In my five months on the Race, I’ve seen a lot. I’ve seen a lot of brokenness and a lot of poverty. I’ve seen slums next to mansions and starving children. I’ve seen kids sniff gasoline to stay warm. I’ve seen so much that not much surprises me anymore.
I have had my moments where the enormity of the world’s hurt is too much. Fortunately, God has since then revealed to me a simple truth. It’s not my job to take on that burden. He’s brought me on the Race, and now to Nepal, for a reason, and my only job is to love the people right in front of me.
Right in front of me now is a nation in crisis. Nepal passed a new constitution that India doesn’t like, so India established an unofficial blockade along the Nepal-India border. Since Nepal is landlocked, it isn’t receiving any imported goods. This includes fuel, food, and medical supplies. This has been going on since September, and the country is struggling.
Right in front of me are lines for gas half a mile long.
Right in front of me there are men illegally shoveling sand into bags along the river in hopes of selling them to make a living.
Right in front of me are people passing out drunk in the middle of the afternoon because the stress of making a living is too much.
Right in front of me is a nation of extreme generosity and hospitality. Even in crisis, they welcome us into their home and offer us tea—even though we know the fuel they used to heat it is so, so precious.
Right in front of me are the sweet street kids we work with, who despite the fact the cookies that we give them might be the only thing they eat for days, offer to share.
Right in front of me is a struggling ministry that once fed street kids a warm meal, but has had to stop because everything is astronomically more expensive.
Right in front of me is a desperate need, and I think I’m here for a reason.
The purpose of this blog two-fold. First, I wanted to let you into a little bit of what I see. I am so privileged to do what I do, and so many stories I hear are worth sharing. Secondly, I’d like to invite you to help out my little friends who sleep on the street. They’d love some rice and chicken. My team launched a platform (link below) to help raise enough money to feed all 30 kids in the street kid program for a year while the country is in crisis. Think and pray about it! Don’t feel guilt-tripped or anything, but I just had to give a voice to what is happening right in front of me!
As my Nepali friends say, namaste!!
http://give.adventures.org/campaign.asp?campaignid=1083
