance World Fellowship of about 50 countries for providing funding for this relief.  

When herdsman families lose their herds, there is usually no alternative but move to squatting settlements that surround the capitol, Ulaanbaatar.  Country people adapting to city culture is very tough.  Our hope is that a few families will be saved this catastrophic culture shock.  

Instead we hope some will discover the grace of Jesus Christ, resulting in finding a new life that endures for eternity, even when our own bodies tire, expire, and return to earth.  May their spirits discover the One that rose from death on Easter, and still proves to be "the firstborn of many brothers" Jesus. 

 To God be the glory.