My team and I just returned from trekking in the Himalayas. Twenty-eight miles walked in three days up the AnnaPurna region of Nepal. What a an amazing experience. My feet are sore and marked with 42 leech Bites. (Something I didn’t even think possible here,) But was so worth it. Thank you to everyone who gave so I could go on this trek and share the gospel with the people who live in this region.
We are in the middle of monsoon season; so the clouds and fog are always here. No one really comes to hike Nepal in these months. This is mostly because the snow caps are dissolved in the clouds and fog around them. The hard trek without the view isn’t worth it for most.
Unless you‘re trekking for Jesus.
And with Deepak.
Deepak is a missionary to the forgotten people on the mountain slopes. This man leads teams into the Himalayas to share the gospel and encourage the people who live in this region. A place where, sadly, many people (like myself) go here specifically for the mountain views. If not for the views, they go for the experience, for the nature, for the stories, for the pictures.
Not the people.
We started out trek knowing that the chances of seeing the magnificent snowcaps were rare because of the season. But, that was ok. Because we were here for a different reason.
For the people.
God really is the best tour guide because, during our rainy trek, he opened up the doors for us to share the gospel and pray for people. AND he opened up the clouds and we got a small sneak peak of one of the largest Himalayan peaks in the world. It was like I got a sneak peak of a Christmas present, but I couldn’t see all of it….a hopeful, magnificent, yet terrible thing because you want to see all of it.
“Why can’t I see it all now?! I want to see the rest of your Himalayan mountain present, God!”
I wanted to capture it. I wanted “proof” that Chelsy indeed was in the middle of the snowcaps of the Himalayas.
Just as quickly as the clouds parted, they hid the magnificence once more. God gave me a 60 second teaser of this beauty. And I’m okay with that. It‘s like He was saying;
”My silly child, you don’t need proof, you don’t need people to always know. Just stand still for 60 seconds in the wonder of my creation…yes, my mountains are beautiful, but I want you to see the people. That’s what I want you to see all the of time. Not just today, or this year, but all of the time. That’s why I created you.”
Wow. I’m sorry, God.
I’m grateful that He wanted me to see His people more than his other amazing wonders of water, earth, and sky; Because We are his favorite creation.
Sometimes we aren’t meant to see or know it all. That is the beauty and mystery of life, God, and His creation.
Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation!
This verse now has a special place in my heart after this month of trekking. My feet are so sore and covered with 42 leech bites, but God sees them as beautiful.
*** some pictures from the trek below! ***
Our faithful guide, and missionary to this region, Deepak.
My team and I!
The mountain village we ministered in. 
sharing the gospel and praying for a sick woman. This family is outcast by the village because of their social status. The “untouchables.”
showing off our leech bites after trekking.
