I am having trouble finding words to describe what The Lord has been doing here in Nepal lately. Ministry looks different day to day, we are not just doing one type of ministry. The past couple of weeks have been the busiest thus far on the world race, hence why I have not blogged in two weeks. Last Monday and Tuesday we went to dance bars at night to form friendships with girls that work there. Many young women end up employed there because either their husbands forsake them leaving no money and no land or, that their parents do not have the finances to support the family, therefore, their daughter is pressured to find work in places like dance bars. They are not prostitutes in their job title, however, sometimes the men at the bars like what they see and offer money in turn for sex. Boom, more money in the bank account… easy and fun money.
Walking into my first dance bar experience, I was anxious about what was about to happen. A guard/security guy lead us up two flights of stairs into a smokey room. Turning the corner were lights making up all the colors of the rainbow and music loud enough to blow an eardrum. It smelt of alcohol, hookah, and cigarettes. I sat down nervously wondering what my next move was. The clothes I was wearing made my appearance similar to that of a dirty-travelling-hippy in comparison to the little piece of cute material, a dress, that the dancers were wearing. After looking clueless for a few minutes along with a couple of my squad mates, we summoned a waitress over. We spoke to her a little while, bought her a coke, and got her contact information. I have yet to follow up with her but I plan to before leaving. When she stood up and went back to her job we asked another girl to come sit with us. She looked about 16 years old but after asking her questions about her life we came to find out that she was 18 and had only recently started this job. Her two best friends work there as well, hard circumstances have obligated them to work at the dance bar. We went on to find that she actually does not like working there, that’s a positive thing because it gives a reason to quit. I received her phone number and have now met up with her and her friends twice. They wanted to go to the park one day and what I witnessed brought me joy. All I saw were three ladies acting like the young girls they really are. The innocence was shining from them. Laughing uncontrollably, sliding down slides, swinging on swings, I saw the real them. We’ve spoken to them about quitting the dance bar and joining us where they can learn a new job skill. Housing and food is provided and they would have the potential to work in a parlour or start up a shop etc. They said they will give us their final decision next time we hang out, which is in a couple of days. In this situation, it’s a win or lose. Because of their tight friendship, they cannot be split up which leaving two different scenarios: we could either gain three new girls to the women’s center or lose them to the world. I ask that you be praying earnestly that they make the right decision and the scales upon their eyes be removed. As for another woman that we met, she’s quitting the dance bar!!! God used us to rescue this 25 year old woman from a dark life into a bright future. She has told us how her job makes her feel. It feels nice in the moment, especially when men give her attention and “love.” But she expressed to us of how it makes her feel afterwards, like she’s worthless. We were able to pour into her and encourage her in the fact that Jesus sees her worth and thinks she is worth more than all the diamonds in the world. We hope that she will be settled into the women’s center within the next two weeks. The Lord is actually SO good. I never thought I would be doing work like this, but here I am. Please spend time with The Lord asking Him to bless this and that everything will work out and all the women will make the wise choice.
(Above are dance bar friends)
The slums. A place that has changed my perspective entirely on life. Each time leaving the slums, deep thoughts consume my mind and I begin to ponder hard on everything I’ve ever thought. My selfishness dwindles down and grief mixed with guilt boils through my pores. The slums smell so bad. People living there have no money for their own property or house, therefore, they become squatters on government property. Any day at any time the government could just come and tell everyone to leave, resulting in numerous homeless individuals. Houses are put together with mud, tin, sacks, and any other object working as makeshift walls. Floors are usually either slabs of crumbling concrete or dirt. Cooking is done over a fire making the room full of smoke which is unhealthy to breath. Bathing and washing clothes are accomplished when convenient. A full belly is hard to come by and they don’t own much. Strolling into the slums, a young child walked up to my feet, lifted her face, and raised her arms. I picked up the dirty little gal and my goal was to make her laugh. It didn’t take much, I just gave her a little tickle on the ribs and she was off, laughing boisterously with her small teeth shining from her mouth. She was malnourished, not nearly as bad as some other youngsters I saw earlier. A woman told me that she spoke Hindi and Nepali going on to say she’s a refugee from the India-Nepal border. Many of the humans living in the slums are refugees and at the bottom of the caste system.
(Above is a woman in the slums knitting warm clothes)
The poverty of these people have assured me of how blessed I am and everything I should be grateful for. I’m no longer home sick because I just feel the need to be here and I know that my problems should never be complained about. I feel guilty though because why did I come to deserve a nice comfortable life in America? Why me and not them? I know that I shouldn’t ask questions and instead just say, “dang, thanks God.” Something I have come to find is that even among the poverty, the people still find ways to be joyful, sharing, and kind to all. Though they live like they do, it’s what they have grown up with, it’s normal to them, it’s part of their upbringing. The problem is the mindset that they put themselves in, the poverty mindset, thinking they are less than higher casts or westerners. Their worth is in the ground. I ask that you pray for their mindset that it will be changed so that they will know where their worth lies.
(Above is father and son in the slums)
Not only have I felt so efficient in ministry, but I don’t think it has impacted me this much. From poverty in the slums to unloved women in dance bars, I see The Spirit moving through it all. Amongst the heartbreaking scenes and mind boggling circumstances, I just keep praying for breakthrough to happen in Nepal. I want the body of Christ to be joining me in this asking The Lord to use my team and I to bring kingdom.
(Above is how Nepali people, and a lot of other cultures, dry their clothes)
