About
Purpose
To provide the highest caliber Christian education as outlined in the Bible and supported by Spirit of Prophecy guidelines, in an environment conducive to cultivating the next generation of leaders for the Adventist Church in Mongolia, at the secondary levels, through an accredited international junior high and high school
To provide marketable training in various fields and offer employment assistance through a campus vocational education program
To provide ongoing ministerial, evangelistic, and health education training for pastors and lay members, with the ultimate goal of sending forth domestic and international missionaries
To provide affordable access to healthful produce and encourage a vegetarian diet and agricultural independence
To provide a central location for health education, training, and support programs
To provide auxiliary and financial support for the schools and training center through an income-generating agricultural center, wellness center, and retreat/resort
Background
The Adventist Church in Mongolia is growing rapidly. Successful evangelistic meetings and outreach efforts have brought in many new believers. But both new believers, and the still relatively new ministers tending to the needs of their congregations, need further training—in fundamental Biblical concepts, healthy lifestyle choices, and practical Christian living.
A vast majority of church members are either unemployed or underemployed. Financial difficulties afflict nearly every church and company in the Mission. Annual tithes from some churches don’t even equal the amount for dinner at a nice restaurant. Better financial education will definitely play a role in resolving this situation, but without gainfully employed church members, tithes and offerings are insufficient to support the local churches, and there are no funds for ministry and community outreach efforts (that do not come from outside sources).
The first generation of Adventists now has children in their teens who can benefit greatly from a solid Adventist education. Although there is a small church school (of approximately 150 students) attached to the Ulaanbaatar Central Church, it is basically only an elementary school. Because there isn’t a solid program for the upper grades, there are only a handful of students in grades 6-8, and no high school at all. And although the current tuition is considered quite low (roughly US$590-US$640 per year) very few Adventist families can afford it (apart from pastors and Mission employees who receive generous subsidies from the Mission). With such low tuition rates, the school has not been able to operate without incurring substantial debt—to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars each year—which the Mission (with financial assistance from the NSD) has been subsidizing.
With a vision for the future, the Mission recently purchased 56 hectares (approximately 138 acres) of land near the soon-to-open, new international airport, only 30 km from Ulaanbaatar—a very manageable distance—far away enough to be removed from the distractions and the pollution of the city, while close enough to make commuting feasible.
The goal of the Gateway Corporation is to become not only financially viable, but completely self-sufficient. Although it may take several years to reach the point of fiscal independence, by operating a profitable international school (one that will not need constant monetary support from the Mission/NSD) and with the additional income generated by the ancillary industries on the campus, Gateway International Education Corporation will become not only financially independent, but an actual financial asset to the Mission.