LIFE 2022 Youth Conference Letter from Johanna and Clara

April 2022

Dear Alliance:

 

Greetings from Clara and Johanna Bergevin. We have both recently been invited and have decided to attend the Alliance Youth conference, LIFE 2022.  We are blessed to be able to go to this conference from July 4-10 in Orlando, Florida, with a group of Alliance kids from my school, Black Forest Academy, in Germany where I (Johanna) currently go to school.

 

I (Johanna) have heard so many things about LIFE as I have watched my sisters attend both in 2016 and 2019. Which is why I am looking forward to getting the chance to go and listen to amazing speakers, grow in my faith, and have lots of fun! I am especially excited to come together with around five thousand other teens from the Alliance Family to encounter God in new ways and prepare for the next step He has for me in life.

 

I (Clara) have also learned so many things about LIFE and how it has changed both of my older sisters, Lydia and Maggie’s lives. I am very curious and excited to see what LIFE will bring as my family and I start to plan. Along with this, I am very excited to learn new things about the gospel and become closer with God. I am also eager to experience this with a whole group of teenagers from the Alliance Family and Black Forest Academy. I know that God has a wonderful plan for me and the amazing things that I will experience during LIFE 2022, and hope that you can support me through this journey.

 

Our group has estimated the cost to be around $650 plus transportation to Orlando. Which means the total cost would be about $1700 altogether.  Would you consider supporting us as we attend LIFE 2022 and dig deeper into God’s plan for our futures? 

Sincerely, 

Johanna and Clara Bergevin

There is a specific account set up for students who are attending LIFE.  Please send your gift to our LIFE 2022 Support account by clicking cmalliance.org and typing in the following:

1-47200-45-49-06001 Black Forest Academy LIFE Group

Family Hike on a Nice Sunday

So here's the view from our apartment on this beautiful Thursday evening, yesterday.  

When you look at surrounding mountains long enough, inspiration sometimes strikes like it did Sunday when we struck out to tackle them.  

Heading up steep ridges...

Resting and fueling up...

Celebrating at the summit...

Just before starting down through this forest, we saw a white tail deer!

Sometimes going down is longer or harder than the climb.

We made it home and to church on time...

Here's Renee making an announcement about MOPS, Mothers of Preschoolers.

Mongolia Intern Ministry

In addition to making much needed improvements to our basketball academy website IMBA.MN Mathias has been busy teaching English, and helping train Mongolians in Alpha.  Here he is presenting his Akron University Computer Science Senior Project at the KAMA Center.

And presenting an orientation to church leaders on how to run Alpha outreach to share our faith.

 

...answering questions with translation help from Sunny.

At breakfast with pastors Scott and Eric from PA, who came to run our Prayer Retreat.

...getting around the city (mostly on foot) and now on bicycle.

And playing games with our kids like Guestures and Monopoly. 

...and with the team at Prayer Retreat. 

Prayer Retreat Resumes After 2 Year Hiatus

We went out to a hotel for a couple nights at a place called "Hole in the Mountain"

There are rocks and mountain goats on one side.

And a forest of trees on the other side of the valley.

You can see the capital city faintly in the distance.

We had retiring leaders and pastors from the USA join us for Finnish BBQ beef, pork, chicken, sausage and tongue!

And three of us made it up through the trees to the peak, where we could see the other valley of Chingissing Hurray!

Clara and Josiah spent left early after breakfast for their drive into town for school.

Prayer and feasting was enjoyed by all.

Ukraine Invasion Exhibition

Ambassadors from the USA, EU, Canada and World Bank spoke at an event observing the carnage of Russia's invasion of Ukraine this week.

Here is the American Ambassador to Mongolia speaking at a Mongolian owned hotel conference room.

Pictures of atrocities were posted by the Ukrainian community in Mongolia.

Our church member Natalia, a member of our worship team, played her violin during the solemn event.

Our team members and Pastor Rich and Melody invited us to support her and the cause of justice.

American School of Ulaanbaatar Open House

It was such a nice day, ASU "Open House" was held mostly in the open air last Saturday.  

Clara and Josiah particulate in the games.

Including this toilet-paper-roll toss.

The kids had lots of other fun with there with there friends as well.

Giving the parents time to climb that monument to get some perspective on ASU.

Happy Mothers Day!

Renee was sick on her birthday, a couple days before Mother's Day.

Here she is with her box of tissues as well as gift bags.

She got to choose her cake but not her candles. She felt well enough to blow them out!

Sunday morning Josiah went out to find his mom some flowers...

Here he is examining his wallet to research his funds ;D

She was honored on with more (cup)cake for Mother's Day at church.

Then out for dinner with our friends Steve and (fellow mom) Mary Lynn, who just returned to Mongolia.

Mathias Learning Mongolian!

Even though he's only here about 40 days, Mathias is spending 2 hours/week learning this language with a professional Mongolian teacher.

Here he is at the MAC Sports office practicing and doing homework with IMBA Coach Tuvden.

"When you're laughing, you're learning" 

He also got to get out into nature last Sunday after Mongolian church.

This ger camp is called Chingissing Hurray, which means 'city or camp of Ghenghis'

Above is a statue of the Khan himself, which highlights his shaman side.

And here is one giant Mongolian Ger (pronounced gear) they have out there.