HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Posted November 2025

This fall, I had the privilege of traveling to Mongolia to serve with relief workers caring for and providing sheep to Mongolian families in need. Our team traveled over 2600 kilometers roundtrip from the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar to Zavkhan, a northwestern province of Mongolia, visiting as many as eight counties and providing 2-3 sheep to each of the 50-60 families we met with.

Mongolia is stunningly beautiful -- the kind of beauty where you gaze awestruck at the endless miles of mountains, rivers, lakes, valleys and plains. I marveled at herds of sheep, goats, camels, and horses casually grazing along the countryside.

Mongolian life is also hard. The life expectancy of Mongolians is much lower than in the U.S. Resources are scarce and healthcare typically requires a 15-hour or more bus ride to the capital. Despite these challenges, the families we visited were warm, hospitable and kind. The children were gracious and their parents seemed to genuinely appreciate our concern.

At first, I was afraid of traveling for weeks in a foreign country without running water with teammates I had just barely met. But, as I later found, my momentary discomfort was worth the chance to meet the Mongolian people and build relationships with them. Our teammates were amazing and became like family by the end of the trip. I was eager to support our team as they used their expertise to nurture and bond with families in the area.

This Thanksgiving, I am particularly grateful for my time in Mongolia. My experience taught me that people from vastly different backgrounds have the same need for kindness and respect, and that an open heart is all it takes for friendships to blossom and grow.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

With great gratitude,
Priscilla