The Yak Ranch is a project started by a couple (our hosts) with a vision to build a place missionaries and locals can come to escape the noise of the world and get closer to God. A place of restoration and rejuvenation.
Built on a ridge overlooking the Annapurna mountain range, with the infamous ‘Fishtale’ Mountain right outside our door, the location alone was a breath of fresh air. This month we spent our days helping with manual labor around the Yak Ranch.
Excavating piles of dirts by shovel and wheel barrel- fulls.
Cutting through grasses and thorns to create walking trails.
Demolishing and rebuilding a compost bin.
Reconstructing and organzing firewood storage.
Cleaning up 2 year old piles of trash.
The practical work was tough.
I battled day in and day out with believing what we were doing was actually helping or not. That we were actually fulfilling our purpose on this mountain.
It is remarkable how quickly I can get distracted from the simple work of trusting God and doing good. Here I was desiring to know and see the progress toward the end result, and all He wanted me to do was stand in His presence, let go of my wants and leave the end result up to Him.
In the middle of the month we spent four days in home stays. Every hour of our days and evenings were spent sharing life with Nepali village people. We watched them cook over the outdoor kitchen stoves for hours. Followed them to fetch animal feed down the mountain side. Taught their children dances and card games.
It was an unbelievable, and unforgettable experience.
We were so well taken care of and if there was one thing I took away from our time in the village is- when the Lord gives you an opportunity to invest, no matter what adversity you have to face, CHOOSE TO INVEST!
We didn’t speak each other’s languages, we didn’t eat our food the way they ate theirs, we struggled to cut branch leaves with a sickle, we couldn’t balance to carry animal feed on our head, and we had to kill large spiders before we went to sleep
But that wasn’t what we chose to focus on.
We chose to focus on who and what we were investing in!
We walked miles around the mountain as the children took us on a tour of their home, we received all of their generosity with open arms, we smiled dawn to dusk and chuckled innocently when we had no idea what each other were saying.
I got to experience life in a new way. I invested in His kingdom in a whole new way.
Love knows no language. Love crosses borders.
Love rests on top of the mountains and the valleys below.
Love is a boiling pot of milk tea over a kindling fire.
His love is in every moment, of every day— if we choose to look for it.
So I let go of the worry and selfish desires and focus on the investment.
My heart, mind and soul investing in one person, one ministry, for one kingdom.
I fix my eyes and invest in what is unseen. For what is seen is only temporary, and what is unseen is eternal.
XOXO
Tay
“I wanna go where, this love is standing higher than the mountains
I wanna dance in the river right here, with grace that’s never ending
I wanna rest in the shadow of the tree that won forgiveness
I wanna be found in the heartland” -Heartland, John Tibbs.
