Jeremy and Renee Bergevin

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Prayer Letter/Ministry Update

Our Leading God
“In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps”. Proverbs 16:9

Renee and I completed two years learning Mongolian language in June. Our team, led by God to expand westward, asked us to consider moving to the small town capital of another state, a three hour drive in that direction. Housing for a family of 5 (number 6 to be born in October) with indoor plumbing was not to be found. So in July we began building a house in the town of Bulgan.

In those months, most of our energies were consumed with construction. Sill people were praying and God was leading us spiritually, and had been working here long before we started to build.

When we did begin building you could sense we were in a race to finish before our next-door neighbor. He started his house a couple months before us. This Mongolian man, his wife and brother were making fast progress. We finished our foundation first. They got their fence built first. We got our roof on first. They got their interior walls done first. The end of September, they called a Buddhist monk to come perform a blessing ceremony and they moved into their house. We had just installed our concrete heated floors, and it became time for the baby's birth.

About this time, another neighbor started building his house. We had borrowed tools from each other and said hello often enough, but hadn’t got to know each other. One day I stopped by his ger (small round felt tent) where he sat me down to tea. We asked each other’s age, which is a big part of getting acquainted here. He asked what I was doing in Mongolia. When he heard “Jesus”, he dug around in one of his trunks and produced some AA material, telling me how he’d been freed from alcohol addiction 5 years ago. Then he dug a little deeper and came up with a Mongolian Bible. We shook hands and agreed to read that Bible together.

Only 1% of Mongolians are Christians. So I was pretty amazed that one of my neighbors would own a Bible and have a heart’s desire to study it with me. Our relationship with our other neighbor is considerably less competitive now that we’ve both (mostly) finished our houses. In late October after we moved in, that family came and visited with candy for the kids and gifts for us. Their daughter stopped by again the other day to play with the girls and practice her English. Now they frequently ask us to come visit.

On one visit, that family asked our occupation. Hearing about Jesus, they said that one of our construction workers who is a believer, had witnessed to them about the power of Christ.

Our neighbors’ doors to God are open because God has been working here way before we arrived. People have prayed that God would act, and he has begun a work here! We feel God is leading us into the work he has already started: “My Father is always at work to this very day.” John 5:17 No matter who we are, or where we go, we can live in the expectation that God has prepared a work and a next step for us to take for his Kingdom.

Prayer Requests/Answers to Prayer

Intercede for God to beat back dark forces here by the power that raised Jesus from the grave.

Power from heaven to change lives.

Using our long-studied Monglian language to demonstrate abundant life relating to real people.

Renee on Gardening and Growth
I have a plant growing in our home that I cannot classify. It reminds me of bamboo the way it grows in sections. It is a beautiful purple color with tints of green showing new life. Since acquiring this plant in February it has grown substantially and I have made my best effort to accommodate for the increase. I had my girls and a good portion of the neighborhood help me repot the plant. I have tied up the shoots to help give support as they are now stretching close to the 3 foot mark. Much to my surprise, I recently found that my plant looks the strongest and healthiest after a week or more of neglect on my part. While we were away the new shoots that were not yet tied stretched not up, but toward the sun. They look as though they are dangling out there for the first toddling passerby to grab and destroy, the leaves themselves, however are more vivid in color and fuller than any on the rest of the plant.
As a mother, a new missionary, and hopefully a church planter, this common everyday household item has left an impression on me. Perhaps you can identify? There are behaviors in my children that I cannot “classify.” All three of my girls have different personalities, are at varying stages in their growth, and pose unique challenges for me as a mother. In my life over this past year the novelties of a new language, a team to work with, a new culture and the new growth my Lord wants to do in me sometimes have me feeling as though I have come “untied.” We are asking that you pray that the Lord give us clear vision as we look forward toward beginning our full-time ministry less than a year from now. At times we feel the pressure to stretch up and reach the best developmental model, be sent to the prime location, or follow our strongest passion. Pray that we grow toward the Son. As we continue to glean skills such as language, friendship with Mongolians, and an understanding of church culture that will structure our life and ministry here pray that there would still exist that give, that elasticity that enables the people of God to stretch towards the Son.

Mongolia

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