Courtesy Photo | Capt. Casey Freeman, 17th Test Squadron flight commander, works in the fields to stack...... read more read more
SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - It was more than a year ago when everything changed for Capt. Casey Freeman.
The 17th Test Squadron flight commander decided to take his church's offer to go out into the countryside and fellowship with Mongolian nomadic families.
"I felt like God had been calling me to do something more in my life and I jumped at this amazing opportunity to serve," Freeman said.
With a population of approximately 3 million people and more than 600,000 square miles of land, Mongolia is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world. About 30 percent of the country's population is either nomadic or semi-nomadic.
Freeman took his time off and devoted his resources for the trip. Together with another missionary member, he embarked on the adventure of a lifetime. He spent a total of 15 days in Mongolia, 10 days in the countryside and a couple of days at a conference and at the capital Ulaanbaatar.
"Missionaries have many styles and come in a variety of shapes and forms, and all of them are important," said Susan Buenger, First Presbyterian Church world missions associate and the person in charge of coordinating Freeman's trip. "In Captain Freeman's case, he provided valuable manual labor to a nomad family who really needed help as their living circumstances were harsh and isolated. By assisting this family in such a tangible way, he not only shared his compassion, but also God's love. I think all of us appreciate being noticed and cared about, we appreciate help, hope and encouragement."
Freeman's fellowsh focus in Mongolia was to serve the nomadic families.
"We are there to build relationships and show the Mongolians we are out there working with them, explaining a little bit about the gospel," the Tacoma, Wash., native said.
During his adventure, Freeman stayed with a local family and immersed himself in the Mongolian lifestyle and culture. He worked in the fields to stack and move piles of grass in preparation for the harsh winter months.
"I thought it was a lot of hard work but it's really laid back. They have a lot of fun too," said Freeman.
Working with the Mongolians was an eye-opening experience for him.
"There was no sense of time, you wake up, you sit around and when it feels like it's time to work, people head out to the field," Freeman said.
He also observed how the nomads, who have been living the same lifestyle for thousands of years, were slowly incorporating new technologies and how ingenious they were in everything they did.
"We watched a Mongolian boxer in the Olympics on television through a satellite dish running through a car battery," Freeman said.
Freeman also experienced traditional Mongolian food and learning local phrases and words. He bonded with them through sports, such as soccer and basketball. He recounted how he was the tallest man in the area and the people didn't want to wrestle him. Just like a family member, Freeman also received his Mongolian name, Togmod, from a Mongolian story.
"They are very hospitable," he said. "They took us in like we were family. When we were leaving, the family we stayed with was tearing up. I also got emotional having to say goodbye to some of these people. You develop a bond in a short period."
Buenger said it is great when people are generous enough to share their time with others. Time is an important commodity when getting to know others and especially when serving them.
"Captain Freeman's time showed support, faith and compassion to those with whom he shared it," she said. "[He] served alongside young, college-aged Mongolian men. To have a stranger, friend-of-a-friend travel so far to simply be of help and support to someone else certainly had an impact."
Prior to his trip, Freeman went through an eight-week training about the culture, political views, economic situation and learned some Mongolian words.
"We didn't really know what to expect in this trip," he said.
However, he cherishes having a nomad family on the other side of the world. When asked if he would return to Mongolia, he answered, "I would go back."
| Date Taken: | 09.05.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 09.05.2013 11:27 |
| Story ID: | 113109 |
| Location: | SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, COLORADO, US |
| Hometown: | COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, US |
| Hometown: | TACOMA, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 83 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Captain experiences nomadic lifestyle on spiritual mission, by MSgt Julius Delos Reyes, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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