Tsagaan Sar

Everyone is celebrating Tsagaan for three days. We've had invitations yesterday and today and have another for tomorrow. We've attended celebrations in a brick home, 2 gers and an apartment. The celebration is the same at each. Most people are dressed in traditional clothing. They are gorgeous with their fabrics and fur hats. One picture is mostly American missionaries taken at the Bayanzurkh Building. We took it this morning while they were gathering to go out to their different celebration appointments. Today, Dad and I went to Dalaijargal and his girls ger. He told us that he wants to be baptized. One of his daughters was baptized a few months ago, and the younger one will be baptized next month. They are doing very well. Oyunga, 14 years old, made the food for the celebration, since their mother has passed away. She did very well. We ate booz (pronounced bohdz). They are little meat dumplings which are steamed. We also had carrot salad and sprite. Then we went next door to visit their neighbor who is a young single mother. She had a huge pile of roasted sheep on her table, which she had covered with a cheese cloth. We had fruit juice and sat and talked. We had eaten so much at Dalaijargal's that we couldn't eat another bite. The tradition is to visit many people during the day and eat at everyone's house. We've tried to pace it and have only accepted a few invitations and eat very little when we go. The children don't eat until after the company leaves. So, we eat just a little and hope that the children get the rest. They have so many wonderful customs. They are a loving and humble people. They don't have the pride that many Americans have that gets in the way of being close to people and sharing their lives. They are so grateful for their homes and families and they want to share anything that they have with others. Any missionary who gets called to Mongolia will forever be grateful for this experience. We learn what's really important. We learn how to make do. We learn to do without. I hope we never forget.