- Gateway International Education Corporation
consisting of:
Gateway International Academy (GIA)
Gateway Vocational School (GVS)
Gateway Agricultural Center (GAC)
Gateway Wellness Center (GWC)
Gateway Resort & Recreation Center (GRRC)
Purpose:
To provide the highest caliber Adventist 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 junior high and high school
To provide ongoing ministerial, evangelistic, and health education training for pastors, teachers, and lay members
To provide marketable training in various fields and offer employment assistance through a campus vocational education program
To operate a sustainable year-round agriculture (greenhouse) program for the health benefits of the Mongolia Mission staff, church members, and local communities
To provide crucial auxiliary and financial support for the schools and training center through an income-generating agricultural center. wellness center, and tour camp
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. Monthly 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 attached to the Ulaanbaatar Central Church, many students transfer out for junior high and high school. Mongolia is a very young country, demographically speaking, and our Adventist Church also aligns with those trends. These young people are the future of the Mongolian Church and need to be well-trained and educated in a spiritual, Adventist environment.
So, with a vision for the future, the Mission acquired a valuable 58 hectare (143 acre) plot of land, only 40 minutes from Ulaanbaatar—a very manageable distance, but far enough away to be removed from the distractions and the pollution of the city. The land lies just inside the Ulaanbaatar/Tov Province border, and has nearby access to key infrastructure.
Another fringe benefit to training up a cadre of young Mongolian missionaries is that they are able to go where others cannot. Mongolians can travel in and out of China, Russia, and even North Korea with relative ease. What better way to evangelize in these otherwise “closed” countries? With their linguistic talents, many of our Mongolian church members already speak a second and even third language. It would be no particular hardship for them to learn Chinese or Russian and many already speaking a smattering of Korean. In the final thrust of these end days’ evangelistic efforts, our Mongolian brothers and sisters are bound to play a key role.
Finally, the long-term goal of the Gateway project is to help the Mongolia Mission become financially self-sustaining. Although we will need the world church’s support for the initial capital investment for construction; and, it may take several years to reach the point of fiscal independence, by operating a prestigious international school (one that will not need constant monetary support from the Mission, NSD and world church), and with the additional income generated by the ancillary industries on the campus, Gateway International Education Center will become an essential financial asset to the Adventist Church.