Greetings from Nepal!
As we finish our first week of all squad ministry with The Agape Missions International (TAMI), I wanted to share with supporters and future Racers what living conditions are like in Nepal for S squad. For those of you who don’t know what it means to have an “all squad month”, it basically means that all 51 members of my squad plus 4 squad leaders live in the same place and serve in the same ministry.
Ministry with our contact Brian has looked different every day, and I can tell that we are partnered with an organization that loves Jesus and loves the Nepali people. Through TAMI we have trekked into the hills surrounding Kathmandu to pray over the valley and a fertility temple, visited slums to sing songs and play games with kiddos, held a soccer tournament and free lunch outreach, and preached in local churches. We aren’t quite sure what the rest of the month looks like, but I already feel God moving in Kathmandu.
Living with 54 other people has honestly been a challenge for my introverted self, but it has also been a growing experience. I’ve given God the moments of frustration over never having alone time and He’s replaced them with teammate dance parties, laughing with friends I didn’t see in India, and swapping books with others on S squad. Although I like all squad month more than I originally thought, 55 people can be messy. Here are some pics of our home:
This is the bathroom that 13 girls share. Most Asian countries don’t have a separated shower, so you just use the drain in the corner.
The team bedroom looks worse than it is. We somehow have it organized so our 7 girl team can lay their packs and beds out. Two girls use the bed, another uses the couch, and the rest have sleeping pads.
My space -note the Special K (Praise the Lord)!
Our building has 3 kitchens, and this one is just outside of our room. My teammate Mikayla is a huge blessing to our team and makes us coffee and oatmeal most days.
Squad Leaders made each of us an envelope for words of encouragement and hung them in the stairwell.
This is (kinda) my spot. Sometimes my introvert needs 30 minutes alone and this chair overlooking our city is usually open in the moments I need it most. The smog is thick, but the outlines of the hills can usually be seen.
Finally, at the bottom of the stairs is our pile of shoes. I think a few of mine are still in there.
I hope these pictures help supporters and future Racers understand a bit more about ministry and living in Nepal! Continue praying for S squad as we learn more about Nepali ministry and already look forward to Vietnam.
-S squad best squad
