Friday, March 3rd, 2006
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Dear Family and Friends,

So much has happened in the past week, it feels like we came back from China a month ago! Thank you for praying for our family as we traveled down to China to help with the first two Character Family Seminars to be held in Mainland China.

For the past several years, the Character First! team in China has been working with a handful of businesses and corporations to implement principles of good character in the workplace. Rather than starting off in as many companies as they could, Peter and the team wisely choose to work with a smaller number of businesses, but with a greater degree of involvement in each one.

Touring a couple of these companies, I was impressed with first-hand reports of the difference that the character focus has made in the workplace. One company had gone from many work-related accidents requiring compensation to twenty-four months without a single accident. Another told us that after implementing Character First!, they saw such a change in their company that the leadership in their United States office also decided to adopt the program.

Traveling from Ulaanbaatar to Shanghai, I remember walking out to our vehicle thinking, “It is amazing to be in China -without feeling any jet lag!” Traveling from America to meet us in Shanghai, Mr. Fahrenbruck didn’t get this advantage, but he still did a great job of leading the main sessions for the Family Seminars.

Meeting in Peter’s home on one of the first days, we had the opportunity to spend some time with the Character First! China staff. There is not much that I want to say here, but they really have a special team! After some fellowship time and introductions, we talked over the logistics and details of the Character Family Seminar. After doing so many things in Mongolia with little or no preparation, I had a real appreciation for the planning that Peter and the others had put into the seminars.

My brother David led the Children’s Seminar, assisted by the rest of my siblings, while I shared some sessions for the teenagers. A number of local families also joined Peter and the Character First! team, so overall, we had about 20 staff to help as nearly a hundred families came to attend the Shanghai seminar.

Understanding that our life will often communicate a far greater message than anything we say, I decided to use a lot of personal illustrations as I taught the teenager sessions on the topics of praising family members for character, and making appeals. The Lord answered prayer in giving the students a real interest as I shared about Isaac’s life and example, my own experiences of standing alone at my first job, and other personal examples.

Visiting the parent’s session, I watched as after learning how to praise for character, husbands and wives praised one another for demonstrations of specific character qualities. I felt tears welling up in my eyes as I watched a wife, perhaps for the first time, praising her husband for the character that she had observed in his life. Although I could not understand the Chinese, the joy on her face as she looked up to her husband with tears running down her cheeks was a picture that I will not soon forget.

Towards the end of the seminar, my Dad was invited to speak for a few minutes on how we have worked to build character as a family. Although our family of eleven was in some ways a contrast to the one child policy in China, the simple truths that my Dad shared seemed to resonate in the hearts of the parents.

After my Dad finished sharing, he asked if I could come up and share a few words. With a joy and boldness that only the Lord can give, I shared about the importance of the choices we had made as a family. We still have many things to learn, but as I look back on the life of my twin brother Isaac, I know that the choices to build character as a family are choices that we will never regret.

After the session a couple guys came up and started talking with Dad and I. They said that they really appreciated what we had shared, and after some more conversation we learned that they were also Christians. Although we had been very careful not to use religious terms, they had sensed a deeper message in our lives, and wanted to know more about what we were doing in China and Mongolia.

We saw God’s hand working in so many details of our trip. One example was in the teenager session that we did in Beijing. Of the 15 or so students that came that morning, a few of them did not know English, so they were grateful for Jenny’s translation. In the afternoon session, however, all of the students understood my English. Without needing time for translation, I was able to share in much more detail the material that I was covering.

What none of us realized was that a couple hours later, Jenny would be needed to translate for the final sessions of the seminar. Looking back, we could not have planned it better. I was able to cover much more material with the teenagers, and Jenny was able to have a little rest so that she could be ready for the additional translation work.

In between the planning and seminars, Peter had arranged for our family to do some sight-seeing in Shanghai and Beijing. This was our first opportunity to spend a little time in China, and I found things to be such a contrast to Mongolia. A city with a population of three million, -the entire population of Mongolia, wouldn’t even show up on most maps of China!

Visiting a Carrefour store, it felt like we were walking through a four story Wal-Mart! I could hardly believe the vast array of things for sale. The food section alone was bigger than most grocery stores. You could buy live frogs, turtles and eels, and just about anything else you could ever want.

I remember watching a lady walking through one of the isles, placing various household items in her cart. I wonder how many people go through life, buying all the material possessions that they could ever want, but lacking in the basics of family relationships. Material possessions often portray a mirage of happiness, but behind this illusion lies the wreckage of millions of lives, destroyed by the love of money.

There is a true joy that can only come from right relationships. First, a right relationship to God through Jesus Christ, and then having strong relationships with our family, and those around us. All of our things are just going to burn up one day, but the ways that our life has touched others can bring fruit that is eternal.

Right now I believe that Mongolia is in a very important stage. A time when individuals and families are making the choice to pursue the things of this world, or to embrace the ideals of character. Enjoying new freedoms, people are faced with new choices. Do I spend my money on drink, or to buy food for my family. Do I study for my exams, or watch movies with my friends?

I believe that God is doing some special things in Mongolia, and I believe that the Character Training Institute has been a little part of this plan in turning people to righteousness. All around us we see an increasing interest in character training. When we got back from China, Tim told us that while we were away, more requests continued to come in almost daily for us to do character trainings for schools, businesses and organizations.

We have arranged our schedules to try to help with as many things as we can, but we still cannot keep up with the requests. On Tuesday a journalist came, asking if we could do a one hour interview with Channel 5, one of the most popular channels here. She was a former coworker with Khishgee, who works for WindFM, where we do a weekly call-in character program.

I normally do not jump to volunteer for these kinds of things  🙂 , but when God clearly brings an opportunity to make His ways known, may I not shrink back from proclaiming His truth to the nations. In myself I have nothing to offer, but in His Word, God has given us timeless principles and truths that bring joy and peace to those that follow His ways. It is God that has made us able ministers, and it is His grace that empowers us.

At church we are also seeing great things taking place. Last Sunday our pastor introduced the district leaders, mostly young men under thirty, but with a dedication to God that puts to shame most of our American youth groups. We also heard testimonies from several that publicly asked forgiveness for offending others, and another lady shared an incredible testimony of God’s provision for a financial need as she took steps to apply God’s ways to her life.

We continue to hear exciting reports from the weekly cell group meetings, as the Mongolians learn and apply Biblical principles in finance and other areas of life. Our friend Ganbaa was going to share a testimony about clearing his conscience and asking forgiveness for stealing, but there were so many other testimonies that he didn’t get the chance.

Back on the home front, Ganbaa, the crippled boy that we took in after finding him shivering in our stairwell with frozen ears when it was predicted that night to reach a temperature of -50F. Now rooming with one of our Mongolian staff, Ganbaa is taking great strides in Spiritual growth and character development.

Amidst the amazing advances that we are seeing around us, we also see very real challenges that remind us of our daily need for God’s grace. You might remember the Morely family, a missionary family that runs an orphanage on the outskirts of the city. (Derrick brought a western saddle from America for them when we returned to Mongolia in January.) They were recently facing some difficulties with the local authorities in getting their new building inspected, but never anticipated the fiery trial that they would face a few days later.

On Sunday morning Tim and Angie received a call from the Morelys and we learned that on Saturday night their house had caught fire. The guard was awakened by neighbors at midnight, and called for help from the fire department. Arriving in record time, the firemen worked with the badly leaking hoses in -22F weather to battle the fire that was blazing through the roof.

Mr. Morely and others worked to drag furniture and personal items from the fire, using all the available fire extinguishers in an attempt to slow the fire’s advance as the truck drove back to the city to refill the water tank. Five hours later the fire was finally out, but the entire roof and part of the house was destroyed. The weary firemen were covered with ice from the leaking hoses, and had to drag start the fire truck before they left.

On Sunday afternoon we bought some food and drove out to visit the Morelys. As we looked over the charred remains of the fire, something caught my eye. There on the top of a pile of rubble and burned books, I could still see the large words on the title of a songbook “Great is Thy Faithfulness”. What a neat picture of the hope and confidence that we have as Christians! Even when we are staring at the charred ashes of our circumstances, we have the confidence in the promises and faithfulness of God in working all things together for good.

As the Mongolian guard told us a little later, the important thing is that no one was hurt. A house can be rebuilt. I was very encouraged to see the faith of the Morelys as they trust God through this situation. It was not that long ago that Mr. Morely was standing by my side in the death of my twin brother. What a wonderful picture of the love of God’s people as we hold up each other’s arms, and encourage each other to an ever deepening trust in our Faithful God.

Praise Points:

• Thank you so much for your prayers for our family while we were in China! We had a very full, but very special time with the Character First! China team. A good friend of ours traveled several hours to meet us in Shanghai, and we had many other special visits with like-minded people in China.
• My parents were able to take a few days away last weekend for Mom’s birthday. It was a blessing for them to have some time to catch up on rest, and to have a little break from the responsibilities here.
• Last Saturday we started our Character English Classes with the largest ever number of paid registrations. Nearly ninety students came to the first class as we taught on the character quality of patience. We are grateful for the generosity of the Mongolian International University staff in allowing us to use their facility. (Using their school classrooms and auditorium allows us to expand beyond the 20 person limit in our classroom.)
• A specific answer to prayer from my last update is that we were able to locate a programmable phone for our new phone system. We found a good used one, which was far less expensive than a new unit.

Prayer Requests:

• This week we began a weekly training schedule with the Batbaigal bakery staff. Baigalmaa came to know Christ a couple years ago after a character training, and her husband Bat has also recently believed. I am really excited about the potential of working with their company in the weeks to come. Pray that the Lord would use the character trainings to make a real difference in the lives of their workers.
• Yesterday Erin, Cindy and I went to the Channel 5 TV studio to tape a one hour program that is scheduled to be aired this Sunday. I was able to share about Isaac’s life and example of character. Pray that the Lord would give wisdom to the engineers as they put together the program, and that it would touch the hearts of many people.
• On Monday of next week we have the early registration deadline for the English and Russian Basic Seminar planned for early April. Pray that many English and Russian speaking Christians would be able to come and hear practical truths from the Word of God.
• We are very grateful for the phone system that the Lord provided through some friends in Minnesota. A few days ago we were able to the phone lines connected into our phone system. The good news is that it is now in operation, but the bad news is that in the initial setup, some unforeseen power loading issues with the battery backup may have caused some internal damage to the unit. Pray that the Lord would give wisdom in getting this repaired next week.
• Please pray for continued grace and strength for the Morely family after the fire. They have been a testimony of God’s grace through this time, but I know that there are many decisions that have to be made and projects that will require extra time and resources.

Pictures:

Our staff gathered in front of the school where we held the very

first Character Family Seminar in China.

In between the preparation and seminars, we were able to do some

sight-seeing in Shanghai and Beijing. This picture was taken at the

“Summer Palace” in Beijing.

On our final day, we spent the afternoon at the Great Wall.

You can see several more pictures on our website at the link below.

The Morely’s house on the day after the fire.

This is the sight that touched my heart as we surveyed the charred

remains outside the back bedroom.

P.S.

If you would like to write a little note of encouragement to the Morely family,

please send it to me, and I would be happy to forward it on to them.

You can see many more new pictures on our family website.

The pictures page for this update includes over a hundred photos, mostly from our visit to China.

Interesting Fact:

Here in Mongolia, cheese is fairly expensive, but one interesting detail is that all of the cheese is white in color. Even Cheddar and other cheese that would normally be yellow in America looks white, just like Mozzarella.

Thank you for your continued prayers for our family. It has been exciting to see all that the Lord is doing in these days and weeks, and I often feel like the updates just barely scratch the surface of our daily adventures. -You will just have to for a visit and see for yourself.  🙂

In Christ,

– Adam

Adam Waller ~ MyAllForChrist@CadLinx.com

Family Website ~ http://cadlinx.com/wallerfamily

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” – Galatians 6:9

If for any reason you would prefer not to receive these e-mails, just reply with “unsubscribe” in the subject line. If this e-mail is being forwarded to you, just let me know and I can put you on the regular list.  – Adam

Friday, November 11th, 2005
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Dear Family and Friends,

Just one week ago on Thursday night, I was awakened at 1:30 AM from a light sleep to a two-way radio ring, and a moment later I heard David’s voice, “Adam, can you come over here?” Slipping on a pair of sandals and grabbing my coat, I quietly crossed the hall to the other apartment.

Derrick was talking on the phone, and David met me with tears in his eyes. His broken voice almost whispered “Isaac didn’t make the flight.” I looked down by the phone, and saw the words “Brain hemorrhage” written by David’s trembling hand just a few moments earlier.

Slowly the realization came over me that my dear twin brother Isaac was with the Lord. Waking Rachelle and Sarah, the five of us each had the opportunity to talk with Mom and Dad, and then we gathered in a circle to pray.

Tears flowed freely as each of us poured out our hearts to the Lord, thanking Him for the twenty-five years that He had given Isaac to our family. My dear friends, I want you to know that there at the throne of God we found grace to help in our time of need.

Deciding to wake the four younger children at 6:00 AM to share the news, we quietly went back to our rooms to try to rest until morning.

Everything had happened so quickly, and so unexpectedly. Just a few days before, we were excited to see some improvement in Isaac’s leg. He had been in bed for just over a month with what appeared to be an infection in his left leg. After three antibiotics, the blood tests showed no infection, but still the pain lingered on.

Then it seemed that things were improving. The swelling and redness was going down, but other symptoms began to appear. Increasing pain in the kidneys, headaches and strange bleeding indicated that something was seriously wrong. Responding to our call at 5:00 AM, Dr. Choi came out to see Isaac, and further blood tests were done in the morning.

By early afternoon on Thursday, I had returned from an errand to hear that preliminary results were coming back from Isaac’s tests. His white blood cell count had gone from a normal range of up to 10,000 to an unheard of 375,000! We were advised to get Isaac on a flight to Beijing or Korea as quickly as possible.

Here we began to see Lord’s hand working as we raced to get Isaac on the evening flight to Korea. Through and incredible series of events, Isaac was on the plane in 50 minutes, on the way to Seoul. Things happened so fast that I was not even sure who had gone with Isaac until after they had left.

Mom and Dad were both able to be with Isaac, and in his last hour, he was able to look out the window and watch the setting sun. The next morning I wept as Samuel chose the hymn “Beyond the Sunset” in our family time together.

1 Thessalonians 4:17 teaches that one day all Christians will be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air, but I thought it was very special that Isaac would get an early opportunity to meet the Lord in the air.

Throughout this whole experience, we have seen God’s great lovingkindness in more and more ways. After further examination of Isaac’s case in Korea, the doctors have confirmed that Isaac had a very rare form of leukemia. A cancer doctor only sees this type about once in ten years.

Because the symptoms are so strange, it is extremely difficult to diagnose early and even in the world’s best hospitals, there is very little that could have been done to slow the rapid advance of this variation.

This actually brought us much comfort as we realized that Isaac’s body had been fighting this disease for probably the past year. If we had known of it then, there would have been little that we could do for him, and it is very likely that we would not be in Mongolia today.

Instead, God raised up this chosen vessel to bear the testimony of the Lord Jesus in the land of Mongolia, and for four months, our family enjoyed the fulfillment of my parents’ dream to one day serve together on the mission field.

If Isaac had become sick and died in the States, we would have been grieving together, and perhaps his life would have been a challenge to some. But here in Mongolia, we are seeing how God is using Isaac’s death in perhaps an even more powerful way. At the funeral on Wednesday, Pastor Dugermaa wept as he read a poem he had written of Isaac’s life.

Isaac had given his love and energy to the people of Mongolia. He had given his strength and youth, and given until he had given his very life and body into the soil of this land. Across Isaac’s tombstone was graven in English and Mongolian the verse “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13

Isaac had laid down his life, and served his last days to bring the message of hope to the people of Mongolia. What greater love could Isaac have shown for the One that had sent His Son, Jesus Christ, that the people of every kindred and tongue and nation might one day stand before His throne in paradise, redeemed unto God through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Some 250 people attended Isaac’s funeral at First Church of Ulaanbaatar. Representatives from several churches, missionaries, friends, neighbors and students from our character classes comprised a wide variety of people from all walks of life.

Especially touched were those who do not know Christ. One mother and daughter that have attended our Character-English classes came to share their condolences. The daughter just burst into tears and sobbed. Without Christ, Isaac’s death would have been just an untimely tragedy. Pujaa translated for me as I shared the hope and confidence that I will see my brother again.

Another unsaved student came to the viewing, funeral, burial and reception time. Although she is a strong Buddhist, she seemed to be very deeply impacted by what she saw. She had a long talk with the assistant pastor of one of the local churches.

The missionary community also seemed greatly touched by Isaac’s testimony. Families that we have never really met rallied together to provide meals and support for us. The home-school organization furnished the reception, and their leader laid aside a busy schedule to assist us in organizing the services.

Of the funeral itself, it was like none that I have ever attended. There was an air of hope and confidence that shone through the unexpected sorrow like sunbeams through the clouds. No one could miss how special Isaac was to each one of us, and no could miss the fact that he was prepared to meet the Lord.

Dad and the older children each shared how their lives have been impacted by Isaac’s selfless example of giving to others. I shared on the verse from Psalm 112 that “Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness…” We have a hope and confidence that has been with us through this time, and we are seeing the light of God’s purpose shining brighter and brighter each day.

Isaac’s life has been a consistent testimony of a young man that served God all the days of his life. I have no regrets about our family coming to Mongolia. If I had to do it over, there is nothing that I would change. Although we have seen much fruit through Isaac’s life, I believe that God will bring even more fruit through the testimony of his death.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” John 12:24

Right now our family is making plans to travel back to America on Monday, November 14th. We plan to spend a couple days in Chicago, then travel up to our farm in Wisconsin to prepare for a memorial service for friends and family.

God is working in some amazing ways as we work out our travel details. Yesterday the airline office told us that our round trip tickets had been canceled and we would have to buy new ones, but the the Lord has worked these things out, and we are actually able to travel together on the preferred Monday flight that will allow us to make a non-stop flight from Beijing to Chicago.

Tomorrow will likely be very full with our Character English classes in the morning, and packing and preparation in the afternoon. We leave early on Monday morning, so pray that we could have a productive day on Saturday, and a restful Sunday before the trip begins.

Memorial Services:

Location:

Summit Church

845 Summit Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota

(See http://www.summitag.org/ for directions)

Visitation:

5:00 – 8:00 PM

Memorial Service:

10:00 AM

Praise Points:

• We are so grateful for the prayers of people all around the world that are praying for our family in this important time. God has been pouring out His grace upon each of us. We feel like we have just been carried through these days.
• Praise the Lord for the many Christians and loving friends around us that have helped us work out so many logistical details over the past week.

Prayer Requests:

• Pray that the Lord would give us smooth and restful travel back to the States, and that our family would be a testimony of the grace God has given us through this experience.
• Pray that God would give great wisdom and discernment as we work through many details in the days to come.

Pictures:

One of the last pictures I have of Isaac, taken just 8 days before his death, as little as we imagined it at the time. Above him you can see his last creative project, a reading stand that enabled him to read several large biographies while laying in bed. Even while often in pain, his smile was a real encouragement to each of us.

I am so grateful for the confidence that we have as Christians. Although it is hard to say goodbye, I know that I will see my dear brother again.

Even with temperatures at 0 degrees (F), about 75-100 people came out for the burial.

A group of men strain to lift the gravestone. We ordered it the day before, and the workers had worked all night to inscribe Isaac’s name and the verses, finishing in time for the funeral on Wednesday.

There was no professional pulley system used to lower the casket, but with Jim’s coaching, we were able to get the job done smoothly.

Working to refill the hand dug grave. The physical work adds an element of reality to a burial in Mongolia.

To the right of a cross, Isaac’s name was inscribed in English and Mongolian, followed by his birth and homegoing dates: 1980.4.11 – 2005.11.4

On the inset black marble, we had the words of John 15:13 inscribed in English and Mongolian. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

Isaac’s grave stands in lasting tribute to his service to the Lord in Mongolia. The hope that we have was such a contrast to the group of men in the distance performing a Buddhist burial. Isaac was buried next to the grave of Pastor Enkhbayar, a well known Mongolian pastor that died a few weeks ago.

Thank you so much for praying for our family in this important time!

In Christ,

– Adam

Adam Waller ~ MyAllForChrist@CadLinx.com

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” – Galatians 6:9

Monday, November 7th, 2005
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Dear Family and Friends,

Our days have simply been filled from morning till night with so many details. While we are at times physically and emotionally exhausted, God is giving us great strength and peace through this time. So many friends have gathered around us to help in any way that they can.

We have received e-mails from friends all over the world, many whom we have never met, that are praying for us, and this continues to bring us great encouragement. We know that God has a very special purpose for Isaac’s life and for our family in this time.

Today we drove out to the airport to welcome my parents back from Korea. It was a tearful reunion, but we have such a joy and hope in the midst of this loss. We will greatly miss my twin brother Isaac, but we are already seeing God do some very special things in our lives, and in the lives of those around us.

Jesus said that all men would know we are His disciples by the love that we have for one another (John 13:35), and I am seeing this lived out in a reality that I have never before experienced. The kindness of Christian friends in Korea has brought such encouragement to my parents.

The doctor that helped receive Isaac from the plane was with my parents in the hospital until five the next morning. Every day he was with them and helped them make international calls from his cell phone. Other friends provided meals and spent time encouraging and praying with my parents through these hours.

Even through all these unexpected events, we see an even greater love, the great wisdom and loving care that God has shown to our family through this time. The fact that we were able to be serving together as a family for the last few months of Isaac’s life is something we will never regret. There are many other special things that we are now seeing, and I look forward to sharing them in greater detail over the days and weeks to come.

There are many arrangements and details yet to be worked out for the viewing tomorrow evening, and the funeral on Wednesday. Pray that the Lord will give us great wisdom in making so many important decisions. Our desire is that God would be glorified, and that our family would be a testimony of His grace and power in the midst of suffering.

We will miss Isaac very much, and continue to shed many tears, but we have a joy and a confidence that we will see him again! God has chosen in His perfect timing to take Isaac home, and already we have seen a number of people that have come to Christ through his testimony.

Today we were given permission by the Mongolian Government to purchase a burial site in a private cemetery. Isaac will be buried next to the grave of a leading pastor in Ulaanbaatar that went to be with the Lord a few weeks ago. His widow was greatly honored to hear that Isaac would be buried by her husband.

May God bless each of you, and continue to pray for our family in this important time. Below I have pasted the text from the funeral invitation that we have begun giving out.

Mr. and Mrs. Brian Waller and family would

like to invite you to attend the funeral for:

Isaac Wallace Waller
1980 – 2005

who died on November 4th, at age 25

in volunteer service to the country of Mongolia

with the Character Training Institute of Mongolia.

The viewing and funeral will be held at

First Church, [Light of Love Christian Cultural

Center] located opposite the Ulaanbaatar

University, behind the Naran Tuulzakh.

The viewing will take place from 5:00 PM to

8:00 PM on Tuesday evening, November 8th.

The funeral and services will begin at

First Church at 10:00 AM on Wednesday

morning, November 9th.

Pictures

A number of young men from the church came to help us dig Isaac’s grave. It took over 8 hours to dig by hand through the rocky ground.

After bringing Isaac’s embalmed body from the airport, we had a special time of prayer and singing before leaving the casket at a private facility for the evening.

Please continue to pray for us in these days, and especially for the funeral services on Wednesday.

In Christ,

– Adam

Adam Waller ~ MyAllForChrist@CadLinx.com

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” – Galatians 6:9

Friday, November 4th, 2005
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Dear Family and Friends,

On Thursday, November 3, in flight with both Mom and Dad on their way to Seoul, Korea, Isaac apparently had a brain hemorrhage and peacefully slipped into unconsciousness. On November 4th, 1:30 PM, Isaac was pronounced dead at the Yonsei hospital in Seoul, Korea.

As my family and I look back over the past days and weeks, we feel that we did everything we could for Isaac in this time. His case has been evaluated by a number of skilled Korean and American doctors working in Mongolia, with additional consultation from doctors in America.

Detailed medical records, x-rays, photographs, blood tests and physical examinations failed to pinpoint the cause of the lingering infection that began in Isaac’s left leg a month ago. At the end it seemed that some type of aggressive blood disease like leukemia rapidly swept through his body.

Although he was on a plane to Korea within minutes of confirming his high blood counts, his condition deteriorated so fast that he only survived the first hour of the flight. My parents were both able to be with him during the flight, and accompanied him in the ambulance to the hospital where life support was continued.

The CAT scan taken immediately upon arrival showed the brain hemorrhage and no brain activity. Korean law prohibits removing life support from a patient, even after all brain activity has ceased, so the respirator was continued until all bodily functions had ceased on the following day.

All of the children were back in Ulaanbaatar, waiting for the news of Isaac’s arrival in Seoul. We were awakened by a phone call from my parents at 1:30 AM, and they gave us the news that Isaac is in heaven.

Derrick, Rachelle, David, Sarah and I had a tearful time of sharing and praying together, and then we went back to our rooms to try to rest until morning.

At 6:00 AM, we woke the younger children, and gathering everyone together, we shared the news with them. Again there were many tears as the full realization slowly began to set in. We are so grateful for the comfort of knowing that Isaac is with Jesus, but we will still miss him.

The love of our Christian friends here has been overwhelming. Many have come to spend time with us and share words of comfort. People are bringing meals, taking the younger ones outside to play, and helping in any way that they can.

Mom and Dad were able to be with Isaac through this whole time, and are making preparations to return to Mongolia with Isaac’s body. At this point Mom and Dad feel it would be best to hold a funeral here on Wednesday, and to hold a State-side memorial service at a future date.

Korean friends and missionaries here have put Mom and Dad in touch with some Christian families in Seoul, and these new friends are providing meals, housing and a cell phone for Mom and Dad to use during their stay. They are currently planning to fly back to Mongolia tomorrow afternoon, and then we will all be together again.

God has given us much comfort in this time through His Word and Christian friends here, and while we deeply feel the loss of Isaac, we know that God has a plan and purpose through all of this. Sometime later I would like to share about some of the things we see God doing through this experience.

Please continue to pray for us in this time. There are so many details to work out, decisions to make, and the need to spend time with each other. Many of us are physically and emotionally weary, but God is giving the strength to go on.

May God bless each one of you, and I will try to keep you posted as things move forward.

In Christ,

– Adam

Adam Waller ~ MyAllForChrist@CadLinx.com

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” – Galatians 6:9

A family picture at Sarah’s birthday on October 15th. Isaac is in the back row, second from right.

Thursday, November 3rd, 2005
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Dear Family and Friends,

A few hours ago Isaac, Mom and Dad left on Korean Airlines for an emergency medical evacuation to Seoul, Korea. Isaac has been on bedrest for over a month, with what began as an infection in his foot. While this seems to be slowly improving, last night his condition became much worse, with intense pain in the kidneys, fever, headache and constant bleeding.

By 5:00 AM we were getting very concerned. Isaac’s condition was getting worse. Dr. Choi, a most gracious Korean doctor friend awoke to our emergency call and arrived a few minutes later to evaluate Isaac’s condition. As soon as we could, we took Isaac in to have some blood tests done.

In the early afternoon we received a call from Dr. Choi who was evaluating Isaac’s results as they were verified. The news was very serious. A white blood cell count for a healthy person is normally 5,000 – 10,000. Isaac’s came back with a count of 375,000. Additionally, his platelet count had dropped from 453 to 100.

Dr. Choi advised us to get a flight as soon as possible for Isaac to go to a better hospital in Korea or Beijing for a bone marrow biopsy and further testing. After consulting with three other American doctors, we began looking for the next possible flight that we could send Isaac on.

Learning at about 4:10 PM that there was a Korean Air flight leaving at 5:20 PM, we worked to make these arrangements as fast as possible. I quickly packed a bag, and Derrick and I carried Isaac down to a waiting taxi. After a brief but tearful goodbye, they took off to reach the airport before the plane left.

In another taxi, Tim and a couple others were at the Korean Air office, buying the tickets, and racing off to meet Isaac at the airport a few minutes before the plane was scheduled to take off. The Lord most graciously allowed all the details to come together, and the airline held the plane for a few minutes longer so Isaac, Mom and Dad could be rushed on board.

Things were happening so fast that it was hard to know what was going on. Eventually all the details filtered down to know that Isaac, Mom and Dad were on their way to Korea, and potentially on to Minneapolis MN. Isaac was in very good spirits as he left, and we are rejoicing in the many details that God worked out for him to make the flight.

The nine of us children met in the living room together to spend some time in prayer. There were many tears, and many unknowns, but we are confident that God is working through this time. We know that our Loving Heavenly Father only gives good gifts to His children. God is working all things together for good.

At another family meeting together this evening, we are beginning to see God’s hand so clearly in this most unexpected series of events. Already the airport security, taxi drivers and others have commented on the love that they have seen.

We feel in ourselves such a peace and calm in the midst of the storm. It is the miracle of God’s grace. God is giving us strength and grace for today, and I know that He will give grace for the tomorrows. Just this morning I read the verse in Psalm 112 that says “Unto the upright, there ariseth light in the darkness…” We have such a blessed hope and confidence! May God use us to brightly shine His light during this time.

Please continue to pray for us in these days. I will work to keep you informed daily as we hear updates on Isaac. You can reach us by e-mail at this address. I don’t know that I will be able to respond immediately, but know that we really appreciate your prayers and I will pass on your encouragement to the family here.

God bless you, and I will work to write again soon!

Praise Points:

– The incredible timing in the flight arrangements for Isaac. The three of them were able to fly to Seoul last moment (literally) for $1200, instead of tens of thousands for a life-flight.

– The great peace and calm that we each feel. We really feel God’s grace in answer to your prayers!

Prayer Requests:

– That God would be glorified through this opportunity to show forth the power of His grace to all those that we contact in the days to come.

– That Isaac would be preserved to reach the hospital and that God would give the doctors great wisdom as they seek to help him in this time.

– Strength and wisdom for Mom and Dad as they spend these next hours and days with Isaac. Pray for wisdom in the timing of a flight to Minnesota, and for abundant grace in this time of need.

– For the nine Waller children that remain in Mongolia. Again, God has so uniquely prepared us for this time, but we need God’s grace for the days ahead.

Pictures:

A picture of Isaac just before we carried him down to the taxi.

A flurry of last minute details, phone calls and tearful goodbyes as Isaac and my parents leave for the airport.

Thank you so much for your prayers for Isaac and my family in this time! We really appreciate each one of you!

In Christ,

– Adam

Adam Waller ~ MyAllForChrist@CadLinx.com

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” – Galatians 6:9

Saturday, October 8th, 2005
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Dear Family and Friends,

Weeks seem to fly by so quickly here in Mongolia! One week ago today we celebrated Rachelle’s birthday. Sarah and Rebekah wanted to make a favorite dish of homemade lasagna for the birthday lunch. I think lasagna noodles are starting to become available in Mongolia, but the girls decided to save some money and make them from scratch.

Carefully rolled out and then dried on a bed sheet, you could hardly tell the difference in the final product. Some of the younger ones served the lunch in a fine dining style comparable to an expensive catered banquet.

Not everything has been fun and celebration, however. Isaac’s lower leg has been painful and swollen, keeping him in bed for most of the past week. It seems that some type of infection had set in. We are grateful to know some skilled missionary doctors here, and one was able to examine his leg and prescribe an antibiotic.

Yesterday Isaac began taking another antibiotic of a stronger type, and it seems that he is beginning to show some signs of improvement. Please continue to pray that the Lord would give him a rapid recovery.

You may remember that our phone system had died a little over a month ago. We were able to send it to the States, where we are getting it repaired, either for us to use again, or for another branch of our organization.

Riding in a taxi through the city on Thursday, I was telling Ideree that I am seeking the Lord’s direction for our phone system needs. Even before it failed, we were talking about maybe upgrading at some point. We are currently renting 11 apartments, but the TalkSwitch only has 8 extension. It is a great little system, but starting to get a little small.

The Lord could have easily allowed the unit to continue working for a few more months or years, but He allowed us to come to a decision point this summer. From one perspective, we could have the unit repaired for $250, and have it shipped back to us, but we would be in exactly the same situation, minus $250. I am wondering if maybe the Lord has a plan or direction in this that is bigger than just spending money on a repair.

In researching some options for a possible replacement for the TalkSwitch, I was encouraged to investigate what is available locally. It would be wise to get something that is supported locally, with parts available for any repairs.

I was quite impressed with the Panasonic repair shop that Ideree and I visited. We gave them a cordless phone to repair, and they actually did component level testing and replaced a IC chip for a total cost of $15! I don’t know if you could get a repair estimate for that price at some places in the States.  🙂

Following the recommendation of the repairman, we visited the office of the main Panasonic distributor in Mongolia. We were ushered into the office of a well dressed man that spoke good English. He explained that Panasonic has installed over 15,000 systems in Mongolia over the past 5 years, and is the primary supplier for small and mid-sized businesses.

Taking some time to learn of our needs, he went on to describe a system that he felt would work well for us, and gave me a product brochure. I asked if he might have any older systems that might be available at a lower price, so he also gave me a product brochure for the previous model.

Returning to our apartment, I spent an hour or so researching these units on the Internet. I also remembered an e-mail that a friend had sent me last week. He does phone system installations, and had used Panasonic unit that might work for us. Stopping to look up the part number on the Internet, I found to my great surprise that it was exactly the model described in the second brochure from the Panasonic distributor!

All of the details have not yet come together, but it seems that we might be able to get a good quality, locally supported phone system with double the capacity of our TalkSwitch for less than the cost of the repair! I sent some e-mails to verify the details on this, but it will be exciting to see what the Lord does.

Another answer to prayer came just as unexpectedly as Ideree and I were looking at phone systems. As I was walking into one of the stores, I saw another tall foreigner, and it turned out to be Ewen, the man that I have been assisting with the Mongolian Bible software! I knew that he was back in the country, but had not seen him since my return. We had a brief talk, and it gave me all the more encouragement to move forward with the project.

Please continue to pray for us! Your prayer support is so vital to this or any other ministry. Without God’s hand of blessing on our work, we would simply be running around in circles.

Praise Points:

– Praise the Lord for how the church is continuing to grow in Mongolia. Last Sunday the Holy Way church that we attend divided (or multiplied) into two different churches. The old building just could not fit the 200+ people that were attending each week. We were wondering if anyone had stayed with the old building and original church when about 150 people gathered at the new location. We heard later that the old building was also full! Five people came to Christ at each church last Sunday.

Prayer Requests:

– Pray for a full recovery for Isaac’s leg. We are grateful to begin seeing some improvement today.

– Please pray for the wife and three young children of Enkhbayar, a Mongolian pastor of another church that went home to be with the Lord a few hours ago. In the midst of the grief of Enkhbayar’s passing, many of the unsaved relatives want to have a Buddhist funeral, against the wishes of his wife and a document he wrote before his death.

Pictures:

Rachelle opens a gift while Lydia and Matthew look on. It is wonderful to spend birthdays with family, even in Outer Mongolia.  🙂

Jim and Esther Entner just came to Mongolia last year after over 20 years of mission work in the Philippines. We are so blessed to know this dear couple, and Jim’s medical experience and advice has been of great assistance in the situation with Isaac’s leg.

Having the family here brings a new dynamic to local outreach. Quite a number of the Mongolian boys in the area are getting to know David and the younger ones. Soccer seems to be their favorite outdoor activity.

“It’s gonna get worse before it gets better…” Remodeling the classroom apartment has been Derrick’s project for the week. (Or two.)

Derrick and company. Chinggis (left) and Dorjbat (right) have been assisting with the remodeling project. These two young men are growing in the Lord and actively involved with our church.

Thank you so much for your prayers for the family and team in Mongolia!

In Christ,

– Adam

Adam Waller ~ MyAllForChrist@CadLinx.com

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” – Galatians 6:9