We left Haripur, Sarlahi yesterday.
As we pulled out of the drive with our bags packed up and tears in our eyes, I began to realize all that we really were leaving.
We left the jungle and the heat. We left mosquitoes that carry malaria and our broken expectations. We left strangers who became our family over the course of 17 days. We left some of the best food I’ve ever eaten. We left what we thought was going to be a very unpleasant time. And we left with hearts changed towards southern Nepal.
I truly loved those people. And it really hit me as we were driving away that we will probably never see them again in this life. And that hurt. It felt like we were breaking up. And breaking up sucks. It was so much more difficult than India. (I hate that I keep comparing, but I do. So, thank you for reading anyways. It will probably continue throughout the entire race.) I think it was difficult because we were challenged so much. We weren’t super excited about going seven hours south of Kathmandu. We weren’t excited about not being in the mountains. So, once we got over ourselves and our selfish desires, we really started embracing what God had given us. We had a family that loved us and neighbors who also poured into us by bringing us food and serving us. The struggles brought us together as a stronger team and we had to rely more on our contact this month than last. He really became a father-figure and his wife became our team mom. Our relationships here are something that will forever stand out in my mind as something to cherish.
We are now back in Kathmandu and have been serving alongside team Doulos at the Nepali Youth Ministry headquarters. The name of their headquarters is Asha, which in Nepali means hope. The children and women here are so loving and kind. They are such servants, and it has been great learning from them.
We will be here for a few more days before we head off to a hostel and work with an orphanage. The month just flew by. Yes, it was long while we were in it – it felt like we were there for three months when really, we were only there for 17 days. Now, we’re ready for the next challenge that God has for us. We are learning and adapting as we move on.
And with us we bring so many memories.
