[pictures still aren’t loading rn. Will try to upload later, wifi is a fickle thing]
God is where you’d least expect. Like at the top of a Hindu temple.
To begin this story, only around 1% of Nepal practices Christianity. At this point in our stay, we had grown used to only coming across other Christians through our ministry host’s contacts. So, wandering under a banner of colorful prayer flags, in the company of wooden prayer wheels, and overhearing the soft murmur of monks chanting, I really didn’t expect to turn around and see a Bible verse.
“Be still and know that I am God – Psalm 46:10.”
These words greeted me from a painting of the Himalayas, hovering over beautifully rendered yaks crossing a rocky chasm. Now, the temples have an array of shops set up here and there, and I’d seen a few artist’s stands before, but here was something quite out of the ordinary. As I looked at the other paintings on display, I found that many of them were inscribed with more Christian verse. Curious, I found the Nepali artist behind the work, and commented,
“You like Bible verses?”
“Yes, I’m Christian,” he smiled.
“Me too!”
From there, we struck up a brief conversation about his artwork, and mine as well. It was wonderful to come across another artist and believer so unexpectedly, and especially in the last setting I’d think to look. In my entire experience of Kathmandu, I never came across any other Christian artist, but here, inside the walls of other deities, I found our own God residing. How quite like Him to exist everywhere. And what a reminder that truly, no place is God-forsaken. You can travel all over the world, go to the ends of the earth,
and somehow, quietly, beautifully
He will be there.
