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When two Mongolian teens visited with Garrett Ferguson and his parents at their Texas ranch in March, they extended an invitation for the family to come to their country someday and see them.

Although the offer was tempting, it seemed unlikely that Larry and Ginger Ferguson and 11-year-old Garrett would make such a trip anytime in the near future. Such a journey seemed extremely daunting. They had never traveled internationally, nor had they flown in an airplane.

“We wanted to come, but thought it would never happen,” Garrett said. “And now, here we are!”

For the past two weeks, the Fergusons have been traveling with our Children’s Heart Project staff throughout this rugged and sparsely-populated Asian country, experiencing a culture far different from their small-town life in Mexia, Texas.

The highlight of the journey came on July 8, when the Fergusons were reunited with Bajka and Choijka and their mothers. The last time they saw each other, it had been a tearful goodbye for everyone when the teens left after a two-day visit with the family in the spring. Garrett bonded with the older boys almost immediately.

Last winter, the Children’s Heart Project brought the boys, both 16, to San Antonio to receive life-saving surgery. Garrett, who had corrective heart surgery as an infant, raised $8,000 for the Samaritan’s Purse program last year. The Fergusons met the boys in San Antonio after their surgeries and invited them to their home in Mexia.

Now it was the Fergusons’ turn to visit, and they were willing to travel over halfway across the world to accomplish their mission. Seeing one another again brought a fresh wave of emotion.

The boys started running as soon as they recognized each other when they met up in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar. Then the moms hugged and tears flowed.

“This was the most emotional day of the trip, but also the best day,” Ginger said. “Today we got to see our Mongolian family.”

The group then accompanied our staff to a special meeting with three Mongolian children who will be coming to the United States later this summer for cardiac surgery. Bajka and Choijka spoke with the boys and their mothers and shared their personal testimonies of God’s healing work in their own lives.

They were also deeply moved when they visited a hospital where several of the patients were children with heart problems. One boy who was only a year older than Garrett was seriously ill and his condition was considered inoperable.

“He was a foot shorter than me and was so skinny,” Garrett said. “And his hands were so blue they looked like he had soaked them in grape soda.”

The group prayed with the boy, and rejoiced to learn that he and his mother had accepted Christ a few days ago.

Every day the Fergusons were treated to new adventures. Soon after their arrival in Mongolia, they began a 2 ½-hour trek over rocky terrain to a nomad camp in the Gobi desert. Roads don’t exist here, and the Fergusons were bounced and jostled inside a minivan as their driver sped along the dirt paths at 60 mph.

During their three-day sojourn at the camp, Garrett and his parents stayed in a ger. These small round houses are typically made of sheep’s wool and goat hair. Rugs cover the interior walls and floors for much-needed insulation against sub-zero temperatures in the winter.

They were served a traditional dinner of steamed dumplings, goat meat, and milk tea. Breakfast was more Westernized, with toast, eggs, sausage, and gravy. Later in the trip, Garrett went to a restaurant in the city and ate a yak burger with fries.

A horse lover, Garrett couldn’t refuse the opportunity to ride a nomadic herdsman’s primary mode of transportation in the desert. However, he passed on climbing aboard a camel that possessed potent salivary glands and an ill temper.

Seeing the widespread poverty and lack of basic necessities was an eye-opening experience for the entire family. Water, not electricity or computers, is a precious commodity for the nomadic tribes who use much of their limited supply for livestock.

“We have seen and done so many things that we never would have imagined,” Ginger said. “We have enjoyed the beauty of the mountains here and the glory of God’s creation. But we have also seen things that break our hearts. It’s amazing how we get used to living in our own little worlds. I realize how truly blessed we are.”

The Fergusons left Mongolia on July 10, eager to share their experiences with friends and neighbors back home. They plan to continue to raise funds so that more boys and girls can receive surgery through Children’s Heart Project. Even more thrilling, they have seen the Lord at work in transforming hearts for eternity.

Garrett’s dad Larry said he is excited about what God will do for the families of the three Mongolian boys who will soon be making the journey to the United States.

“I know that the parents are concerned about the health of their kids,” Larry said. “I understand because we went through that with Garrett. But what they don’t yet realize is God wants to touch their lives in a deeper way. When He does, their lives will never be the same again.”

And after their journey to Mongolia, the Fergusons won’t be the same again, either.

Samaritan's Purse , Mongolia , Children's Heart Project , From Mexia to Mongolia