Pictures 4/29/06


Below you can see additional pictures that I could not include in the Prayer Update e-mails.

 

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Tim teaching at the Mongolian International University where we have

classes twice a week for the freshmen, sophomore, and seniors.

 

 

The workers from the Batbaigal bakery listen attentively to the Thursday

morning character training.

 

 

The most important part of the work is not the trainings and translation

projects, but that we are personally growing in our walk with the Lord.

 

 

Some of our family poses in traditional dress.

 

 

Some favorite memories of growing up in the Waller family are the times

when Dad measures everyone to see how much we have grown.

 

 

Getting out the tape measure to see how much we grew.

 

 

Creatively decorating cookies is another enjoyable special occasion.

 

 

Got milk? While visiting a Mongolian family, we watched this little

Mongolia drink yogurt from a bowl.

 

 

Having our whole family in Mongolia adds a whole new dimension to

our visits with Mongolian friends.

 

 

One of the highlights of Derrick's time in Mongolia was to go out to the

countryside for a week with Dorjoo, one of our Mongolian staff. Derrick

and Dorjoo helped a missionary family with several projects, including

building a tool chest.

 

 

Here is a closer view of the tool chest. There was a place for every tool,

and the closed case could be turned in any direction without disturbing

the contents.

 

 

Sarah has also enjoyed teaching at some of our character trainings.

Here she teaches on the quality of obedience at the Songinkharkain

district World Vision training.

 

 

Barely visible behind a pile of gifts, Matthew finally reached his long

anticipated eighth birthday.

 

 

Our staff gathered for a picture just before Matthew began opening his gifts.

 

 

A few weeks ago we had a special reunion with the two Korean doctors

that became so dear to our family in the events of Isaac's Home-going.

 

On the right is Dr. Choi who answered our call at 5:30 AM and assisted

with Isaac's blood tests, and arrangements for the flight to Korea. On the

left is Dr. Chin Pak, who met my parents in the ambulance when they arrived

in Korea, and stayed with them day and night. God used these two men

to show us an unforgettable demonstration of Christ's love in our time of need.

 

 

In early April we held a Basic Seminar in English and Russian with over

fifty Mongolians attending.

 

 

In preparation for the seminar, the copier vendor brought his machines to

our office so that we could finish making the English/Mongolian seminar

workbooks. Rachelle managed the project, making about 14,000 photocopies.

 

 

Derrick led the Children's Institute team, assisted by Erin, Cindy and a

wonderful team of Mongolian young people from church.

 

 

A few weeks ago we visited a daughter church of the Holy Way church

that we usually attend. This church meets in a large ger. (This is the

same ger that I helped construct two years ago.)

 

 

David tries his hand at the Morin-khuur, a traditional Mongolian

instrument.

 

 

Our family poses with Pujaa and Erdenee. A former translator for high

government officials in Mongolia, Pujaa is currently working to translate

the Basic Seminar transcript into the Mongolian language.

 

 

Mom, Dad and I on my twenty-sixth birthday. It was a little different this

year, without Isaac, but the team found many ways to make it special.

 

 

Derrick visited Dorjoo's family one afternoon. Dorjoo's mother (far left)

came to Christ after attending Isaac's funeral.

 

 

Some of you may have prayed for Altanhoig, a young man I mentioned in

an update some time ago. He wrote us a very special letter from the

countryside where he is teaching character and establishing a church.

 

 

This visiting boy enjoyed playing a game with David.

 

 

At my Mom's suggestion, Matthew and I took one day to do a wood

project together.

 

 

From going to the market to buy the wood, to screwing in the final screws,

Matthew loved every minute of it. We built a small cabinet with a hinged

mirror on the front.

 

 

Dad opened his birthday present a few days later.

 

 

This is the front gate of our apartment where we so often flag down a

taxi on the way to our character trainings.

 

 

Matthew shows us the latest creative project of the smaller Wallers.

This was scale model of a chicken house that they would like to build

when we return to the farm.

 

 

Even Matthew gets to help with some of our trainings. Here David

tells the story of how the Monarch Butterfly demonstrates patience

while Matthew "hangs in there" waiting for the cue to become

a butterfly.

 

 

Matthew stretches his "wings" in a similar story for our Saturday

Character-English class.

 

 

Last Friday our whole family visited the MIU classes where some of our

staff teach three classes twice each week. Dad shared about how we try

to build character as a family, and then all the children sang the

"Gratefulness song".

 

 

This hand-selected group of leaders from six churches in Erdenet took

part in a two-day training, equipping them to teach character in the

public high schools, as well as their own churches.

 

 

Erdenet is a smaller mining town an overnight train ride from Ulaanbaatar.

 

 

Here Derrick teaches on the character quality of attentiveness to a group

of World Vision staff in Erdenet.

 

 

 

 

A nearby military museum gave our family an interesting outing one

Saturday morning.

 

 

We enjoyed getting a closer look at some of the old tanks outside.

 

 

Early in April, our family took time to visit Isaac's grave site. What a

blessing to know that we will see our brother again!

 

 

We were not the only ones to experience grief recently. Here Mom and

Dad pause at the grave of a well known Korean pastor who died unexpectedly

while visiting North Korea a few weeks ago. The exact cause of his death

remains uncertain.

 

 

A time to remember. Isaac's life and testimony live on in our hearts,

inspiring us to live for what matters in eternity.

 

 

With just our family, and a dear couple that drove us to the site, we were

able to take some time together as a family.

 

 

Last Sunday many shared testimonies of the impact that Pastor Enkhee

and his wife Sodnom have had in their lives. This was the last Sunday

before Enkhee and Sodnom left for Hawaii.

 

 

When we arrived at the Batbaigal bakery on Monday morning, the workers

inside were lining the hall, waiting to greet us.

 

 

We learned later, (with a twinge of regret) that their workers had come

in to work on the weekend so that they could take the whole day to be

with our family.

 

 

Bat and Baigalmaa had their whole family there to meet us.

 

 

The bakery is famous for their decorated cakes. Here one of the workers

shows us how they prepare the cake for decorating.

 

 

We spent a long time in the decorating room, watching the beautiful work.

 

 

This lady has trained many of their workers in the fine art of cake

decorating.

 

 

Baigalmaa and the other workers even gave our family special lessons

on making various types of flowers.

 

 

It was fascinating to watch them work.

 

 

Sarah tries here hand at a flower.

 

 

Can you recognize the animal?

 

 

They even let us help with real cakes that they would sell.

 

 

The creativity and skill of their workers was amazing.

 

 

Are you getting hungry yet?

 

 

Even the younger Wallers got to try their hand at decorating.

 

 

...with some coaching from their workers.

 

 

It is a lot harder than it looks...

 

 

...as Matthew would tell you.

 

 

After the tour, they brought us down to a special room where they had

prepared a beautiful meal.

 

 

Samples of many of their cakes and other dainties were arranged on the

table for us.

 

 

The younger ones pose for a picture together.

 

 

I so appreciate the heart of Bat and Baigalmaa as they lead the Batbaigal

bakery company. Rather than trying to increase profitability, they have

chosen to invest in the lives of their workers.

 

 

At the conclusion of our visit, Bat and Baigalmaa presented Mom and Dad

with two copper bowls of milk, a very appropriate traditional Mongolian gift.

 

 

Again lining up inside the door, the workers thanked us as we left.

 

 

The Batbaigal bakery is an example of the fruit that is coming forth from

just one life that was reached for Christ through a character training two

years ago. I believe that God will do great things through their company

in the months and years to come.

 

 

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