We made it to Nepal! As we flew in, excitement rushed through me. It looked just like I expected; mountains, houses stacked on top of each other, everything so colorful…
Also, God has been so faithful in protecting my squad from spiritual warfare here! None of us have felt the “heaviness” that people repeatedly told us about. We all have an energy to work hard at whatever God lays before us in our month here. All glory to Him for preparing our hearts and our surroundings in such a way! For most of us it’s our first time being in a country where evangelism is illegal. We have come with an anticipation of how God will creatively open doors for the gospel. And y’all, He has been doing cool things…
For our first day of ministry, we took the local bus to a Buddhist monkey temple an hour away from our home in Kathmandu. It’s a popular temple with huge statues of the Buddhist gods, as well as other statues and altars. We were there to pray; pray for people to begin doubting what they are doing at the temple, pray for people to see Jesus in the way we act and show love, pray for the literal foundation of the statues to crumble, pray for freedom over the people there who are fighting for “good karma” by giving all of their money to the gods, making loud noises into the altars, and repeatedly doing yoga poses to worship the gods the “right” way (my first time feeling convicted about yoga… it’s legit here).
I walked around the temple feeling at peace, because I have the Holy Spirit inside of me so no matter what I’m surrounded by, I can’t be harmed. God is so full of grace for choosing to dwell INSIDE of us. But, even with all of the peace, I felt heartbroken. I so badly wanted to look everyone in the eyes and say “I have the BEST news ever for you! There is grace and freedom through Jesus! Wake up! You don’t have to do this!” But I couldn’t. I observed, asked people some questions, and then sat on a bench just watching everything happen. A precious old Nepali man came to me and sat down. He was clearly homeless and not taken care of well. He had been walking laps around the temple, praying through all the beads in his necklace at every altar. He spoke no English but we communicated through charades. He told me that everyday he wakes up, eats, and prays all day. He showed me his wallet and that it was empty. He was asking me for rupees because he needed to give more to the gods. I told him I couldn’t do that. He kept saying “karma… karma…” This man was fighting so hard for good karma that he was spending every second in the temple, giving away all of his money. And I couldn’t tell him about Jesus. So instead, I got my bible out and opened it to John 14 and just set it there. I knew he couldn’t read English, but I knew he would at least know that it was a bible and that I’m a Christian. I could see him peeking at it. I then got out my paper and calligraphy markers and began to write. The Holy Spirit was putting the words “freedom” and “deliverance” on my heart. So I started to write, “Freedom and deliverance through Him who saves”. He was watching every stroke of my pen. When I finished he was smiling and saying “ooooh…!” with a big thumbs up. I read it out loud, knowing he didn’t understand, but trusting that God was speaking anyway. I folded it up and gave it to him, which he joyfully accepted with a bow and a “Namaste”. Then he was off, walking laps again and worshipping Buddha. But now he is doing those things with a paper in his pocket that says, “Freedom and deliverance through Him who saves”. I prayed as I watched him walk away…
Father, I don’t understand what you are doing in this man, but I pray that you would do what only you can do and bring him to you, Jesus. I pray that the paper would fall out of his pocket and someone else would pick it up for him and read it to him in Nepalese. I pray that the words on the paper would suddenly be understandable to him. I pray that he would start doubting the way he is spending his days and instead begin to seek you, Lord. I surrender him and everyone else here into your sovereign, loving hands. I trust you, Jesus. It’s in your holy name I pray, amen.
-Anna
