A Love Story, Part VIII

It was tricky to negotiate the old Beijing airport. We didn’t know what we were doing. Thankfully the Lord sent us two lovely women to help. The first was a Christian American woman who lived in China because her husband worked for Hormel there. They were on their way to a holiday Down Under. She translated for us and helped us figure out where to check our luggage. We knew she was a Christian, so my dad ventured to ask. She said, "Oh, yes! If I didn't have the Lord and had to live here, I'd throw myself off a building!" After getting checked in we were herded into a room that was several floors below. We felt like we were in the basement. It was overcrowded with people and completely filled with cigarette smoke. There we met a lovely Mongolian woman who traveled internationally for business. She told us when she flies directly to Mongolia without stopping in Beijing it always seems old and difficult. When she stopped in Beijing first and then went to Mongolia, Mongolia seems like paradise. She also explained to us why every single Chinese person in that overcrowded room was smoking. She said, “When you are afforded so few pleasures in life, you take whatever little pleasure you can get no matter what it is.”

At last we were on the MIAT flight to Mongolia. I was so anxious and excited. I could hardly get through customs fast enough! Finally I walked through the big double doors where my Gana was waiting for me with flowers! We hugged each other and didn’t want to let go! It had been a long year and three months since we were together. And a long four days trying to get from Los Angeles to Ulaanbaatar. Also there were several of his church members and friends who had been waiting for days to meet me.

We went from the airport to Gana’s flat where I met his mother for the first time. She gave me the Mongolian kisses (kind of like sniffing both cheeks). She was probably more nervous than I was! She had a beautiful table set with Mongolian salads, buuz (steamed dumplings), apples and beautiful little crystal stemware shot glasses. She poured everyone a shot of vodka. Gana whispered to us that we did not have to drink it, but just put it to our lips. His mother made a lovely toast and then I think my dad did as well.

We were so happy. Our trip was filled with meeting church members, going to cell groups, going out to dinner, shopping. In the evenings Gana and I sat in his kitchen gazing at one another—each of us refusing to say that we loved one another and holding back the desire to be in one another’s arms.

One day while in Darhan (the second largest city), Gana had “the talk” with my dad. He wanted to “officially” ask me to marry him. My parents must have been going through a tug-o-war in their hearts. Because we still didn’t know when Gana would get a visa to the States and yet they knew once we were engaged our hearts would be so joined together. They worried about a long and difficult engagement. But, they consented.

The next day we went back to Ulaanbaatar and my dad and Gana went to the U.S. Embassy to inquire about a U.S. visa for Gana. They were there a long, long time. Then the phone rang. It was Gana. He told me what I didn’t want to hear. He was denied a visa. This was the second time he had been denied a visa to the States.

I cried and cried. They came home and we went to get some lunch and do some sightseeing. My heart was not in it. In just four days we would be leaving Mongolia and I would again not know when I would see him again.


A mother hurts when her child hurts.
When Gana didn't get a visa his mother cried.

I lay down in the van, in the depths of despair, while my dad, Gana, and Gana’s best friend were doing some shopping and exchanging money. To me there was no way this day could be redeemed.

Little did I know what was taking them so long in the store.....