Update 15 Dec.

On Monday we were able to go visit a children's prison in town, with some of the kids in my youth group and it went very well.  We sang some songs and played some games and then Steve and Raphael, the basketball player, shared a little bit about themselves and a little bit about Christmas.  The kids had a good time and seemed very responsive.  Pray that God will use the materials we handed out there to work in their hearts.

I was also able to wrestle in a tournament outside of town last weekend.  I got third place, and after watching the video I wasn't very happy with how I wrestled.  But it was good to get back on the mat for the first time since March, and it gave me a little perspective, so I need to get to work.  The tournament was unlike anything I've ever been at before.   I was literally the only white person there and I was like a celebrity.   Everyone there watched my matches and little kids lined the sides of the mat to give me high fives after my matches.  The entire tournament everyone kept coming up to me to shake my hand.  I definitely had a lot of attention on me and pray that I was a good testimony for the Lord.

I would like to thank everyone who has been supporting me and praying for me this far!  I feel really blessed to be where I am and I'm very happy I was able to come out here.   I'm also very excited to be heading home for Christmas tomorrow!  Please pray for my travels, as I could run into some obstacles in Beijing!

My hotel room in Darxan, they forgot to put a mattress on my bed

I didn't lose to either of those guys

Update 4 Dec.

Most of the population of Mongolia lives in a гэр (gher), which literally means home, but is a circular tent like in the picture below.  When it gets really cold they burn coal to keep their гэр warm.  So every night the nearly the entire population is burning coal.  The result of this is the worst air I have ever had the opportunity to breath.  I have to cough every time I step outside.  That being said its only December so I'm expecting this to get much worse before there is any improvement.  Hopefully I don't develop asthma!

While the air quality is looking pretty bleak, things have still been going well out here in Mongolia.  Steve and Suhkee have returned from America so we're getting back on track with the AIA ministry, and have already started our wrestling bible study again.  I'm also hoping to get the youth group together to go do some singing and games at a few local orphanages in the next couple weeks.  

The month of November was pretty slow as far as the wrestling practices went.  But, because I was one of only a few guys there every day I started to get a little bit connected with one of the coaches.  He started to notice that there were somethings the mongolians could do better than me, but theres also a few things that I'm pretty good at.  Now that the practices are back on and full, this coach has been pairing me up with all of the top guys and the national team (completely regardless of size too, I keep wrestling these 96 and 120 kg guys), so I can give them a different look, and teach them some stuff.  This is good because I'm getting better partners and being pushed harder, but also because I'm getting a lot more connected with the wrestlers and starting develop better relationships.  This is really important for getting the guys to come the bible studies we have.  So please pray for this ministry!

Also my wrist is getting a lot better and I've been able to do a lit of live wrestling lately.  I'm starting to get my intensity back, although I'm still a little behind.  The plan is for me to wrestle at a tournament next weekend 84 kg (185 lbs; I only weigh like 178 lbs) so hopefully that will come together and I can get back on the mat!  

I also had a very nice Thanksgiving with some of the other Americans living in town, and even made my own apple pie.  It was a little burnt but overall successful.  Mongolian ovens, right?  Anyways, I hope everyone at home had a great Thanksgiving and I look forward to seeing you all over Christmas.  Thank you so much for your support and prayers, keep it up!