Month 6 team Mosaic was assigned as the Unsung Hero’s for Nepal. Our job was to scout out other ministries within the country that could use/facilitate a World Race team. This gave us the oppertunity to travel around the country, and witness/interview many well established churches and missionaries. We were encouraged by what is being done and were an encouragement to those who’s ministries have become their day-to-day.
The month began with a debrief in one of the most popular tourist districts in Nepal – Thamel.
Our Christmas shopping consisted of puffy Nepal pants and “The North Fake.”
CHITWAN // NEPAL
Many of them ministries within the Thamel district had already been contacted but through connections and conversations we set out to the Chitwan – one of the largest national parks in southern Nepal.
Our host in Chitwan was a pastor of 3 churches who was an alcoholic and safari tour guide at a lodge just outside the national park. Because of his knowledge, on our walk to visit 9 village pastors he lead us by a rhino, an angry water buffalo, and an elephant bathing. Later being passed by a parade of painted elephants.
After fields of mustard flowers more vibrant then believable we found ourselves worshiping in a village church with 9 surrounding pastors and church leaders.
POKHARA // NEPAL
Time after time we were told and referred to head to churches or missionaries located in Pokhara. Pokhara being another breathtaking location within Nepal and completely different then our week in Chitwan.
A street vendor told us of their village sitting in the mountain side on the out skirts of Pokhara and gave us the opportunity to spend the night within the school he helped establish. The evening was one of the most memorable experiences of the race thus far and it wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for us being the Unsung Hero’s team.
The vendor’s village was a 45 minute bus ride up a bumpy dirt road to a high mountain side stop and a 2 hour hike across and up.
Pokhara lake view.
View from the roof of our hostel – Lucca Bed and Breakfast (best hostel hosts around).
Our team had the opportunity to treat ourselves to a 3 day trek to Poon Hill over Christmas.
Because of the connections we had made and the God given appointments we just so happened to pass a sister church to one of the contacts we met earlier in Pokhara. The 10 of us stopped for tea and a bite of cake to celebrate the birth of Christ with what seemed like not so strange, strangers.
On the morning of the 26th we woke up at 4:30 to summit Poon Hill. 8,000 steps later (seriously – 8,000 literal uneven mountain steps) we discovered the beauty of concurring a mountain.
DEBRIEF // BONUS
Few of us choose the once in a lifetime opportunity to fly up and see Mt. Everest. The chances of actually seeing the mountain are low due to the cloud cover and that was just the case for us. Our flight was the first to take off in the morning and every mountain was visible EXCEPT Everest and so we asked the pilot to turn around so we could get our money back.
They’ll either give you a chance to come back and attempt to see the mountain another time or your money back – our money back allowed us to pay for the Christmas trek. Everest or no Everest – the flight is worth the money.
