How to begin?! Nepal, what a unique and beautiful country and people. Really. I keep thinking to myself, what is it that makes these people so loving to strangers in their country? Even despite all that has happened in the last 2 plus weeks with earthquakes and everything being destroyed and taken away from so many of these families, and still- smiles and love. Such a strong community.
So, to fill some of you in, on all of the details……
First of all, when we were still in India, we were told that we would not be going on to Nepal for month 5 as planned because of the earthquake that devastated this poor country. We were told to wait for further details on what was to come, but more than likely we would be staying in India another month doing ministry in Hyderabad. I would say most of our squad was a little sad about this news, but trusting God had a plan for our time in India. Well, a few days later, we were notified that we were in fact going to Nepal, where our original ministry hosts requested that we Come! They needed us now, more than ever. So, with great excitement and humbleness, our squad flew into Nepal. So amazed that we had this opportunity to go to this country at THIS TIME. As everyone has been saying, “In such a time as this” and “God has entrusted us with this opportunity”. I can say for myself, when I found out we were going I was so overjoyed but at the same time dealing with a heaviness of the seriousness of what we were being entrusted with and knowing I NEED to draw all of my strength from the Lord to endure what we would be experiencing.
Arriving at that airport in Nepal felt surreal. All around were planes and helicopters loading supplies to send out to the people. We saw so many pallets of food and more supplies in the airport, so many going out to help. So many people there to help. I kept trying to imagine the things we would see this month…
Week one: We spent our first week in the capital city of Kathmandu working together with a local pastor and church members. We spent our time praying together and worshiping and putting on the armor of God before going out to the people. We then visited different communities affected and passed out water and food, and just simply spent time with people. Listening to their stories of what they lost and how they were handling things now, and what their needs were. One day, we visited a Muslim community and played with the children. We played games and laughed and hugged. Was such precious time for them to be able to forget what had happened and be kids and laugh. We prayed over a girl about 13 years old who had just had surgery on her foot after stepping on a nail and we told her who Jesus was and how He is her forever friend and that she can pray to Him anytime, anywhere because He is always listening to her. We visited famous temples in the area…spending time circling around them, praying to Our God for this country. That they would know the One True God in the midst of all their false ones. We sang and worshipped and prayed over villages below and for their souls and for Hope and Peace for Nepal. Another day we visited a brick factory. Many of the workers were here from India for work. Thankfully they were on break during the first earthquake and all were safe. But much of the factory was destroyed. Another disheartening thing we saw here were young children working. Working as hard as the adults. Child labor is real, and not a pleasant reality to experience.
Week 2: During week two we packed up our tents and a few supplies and headed to the mountains to Melchour, Nepal. We were there to serve a pastor we met and help re-build a church that was completely collapsed. Our first morning there, we began clearing the rocks. With 50 + people we made good progress. We took a break for lunch, and during this break was when the ground began to tremble under our feet! This was my first experience with an earthquake, and the first thing I did was drop to the ground mostly because I couldn’t physically stand. This earthquake was a 7.4 and we were only about 20 miles from the epicenter! After it stopped, all we could see below us was a cloud of dust and all we could hear was terrified screams from the people below. All we could think was, these poor Nepali people, experiencing this Again. L What next..?! We were told to immediately pack up our tents and trek up to the top of the mountain. That trek up the mountain was a long one. I remember walking past so many locals asking us if we were leaving. The kids we had met walked with us all the way up. We passed a big group and they were just sitting on a high place on the mountain watching us leave. That was one of the hardest things, to leave these people. They had just been through Another traumatic earthquake, with More destruction and death and we were leaving. I definitely trusted our leadership that for our own safety it was wise to leave, but it’s a difficult thing to just leave at this time. We relocated and set up our tents under a large tent the UN had set up…later that day we went down to the village just below us …we got to stop and sit with people …again, listening to their stories. Just listening and not trying to give them reasons of Why this happened…because we really don’t know why. Just listen. I was so amazed at the strength in the Nepali people. They have such Strong community. I know it is going to take such a long time, but they will rebuild and “live” again. We tried to leave them with the Hope that Christ gives us.
I can share later more of how I’ve been working through(emotionally) the event of all that happened but the bottom line: God’s hand of protection Was, has been, and continues to be over us! We literally saw landslides and homes crash below us, not above us. We were also resting during the time it happened and so we were not injured as we may have been if we were still working with the large rocks. He continues to show us His power but also that He is in control and is protecting us. Praise Him for this!
Nepal
How to begin?! Nepal, what a unique and beautiful country and people. Really. I keep thinking to myself, what is it that makes these people so loving to strangers in their country? Even despite all that has happened in the last 2 plus weeks with earthquakes and everything being destroyed and taken away from so many of these families, and still- smiles and love. Such a strong community.
So, to fill some of you in, on all of the details……
First of all, when we were still in India, we were told that we would not be going on to Nepal for month 5 as planned because of the earthquake that devastated this poor country. We were told to wait for further details on what was to come, but more than likely we would be staying in India another month doing ministry in Hyderabad. I would say most of our squad was a little sad about this news, but trusting God had a plan for our time in India. Well, a few days later, we were notified that we were in fact going to Nepal, where our original ministry hosts requested that we Come! They needed us now, more than ever. So, with great excitement and humbleness, our squad flew into Nepal. So amazed that we had this opportunity to go to this country at THIS TIME. As everyone has been saying, “In such a time as this” and “God has entrusted us with this opportunity”. I can say for myself, when I found out we were going I was so overjoyed but at the same time dealing with a heaviness of the seriousness of what we were being entrusted with and knowing I NEED to draw all of my strength from the Lord to endure what we would be experiencing.
Arriving at that airport in Nepal felt surreal. All around were planes and helicopters loading supplies to send out to the people. We saw so many pallets of food and more supplies in the airport, so many going out to help. So many people there to help. I kept trying to imagine the things we would see this month…
Week one: We spent our first week in the capital city of Kathmandu working together with a local pastor and church members. We spent our time praying together and worshiping and putting on the armor of God before going out to the people. We then visited different communities affected and passed out water and food, and just simply spent time with people. Listening to their stories of what they lost and how they were handling things now, and what their needs were. One day, we visited a Muslim community and played with the children. We played games and laughed and hugged. Was such precious time for them to be able to forget what had happened and be kids and laugh. We prayed over a girl about 13 years old who had just had surgery on her foot after stepping on a nail and we told her who Jesus was and how He is her forever friend and that she can pray to Him anytime, anywhere because He is always listening to her. We visited famous temples in the area…spending time circling around them, praying to Our God for this country. That they would know the One True God in the midst of all their false ones. We sang and worshipped and prayed over villages below and for their souls and for Hope and Peace for Nepal. Another day we visited a brick factory. Many of the workers were here from India for work. Thankfully they were on break during the first earthquake and all were safe. But much of the factory was destroyed. Another disheartening thing we saw here were young children working. Working as hard as the adults. Child labor is real, and not a pleasant reality to experience.
Week 2: During week two we packed up our tents and a few supplies and headed to the mountains to Melchour, Nepal. We were there to serve a pastor we met and help re-build a church that was completely collapsed. Our first morning there, we began clearing the rocks. With 50 + people we made good progress. We took a break for lunch, and during this break was when the ground began to tremble under our feet! This was my first experience with an earthquake, and the first thing I did was drop to the ground mostly because I couldn’t physically stand. This earthquake was a 7.4 and we were only about 20 miles from the epicenter! After it stopped, all we could see below us was a cloud of dust and all we could hear was terrified screams from the people below. All we could think was, these poor Nepali people, experiencing this Again. L What next..?! We were told to immediately pack up our tents and trek up to the top of the mountain. That trek up the mountain was a long one. I remember walking past so many locals asking us if we were leaving. The kids we had met walked with us all the way up. We passed a big group and they were just sitting on a high place on the mountain watching us leave. That was one of the hardest things, to leave these people. They had just been through Another traumatic earthquake, with More destruction and death and we were leaving. I definitely trusted our leadership that for our own safety it was wise to leave, but it’s a difficult thing to just leave at this time. We relocated and set up our tents under a large tent the UN had set up…later that day we went down to the village just below us …we got to stop and sit with people …again, listening to their stories. Just listening and not trying to give them reasons of Why this happened…because we really don’t know why. Just listen. I was so amazed at the strength in the Nepali people. They have such Strong community. I know it is going to take such a long time, but they will rebuild and “live” again. We tried to leave them with the Hope that Christ gives us.
I can share later more of how I’ve been working through(emotionally) the event of all that happened but the bottom line: God’s hand of protection Was, has been, and continues to be over us! We literally saw landslides and homes crash below us, not above us. We were also resting during the time it happened and so we were not injured as we may have been if we were still working with the large rocks. He continues to show us His power but also that He is in control and is protecting us. Praise Him for this!
