Mother-daughter duo planning trip to Mongolia to broaden their horizons
EUSTIS — When most parents send their high school graduates to college, they ply them with reminders to attend class and call home regularly.
Renee Lauby decided to send her daughter, Miranda, off with a different message.
Renee, a veterinarian at Hilltop Pet Clinic, noticed the Christian Veterinary Mission group at continuing education conferences. CVM sends veterinary professionals and their families throughout the world serving with churches, mission agencies and development organizations.
Doing her part was something that was in the back of Renee’s mind for the past 20 years. But, she said, it’s no easy task to pick up and leave five children to fly around the world.
“I thought at some point it would happen, and then I just started thinking about how it was when I was in college and what my mental attitude was like then, and I thought, ‘You know, what a gift that would be, to have a bigger perspective than that before you go out and do that,’” Renee said.
Renee saw a mission trip for CVM as not only a way to bond with her oldest child but also to give the high school junior a better understanding of the world. She hopes to take all of her children on trips similar to this when they reach Miranda’s age.
“I guess it will be a life lesson for her as she goes off into our spoiled culture — that she realizes that not every culture is like that and appreciates the gifts that we have,” Renee said.
Renee contacted CVM to let it know of her interest in serving. After frequent correspondence, it was decided the best place for Renee and Miranda was in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, the capital and largest city in Mongolia.
Thousands of people around the world struggle to survive because of lack of knowledge, skills and resources to care for their animals, so CVM sends veterinarians to provide people with veterinary expertise and to spread the Gospel.
Renee will be relieving one of CVM’s long-term fieldworkers for two weeks. The mother-daughter pair will begin their journey on Memorial Day.
While in Mongolia, Renee will be working with horses the Mongolians use to move animals such as water buffalo and goats to pasture. However, her focus will be on smaller animals.
“I’m going to work in their small-animal practice training their veterinarians so that ultimately they can operate without foreign veterinarians coming in and helping,” Renee said. “Dogs are important to them as guard dogs and also to be working dogs with their large animals.”
While Renee is busy working with animals, Miranda will help teach English in a school.
“There are not a whole lot of books available in their native language. For them to learn English just opens up a whole new realm as far as education goes. That’s kind of an important thing for them, as well,” Renee said.
With little experience as world travelers, Renee and Miranda have been spending lots of time together learning about the culture and language and fundraising for their trip.
Renee estimates that airfare and time spent in Mongolia will cost about $4,000 per person.
The Laubys started small by having fundraising dinners at Christ the King Catholic Church in Cozad, and Renee’s husband, Jason, has been selling tri-tip roasts to the family’s neighbors. The family has raised $2,000.
When Renee’s fellow Boots ‘n Spurs 4-H Club leader Cheri Bromander learned about the trip, she began to make bigger plans for the Laubys.
“I have known Renee for several years. We teach 4-H together. Our kids go to school together. She told us they were planning this, and it was going to be a lot more expensive than they thought,” Bromander said.
Bromander plans a trail ride as a fundraiser. The event will be similar to the trail ride in 2011 for Eustis’s anniversary celebration.
“Horses are a big part of the Laubys’ lives and our lives. Horses are vital to the Mongolians’ lives, and I just thought this was a neat way to incorporate that into their trip,” Bromander said. “I was very excited for her. The Laubys are an exceptional family. I was excited for the opportunity to help her out with this.”
The trail ride will begin at 9 a.m. April 28 at the Trail Head at the Eustis Fairgrounds with registration, and the ride starts at 10 a.m. The cost is $15 per rider and $50 per family. Bromander expects the ride to last about five hours with an hour lunch break at the Silica Mine.
“We will be riding through the hills and canyons there,” Bromander said. “It is manageable for riders of any level. There is very little road riding, mostly in pastures.”
Bromander hopes that there will be 200 participants at the trail ride.
“It will be a fun event. If people have never been to Eustis, it’s a fun town. We are working hard. There are a lot of really good people and beautiful scenery,” Bromander said.
Donations also are being accepted at www.cvmusa.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=1630 for Dr. Renee Lauby in short-term missions and account ID of UCVSTM1418.
Support from family and friends has been overwhelming and exciting, Renee said.
“The trip will be awesome, but what an amazing lesson of faith already. We went from thinking maybe we wouldn’t be able to raise enough money to go, to being excited about a good friend, Cheri and family members, to a community rallying around us and the opportunity to reach out to other, less fortunate communities.”
email to:
ashley.leever@kearneyhub.com
Renee Lauby decided to send her daughter, Miranda, off with a different message.
Renee, a veterinarian at Hilltop Pet Clinic, noticed the Christian Veterinary Mission group at continuing education conferences. CVM sends veterinary professionals and their families throughout the world serving with churches, mission agencies and development organizations.
Doing her part was something that was in the back of Renee’s mind for the past 20 years. But, she said, it’s no easy task to pick up and leave five children to fly around the world.
“I thought at some point it would happen, and then I just started thinking about how it was when I was in college and what my mental attitude was like then, and I thought, ‘You know, what a gift that would be, to have a bigger perspective than that before you go out and do that,’” Renee said.
Renee saw a mission trip for CVM as not only a way to bond with her oldest child but also to give the high school junior a better understanding of the world. She hopes to take all of her children on trips similar to this when they reach Miranda’s age.
“I guess it will be a life lesson for her as she goes off into our spoiled culture — that she realizes that not every culture is like that and appreciates the gifts that we have,” Renee said.
Renee contacted CVM to let it know of her interest in serving. After frequent correspondence, it was decided the best place for Renee and Miranda was in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, the capital and largest city in Mongolia.
Thousands of people around the world struggle to survive because of lack of knowledge, skills and resources to care for their animals, so CVM sends veterinarians to provide people with veterinary expertise and to spread the Gospel.
Renee will be relieving one of CVM’s long-term fieldworkers for two weeks. The mother-daughter pair will begin their journey on Memorial Day.
While in Mongolia, Renee will be working with horses the Mongolians use to move animals such as water buffalo and goats to pasture. However, her focus will be on smaller animals.
“I’m going to work in their small-animal practice training their veterinarians so that ultimately they can operate without foreign veterinarians coming in and helping,” Renee said. “Dogs are important to them as guard dogs and also to be working dogs with their large animals.”
While Renee is busy working with animals, Miranda will help teach English in a school.
“There are not a whole lot of books available in their native language. For them to learn English just opens up a whole new realm as far as education goes. That’s kind of an important thing for them, as well,” Renee said.
With little experience as world travelers, Renee and Miranda have been spending lots of time together learning about the culture and language and fundraising for their trip.
Renee estimates that airfare and time spent in Mongolia will cost about $4,000 per person.
The Laubys started small by having fundraising dinners at Christ the King Catholic Church in Cozad, and Renee’s husband, Jason, has been selling tri-tip roasts to the family’s neighbors. The family has raised $2,000.
When Renee’s fellow Boots ‘n Spurs 4-H Club leader Cheri Bromander learned about the trip, she began to make bigger plans for the Laubys.
“I have known Renee for several years. We teach 4-H together. Our kids go to school together. She told us they were planning this, and it was going to be a lot more expensive than they thought,” Bromander said.
Bromander plans a trail ride as a fundraiser. The event will be similar to the trail ride in 2011 for Eustis’s anniversary celebration.
“Horses are a big part of the Laubys’ lives and our lives. Horses are vital to the Mongolians’ lives, and I just thought this was a neat way to incorporate that into their trip,” Bromander said. “I was very excited for her. The Laubys are an exceptional family. I was excited for the opportunity to help her out with this.”
The trail ride will begin at 9 a.m. April 28 at the Trail Head at the Eustis Fairgrounds with registration, and the ride starts at 10 a.m. The cost is $15 per rider and $50 per family. Bromander expects the ride to last about five hours with an hour lunch break at the Silica Mine.
“We will be riding through the hills and canyons there,” Bromander said. “It is manageable for riders of any level. There is very little road riding, mostly in pastures.”
Bromander hopes that there will be 200 participants at the trail ride.
“It will be a fun event. If people have never been to Eustis, it’s a fun town. We are working hard. There are a lot of really good people and beautiful scenery,” Bromander said.
Donations also are being accepted at www.cvmusa.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=1630 for Dr. Renee Lauby in short-term missions and account ID of UCVSTM1418.
Support from family and friends has been overwhelming and exciting, Renee said.
“The trip will be awesome, but what an amazing lesson of faith already. We went from thinking maybe we wouldn’t be able to raise enough money to go, to being excited about a good friend, Cheri and family members, to a community rallying around us and the opportunity to reach out to other, less fortunate communities.”
email to:
ashley.leever@kearneyhub.com
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