Restarting Basketball Training

Right now kids are still not allowed to congregate.

So we're focusing on preparing coaches...

Been a long 3 months so we're getting back in shape. 

National Day of Prayer in America

No matter what your politics, a pandemic is a good time to pray to God in unity for healing.  

So many great prayers were offered for the world and country across denominations and faiths.

I especially recommend to you the two-song ensemble at the end of the prayer service.  

You can hear these songs and prayers for the pandemic by clicking here.

"Blessed  is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!"

Psalm 33:12

Quarantine Lock Down Loosens

Churches and schools are still closed, but gyms are open again!  Looking at the calendar, the last day we were able to train in the gym was February 4th.  

In late April, Mongolia canceled school until September.  I was thinking we might get into gyms in June or July if we're lucky.  Imagine my surprise when on May 1st we heard gyms were open again.  We walked in our rented gym and saw a pick-up basketball game going!  It had been a long hiatus.  

We met with the managers and agreed to reactivate our use of the gym as of May 5th.  That is almost exactly 3 months of the whole country being shut out of indoor basketball.  Can you believe it?

It caught us a little off guard, and everyone else as well.  So it was only three coaches at training.  It's still not allowed for kids to gather or be seen in public. So we have more time to prepare for when kids can start to gather, probably closer to September 1st, when school starts.  

Here we are after training for 2 hours on Thursday.  

Happy Birthday Renee!

We celebrated Renee's birthday at home last night.

Clara helped make her rhubarb pie.

Josiah made this cross out of clothes pins.

We played karaoke,

and ate pie!

She opened presents...

and cards...

We love you!

Washington State Quarantine Scene

This may not seem like a Mongolia post, but when you're stuck in a locked down country during a world wide Pandemic, and your loved one is in a Seattle area nursing home (the epicenter and hotbeds of the US outbreak of COVID-19) things can seem pretty bleak.  

Brothers Jon (and family) and Jake visit a month or so after moving Dad into a smaller facility with only 8 residents.  His previous facility had more than a hundred, and a few weeks ago had 39 cases of COVID.  So far no sickness reported here.  

We're all pretty grateful.  I think Dad is too!  God bless the USA with recovery and Jeremy's brothers for their care.  A blessing of big families is we can stand in for each other in caring for the old folks. He keeps asking when we're going to visit him.  "It's going to be a while", especially since Mongolia just extended their international flight ban through May 31st!

Here is another COVID Quarantine scene.  The kids' cousins visit their grandma outside her home in Ellensburg.  Kittitas county has had less than 20 infections and no deaths so far.  Praise the Lord!

More Quarantine Scenes

But first some humor...

Josiah learned about humming birds in school this week, and decided to make one out of legos.

Maggie makes pizza for her dorm in Germany.

Dying Easter Eggs...

And again with her dorm family and friends on an outing to an orchard.

Quarantine Ulaanbikers

Saturday was a great day for a bike ride

So Aibo and I met in the city, and headed out of town.  He is a professional basketball player.

 Here we are at our southern most point, over the tracks to China.

Aibo also coaches basketball for God.  Anyone else see the humor of my T-shirt slogan?

Basketball has indeed stopped officially, though we did see some guys playing on a play ground. Even though basketball is stopped, so far biking has not.  

Like water under the bridge, here's hoping 'this too shall pass'.

Happy Easter at Home!

Renee projects the hymnal onto the TV for us, so we can sing along as Ruth plays.

Remembering the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus.

 At home this year....

During the Pandemic, Easter was actually closer to home for us!  Even though we're all under quarantine, we were able to connect with family in via video from 5 different cities in two states.  

The internet also allowed us to connect by phone with Grandpa via phone, and see these pictures of his retirement home.  

Though this amazing technology, we were able to be 'together apart' to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus by catching up with loved ones.  'His love endures forever.' Happy Easter!

And finally, we connected with our girls under dorm quarantine in Germany for the whole of Spring Break.  Can you imagine what a two-hour long distance call would have cost even twenty years ago?  How much better to see and hear and even sing together!  We even prayed The Lord's Prayer aloud  together on behalf of those afraid and affected by the Pandemic.  We are very grateful all our loved ones are with us and well.  Give thanks to the Lord!

Psalm 136

1Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
2Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
3Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

4to him who alone does great wonders,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
5to him who by understanding made the heavens,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
6to him who spread out the earth above the waters,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
7to him who made the great lights,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
8the sun to rule over the day,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
9the moon and stars to rule over the night,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

10to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
11and brought Israel out from among them,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
12with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
13to him who divided the Red Sea in two,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
14and made Israel pass through the midst of it,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
15but overthrew^a Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
16to him who led his people through the wilderness,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

17to him who struck down great kings,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
18and killed mighty kings,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
19Sihon, king of the Amorites,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
20and Og, king of Bashan,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
21and gave their land as a heritage,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
22a heritage to Israel his servant,
for his steadfast love endures forever.

23It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
24and rescued us from our foes,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
25he who gives food to all flesh,
for his steadfast love endures forever.

26Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his steadfast love endures forever.

Girls Make Mongolian Tsuivan in Germany

Here's Maggie, Lydia and Johanna in their dorm's kitchen in Germany.

They were one of two groups to take the challenge to make an ethnic dish from their homeland for their dorm sisters.  

Tsuivan is a stir fry made with home-made noodles rolled out like pie dough as thin as a tortilla, then toasted lightly, and cut into strips.  After the meat and vegetables are stir fried, the noodles are added on top and sort of steamed and mixed to take on the flavor of the meat and veggies. Add soy sauce or ketchup (and some Mongolians add vegetable oil!) for flavor or moisture.  

Goodbye to Miss K

After about 20 years, on and off, serving the Lord in Mongolia, our kids' teacher Karen is returning to America to serve with the Alliance in another role at the National Office.

What a blessing to our kids and team she has been.  

Blessings Karen!

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.