I was very skeptical about what the next day of ministry was going to look like.
They told us we were going trekking, had to find a ”Man of Peace” to stay with that night and were supposed to do ministry throughout the day.
My initial thoughts were:
“Heck no!”
“We are about to have a travel day in two days, how do they think this is a good idea?”
“They better have a back up plan in case we cant find anyone.”
I had a very bad attitude towards the whole idea of it. But as always, I sucked it up, packed my small backpack and headed out with my team.
Our group consisted of 10 people (2 men and 8 women), that pilled into buses that already were too crowded for more people with backpacks to load onto. We crammed into the buses with smiles on our faces because of how packed it was, all you could do was laugh.
We take the buses to where our guide was told to stop and then we started walking. Like a hitchhiker, we walked for a good little bit before we stopped a truck and we all piled in the back of it! I felt like I was in the titanic with the wind blowing in my hair.
After the truck stopped at the village that we were supposed to find our “Man of Peace”, my eyes started looking around, trying to scope out the right guy. We talked to two men and started walking. Not long after we started walking, a man comes over to the group and says hello then says something like “You guys love Jesus?”. We all replied with a “Yes, do you?” He says yes and tries to explain what he does.
He then leads us to his house that is a purple house with a white cross on the outside of it. He starts explaining who all the people hanging out the windows are who were curious to see 8 Americans and 2 Nepali people standing outside their home. They are all his family and he explains how they are all believers.
We are all sitting outside getting to know this wonderful family that opens up their homes with love and hospitality. They make us each some tea and get us some fruit.
We explain to our new friend that we are having a faith day and that we are having faith that the Lord would provide a man who would be willing to open his home for us to stay the night. He nods and offers his house. We were all completely shocked and thankful at the hospitality of this man and his family. After a few minutes, he tells us that he is going to call his friend or brother to see if he would be willing to house us because he has a bigger house.
After he calls, he tells us that Dennis will let us stay with him and he is headed over. We are all in awe of these people we just met. While we wait, we start worshiping, dancing and singing with the family and some of the neighbors. Dennis arrives and meets us and explains that we can stay the night with him and he will take us to dinner.
We get to pray for some of them and then we are invited to enter his house. He leads us to the roof to show us where his friend’s house it. Dennis’ house was not far but up on a hill (which means the view would possibly be the bomb).
After he shows us the view, he welcomes us into one of the rooms where we had tea and a hard boiled egg before we left them. We had good family conversation and we got to pray for them all. We prayed for healing but especially for that family and that they would be blessed ten fold for their hospitality.
We leave their house, which felt like home, and headed to meet Dennis and his family for dinner.
I thought this faith day could not get any better but of course the Lord keeps surprising us.
Where we met them, there was a concert going on which made my night because I have been missing my Memphis concerts.
Anyways, we head to his house so that we can drop off out stuff and go to dinner. We walked on the starry night to a restaurant that had a huge table ready for us and food already ready. I got to sit next to Dennis and hear about how he met his wife and how he met the Lord and all. He truly is a man of peace and we could not have prayed for a better man. Just when I thought we would head back after dinner, we stop and have a dance party. We dance with everyone at the restaurant. I do not think I have laughed so hard on the race yet! It was a night to remember.
So, then we head back to the house after dancing the night away. We all sit around thinking we were going to have a game night with their kids, but instead we have a bible study. He goes to Matthew and we read a passage and he asks us questions. We answer them and then we pray for many things.
After the bible study, we were all fading and so we all headed to bed. The women stayed in the living room and the men in another room. We stayed in a house that was warm and cozy. They were going to make breakfast for us and they even got Pat (one of my teammates) a cake for his birthday as a surprise.
It was a night to not only remember but a night full off thanksgiving and awe of how the Lord loves and provides for us.
After we met the first man, I had no worries or anxiety. I only had peace. He provided a man who was wiling to show us hospitality and one who opened his home to 10 random strangers.
It makes me think of how the Lord loves and cares for me. He surprises me and keeps me laughing and joyful. All night, I was probably the happiest I have been all month.
It not only made me thankful for how the Lord showed up, but made me want my home to be so open that any brother and sister that is in the body of Christ is welcome in my home. I am still in awe of what happened yesterday. Then, to top it off, the view from this mans roof was STUNNING!!! Pictures are below.
Nepal you have been a very hard yet completely rewarding month and I am sad to leave.
I need to not question whether He will provide for me, but to enjoy the adventure through it all!! Thank you Jesus! (oh I got to ride a motorcycle in a Nepal!!!)
