Hey from India, blog followers! I am more than aware that it has been WAY too long since I last updated you all. So, this is my attempt to get you up to speed with what’s happening in my world and across the world.
In early December, we left South Africa for Nepal. It was one of my favorite months of travel so far. We worked with an amazing family. I have never seen a group of people live out the Word like they did. I felt the love of the Lord through them and learned a ton about speaking truth, obedience and passion.
We spent a lot of time encouraging believers and praying over people. My eyes were further opened to the darkness of the world when we trekked to a village and met a demon possessed man who was bound in literal chains and spent time with a woman being beaten by her husband for her faith in Christ. And still, there she was at every service we had joyfully clapping and praising her King.
I was highly convicted of lukewarm Christianity. Even as a missionary or working in ministry, things can so easily become routine that I forget to walk in true intimacy with the Lord. I can start checking things off a list. I can lose my passion and my hunger for more. The Nepalese Christians were reliant and passionate about their faith because they had to be. They had a sense of urgency to share the gospel with the broken and lost around them. They had to be because they could so easily be entangled by the darkness that surrounded them from every single angle.
Speaking of the darkness, Nepal is 98% Hindu, covered with idol worship, monetary and animal sacrifice, millions of false gods and meaningless rituals. People walk to the temples daily to do these things. They are a nation desperately needing prayer.
While Nepal was one of my favorite months, it was also really hard. Distraction was real. For the first couple weeks we were in the huge city of Kathmandu with unlimited Wi-Fi, restaurants, shopping and entertainment. Our squad was sickly with people in and out of the hospital all month with various types of infections. As a result of normal life things getting in the way, I began to lose focus. But, like He always does, Jesus was right there by my side to guide me back into His gracious loving arms.
Nepal a month of:
So much rice
Buns of steel from squatty potties
Christmas in the jungle!
Not enough showers
Freezing cold temperatures
Trekking many miles
Laughter
Squishy babies
Broken heart
Pizza
Reuniting with leadership team
Seeing so much growth in my teams
Grace
So, here we are in India and I’m on day two of three much needed rest days. Squad leaders are on the job 24/7 and it was just that in Nepal. I’m feeling completely renewed and filled up by the Lord for this next season.
We are in eastern India working with an amazing ministry. Christianity is fairly new here. A Welsh missionary brought it to the tribe in the early 1900’s. During his time here, few came to know the Lord. The whole mountainside is now 100% evangelized and there are over 300 churches in the surrounding area because he answered the Lord with a yes. If that doesn’t encourage you to be obedient, I don’t know what will.
One of the men that came to know the Lord during the time of the missionary is the founder of the ministry we are working with. They have a seminary, many Christian schools, a hospital, church, center for recovering addicts and more. I am so grateful for the opportunity to work in a place where the Lord is so clearly at work!
There is an old movie about the gospel being brought to where I am called “Beyond the Next Mountain” which I would suggest watching for more contexts.
Please pray for safety and protection, as India is a closed country meaning the government is trying to prevent the spread of Christianity. I fully trust and believe that my God is bigger than any law. Because of this, my blogs cannot be shared on social media at this time.
Thank you for reading, may God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you and give you His peace.
Here’s some other random updates on myself-
What I’m excited about- I got to make real coffee today! Bought a z-pack for less than two dollars at the pharmacy!
Looking forward to- spending a lot of time on Prayer Mountain. In the sunshine. With real coffee. The birth of my nephew!
Fav song- Defender by Upperroom
Recently impactful Bible verse- romans 2:4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
Sad about- being sick.
