“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” – Isaiah 55:8-9
My team and I have been in Erdenet, Mongolia, for a little over a week now. We have been teaching English classes to children and adults and helping out in different coffee shops run by local missionaries.
The Christ followers here in Mongolia are inspiring to me. In 1990, the first missionaries came to Mongolia and they received the first fully translated copy of the Bible in their language. Now, Mongolia has the highest percentage of any country in the world of their believers being sent out into other countries to share the gospel as missionaries. We have had the pleasure to meet some of these inspiring people who are truly abandoning everything to follow the Lord where He is calling them. I want to share with you one of these stories that has left me in awe of how the Lord is on the move. *Names have been changed to respect the privacy of my new friends*
After church on Sunday, we were taken to a coffee shop in town for lunch. The coffee shop is owned by a Christian lady, Sarah. She welcomed us in and shared her story of coming to know the Lord with us.
When missionaries first came to her city and shared the gospel, she became angry and did not want the religion of other countries invading Mongolia’s way of life and traditions. One day, she was arguing Christianity and was told she should at least give the Bible a chance and read it for herself. She told Sarah to ask the Holy Spirit to help her understand as she read and to talk to the Lord about it as she read and that He would help her understand. Sarah had never heard of praying to God and Him being there to help her. At this point, only the New Testament had been translated in Mongolian. After getting a copy, she sat down and read all 27 books in the New Testament. At first, she was unimpressed and did not know what to think of it. Then she prayed “God, I want to understand what this book says, will you help me?”
She opened up her Bible again and began to read. She read John 14:6, “Jesus said to him, I am the Way, the Truth, and theLife. No one comes to the Father except through me.” This verse resonated in her soul the way nothing else had before. She suddenly had her eyes opened to this Truth and she felt the weight of her sins. She wasn’t sure what to do, so she urgently ran down to the local church and asked for more clarity on what she was experiencing. She was given a small book explaining that verse and the gospels in depth. Sarah took this book home, read it and gave her life to Christ this day. Since then, her mother and brothers have come to follow Jesus Christ as their Savior as well.
At age 33, God called her to be a missionary in surrounding unreached countries. She was told she could not because she had no formal education or missional training, yet she knew the Lord had called her to go, so she did. She became one of the first Mongolian women missionaries. By earthly standards, she says her work would not be counted as a success. However, she knows the success that has been done for the Kingdom in her work. Her passion for God, His people, and this life is evident in every conversation she is involved in. She is back in Mongolia for a short time as she runs her coffee shop to raise funds for her next journey. In a few months, she plans on returning to surrounding countries to open coffee shops as a way of sharing the gospel. Sarah’s story gets me pumped up (!!!!!) for all the Lord is doing in these countries and the boldness in His followers to obediently go where He leads.
One week here and I am left in awe of how BIG our God is. He is on the move in ways and lives I could have never imagined. I am continually humbled that none of this is about me. This is all about the glory of God revealing Himself in such big ways, all over the world. I am so thankful He allows me to partner with Him as He works, even if it is simply to hear a remarkable story of a new friend or teach English to children each morning. It is not about me or my experience,but all about Him and His glory- what better way to live, anyways?
Our squad consists of five teams that are each serving in different cities in Mongolia this month. One team was able to see thousands of Mongolians come together for a Tent Revival where hundreds of Bibles were passed out, hundreds of salvations, and a lot of worship through song and dance with locals! Teams are serving through teaching English, manual labor, and being shown deep hospitality through local families.
This season is very sweet and getting to know my team of girls has been such a blessing. They are each so passionate to know the Lord and to make His love known to those around us. I am inspired by them and cannot wait to see what God has for our team. He has confirmed again and again that this is exactly where He longs to have me right now, so it’s easy to find joy each day knowing I am where He has me!
Thank you for journeying with me in this season! The support of prayers and encouragement mean more than you are able to know. Please continue to pray for my team as we teach English and love on Erdenet for two more weeks. Pray for us as we partner with the Lord in His mission for Mongolia, for fruit to come from each conversation we are able to have, and for the Mongolian missionaries that are being sent out into surrounding countries!
I am also still fundraising and would love if you would prayerfully consider donating to these four months I will spend on the field. If you would like to donate, you can do so on this blog site. Please let me know if you have any questions! 
Blessings always,
Ashton Paige
