Today has been a long day. We were waiting to be picked up for the airport when we got word that the flight was canceled because of winds. Apparently in the spring it is common for flights to be canceled during the day because it is windier, so most flights leave at night when it is calmer, I should have known that. So all the connecting flights are missed and I am in Bejing again for a long layover, and I don’ t want to go back to the Stagone hotel again thank you. It is 23:15 and I am waiting for the next flight out. It is unusual here because when they announce a flight it is in Mongul, and everyone rushes all at once and it is just like you are crossing a road in the city again and you have to dodge and weave like in frogger. It is worse than playing volleyball and basketball at the same time and getting stuffed by several girls all at once. It is exciting in a sick sort of way, but that is the way it goes here, on the road, at the airport, handing out cake, you must be careful pale faced Yankee.

I went back to work at the clinic since I had an extra day. There were 2 surgeries to do, and consults on several animals. It is sad to see so many distemper and parvovirus cases die when it is so easily preventable, but they view pets differently here. But the staff at the animal hospital works very hard to try to educate the people about preventive care such as vaccinations, deworming, good nutrition, neutering etc, but it will take some time to change their habits. It is similar with Christianity, because so many people here were raised as Buddhists, Shaamminists, or atheists, that we try to teach them new ideas and principles, but it is hard to change. It is the same everywhere, but the goal is to change, to put off the old, be renewed, and put on the new. We do not break old habits, we replace them. It is encouraging to see how well the team at Vet Net is doing, planting new seeds
all the time. There is much work to be done. I may have to come back.

For dinner, we ate at an Indian restaurant and I had lamb curry, and it was very good. I have eaten a bigger variety of ethnic foods than ever before: Mongolian, Chinese, Thai, Korean, Indian, Russian, and canine (I thought it was a cookie at the clinic, but I think it was for the dog, it was very dry and hard, no wonder the dogs don’t feel well). Another reason to like Mongolia, all the variety and no fast food or chains, a very welcome change. It was also a refreshing change to live in an apartment with no tv, radio, computer, phone, or other distractions. I think our lives get too busy, too many distractions. I think everyone should go on a mission trip at least once, it is good for the soul.

I arrived in Bejing at 3 am, and everything was closed at the airport, except for 1 energetic man who said he had a very good hotel, and he even showed me pictures,(I think they were from the taj mahal) and pointed to the hotel which was close to the airport. Having a long layover and no other visible options, I asked him lots of questions and said some prayers, and went in the hotel bus Da Nang Business hotel. But they do not take visa card, not like the commercial which says Visa card – accepted everywhere. So they take me to another hotel, called Kong Gang Xin Yue hotel, and I think it is the sister to Stagone hotel. No wifi, no exercise room, (not even a good hallway) no food, and smelly like septic problem. And it is near the landing runway, so it is loud, not like Ashburnham loud, but like 4th of July loud, except without the fun. I don’t like Bejing, and I will go through Seoul, Korea next time.

I am excited to see Nancy (and the dogs) and drink coffee, and eat more fruit and vegetables (how weird is that). But I will miss Mongolia, especially the people, and I will be praying for them, and hopefully still helping them as God leads and I am able. And maybe I will write 1 more blog if any one is still reading these, but Nancy says she likes them, so that is enough, because she loves me even when I write in this Mongolian cadence. I will have to adjust back to regular talking soon, but for now I am still in China, as you can hear from my accent.

Until tomorrow. God Bless
Dr Mike