A Real Ger and A Sweet Family!

We were able to go with Elder Willoughby and Elder Odbayar to visit a family that lives in this Ger (different than the one I mentioned earlier). It was 7:00 at night, and about -20c below! We were able to take a taxi out to her house, but walked home - about a 25 minute walk. I thought I would be colder than I was but we were moving, so it wasn't too bad - other than we tromped through a couple of snow drifts, about a foot deep, and climbed over a water pipe, about 2 feet off the ground, I just pulled up my coat and skirt! The family dog is next to my feet.

The older Sister is the member, her daughter and grandchildren live with her. She was one of the first members of the Church, in Choibalsan. Her name is Sister Tsetsegdelthger, which means "Flower blossom", or something along that line. The baby, a boy, is about 3 months old, I thought of Joshua. They didn't have a diaper on the baby, I don't know if it is because they can't afford one or it is just what they do.

Notice the fabric walls, and the little yellow, square decorations, we see them all over, they must have some meaning.

The furniture is what you can see. Dad thinks the Ger area is about 12 foot round in diameter.

The Mongolian people are so kind and hospitable, they always feed you, even though they have so little. She fed us kimbop, a Korean roll up, made of seaweed wraps and rice with salami or some kind of meat...and yes, we both ate some, our first! Some bottled salad, which had shredded carrots, cabbage and pickles, and a vinegar and oil dressing on it. Fruit drink and little cookies. I think her decorations were for Christmas and also Tsagan Sar, coming up.

The Ger's are portable and can be taken down and moved. The ceiling is also fabric, with wool on top of it, and then canvas on the outside. Many people in the summer move to the Country, to work, and take their homes with them, they just roll up the fabric, and take down all the poles. The poles are painted very brightly, and then tole painted, it is quite pretty.

This is the kitchen, they kneel for everything, they are preparing the food for us on the board. There is no running water, I would guess there is a well or they haul it from the city, I'm not sure. The white-looking box to the right is the fireplace/stove, it is about 2 feet square and flat on top, to cook, you can see part of it on the previous picture. Above her head is a rag, which is hanging on a clothes line. They had several lines around, for drying their clothes.

She is giving the baby a bath, then she used the water to wash some clothes. I don't think they waste anything! Elder Willoughy told us that you never say that their babies are cute, you tell them that they are ugly. Superstition says they will grow up to be ugly if you tell them they are cute as babies. So, very nicely, tell them they have ugly babies! (I really don't know if they would understand the English we would speak to them, anyway). But, he is a cute baby!

Our Mongolian is better in some ways and we can pick up a few more words, but when we go to a store we're still pretty lost.

This is only part of our night, I couldn't fit it all on one blog, so I'll do the rest later.

We love you all!

Thinking of Kale and Ethan with their important day, tomorrow!

Give each other a hug!