Dear Mongolia

Afternoon Hike: Travel Writing Essay

A beautiful place calls out to be enjoyed, and such is the case with Terelj, Mongolia. Our ATW VI team was blessed to spend two weeks in the Mongolian National Park as we served in a local town, and we were lucky to be able to enjoy free time in the mountains of our camp. 

On a rather brisk and windy afternoon, a group of us decided to take a hike up to the rocky cliffs towering over our campsite. We were tired and weak from our service work the previous day, but we still met at the gazebo and got ready to set off. We trekked through the growth and climbed between broken fence rails, over to a path that felt much steeper than it looked. The unfamiliar, high altitude got to our lungs as we trudged up, trying not to slip backward on the gravel. 

We continued upward, weaving around bends and turns as the group slowly split into smaller groups with a wide span of paces. Upon reaching the top, a group of us scaled the side of a small boulder on the edge of the cliff where we were able to overlook the whole valley and our own campground. Everyone stopped to pose for and snap pictures with the breathtaking view of the rolling green hills and the jagged rock formations that rose up and crowned the hills. 

When the myriads of pictures stopped, we continued on through the tree lined way to the second peak. We missed the correct turn-off to the peak, so we clambered through growth, tried to avoid stepping in mud, and dodged each tree branch that reached out to swipe at our faces. 

Emergence from the forest revealed a similar sight to the first peak but even higher with prettier peaks. Gers dotted the valley like pearls, and buildings of other campsites added color with their bright roofs. We edged closer and closer to the drop off of the mountain trying to get a better view and simultaneously scare our friends. 

The way down moved faster than the way up, as we bounced from stone to stone trying to keep strong footholds. Our tired legs ached, but we held to the hope that we’d get back to the bottom quickly and enjoy a soul-warming tea and dinner. The last steps of our journey brought us back into our camp ground, as we continued to soak in the views and reminisce on an afternoon well spent climbing the mountains of Terelj, Mongolia. 

Dear Mongolia

Dear Mongolia, 

How can you be so beautiful?

With clear blue skies creating the color of your eyes,

And the bright sunlight accentuating their shine.

The white gers that freckle your face,

A smile spreading wide as the landscape of this place

Bright roofs of many colors dot your green gown,

With skirts flowing down in waves upon the hills.

Rugged peaks jut out as a crown on your head,

And small purple flowers grace your neck like amethyst.

Crickets sounding like a song from your lips,

A serenade of stillness and peace to the mind

Washed clean by the teardrops of rain on your cheeks

A sweet perfume of clean air and pine trees

And when your sun shines down like a warm embrace

I forget the chill and coldness of nights.

So I’ll ask you again, Mongolia,

How are you so beautiful to have captured my heart?

Reese’s passages – 2nd Installment

Hello once again, dear friends. Since the last time we’ve spoken, I’ve experienced a wild new culture in Mongolia. In this passage, I want to remind everyone that God does not call us to take life too seriously, as worrying is a form of distrust. In Mongolia, I ran into social complications, stresses over our service work, and other things such as being chased by a cow while in my underwear again. For the first week, I would say I gave into my fear, but later, I was reminded that the scenarios in my head were absent of God. 

God is the creator of all things. He sacrificed His very own Son for us. Would He, being all powerful and proven to be full of love, leave me alone and absent of help? Did He not send the Holy Spirit to be our helper? With this in mind I could relax and trust that he would hold my hand and walk me through the fog one step at a time. 

Immediately things began to resolve with social conflict. Service work was frustrating, but trusting in God I tried again without fear of failure and fixed the issue. And while I’m not sure the incident with the cow actually pertains to the central message of the passage, keeping a flashlight with you in Mongolia will allow you to avoid cows in the middle of the night. 

God will never fail you. The only time you fail is when you quit. God may put you through trials, but every single one is a gift. It’s a gift to trust in Him and watch His mighty power. The trial is before you one way or another, so you may as well try the easy road which is letting go of the results into His hands. “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (Matthew 6:27).

-Reese