Six months ago, I didn’t even know where Mongolia was on a map. Today, I am living and working in this vast and relatively obscure country in northern Asia, between Russia and China, and love it.

As a registered nurse, I always wanted to use my medical training to bring help to the less fortunate in developing countries. I never imagined that God would bring my husband, who serves as the Samaritan’s Purse country director, and me to Mongolia.

I remember stepping off the plane in January to the coldest weather I’d ever experienced. Everything looked so foreign. Mongolia is a beautiful, wide-open country with endless plains and towering mountains. Many people still live a nomadic lifestyle, dwelling in round, felt tents called gers and herding animals.

Until 1990, Mongolia was a communist country, closely associated with the Soviet Union. When the system fell apart, the nation made a relatively smooth transition to democracy. A new wave of religious freedom swept through, and the church was finally allowed to flourish.
Saraa (left) and Oji, two staff members with Children's Heart Project in Mongolia.


Samaritan’s Purse began working in Mongolia in 2000 through Children’s Heart Project, a program that identifies youth with congenital heart defects that are unable to be treated in their home country. Samaritan’s Purse then arranges transportation, lodging, and medical care with North American hospitals and churches. The program has increased over the years, and currently, Samaritan’s Purse sends between 20 and 30 children to the U.S. every year. Once a year, Samaritan’s Purse sends a team of American doctors and nurses to Mongolia to perform 20 surgeries in the country and provide surgical training to Mongolian doctors.

I am so blessed to work with three lovely ladies on the Children’s Heart Project team. Saraa has been working with Samaritan’s Purse for nine years and knows anything you could ever want to know about the project. Oji is an evangelist and has a strong desire to serve others. Gany is one of the newest members of the team, is a great worship leader, and is always eager to help in any way. We all work together to plan and coordinate, but the best part of our jobs is visiting Mongolian families and offering them hope! We often tell them: “We can help heal your child’s physical heart, but only God can heal your spiritual hearts, and we want to tell you how He can do that.”

I’m excited to share more with you this month about Children’s Heart Project and how God is working in Mongolia.