Back so soon? Yes it’s me! Back in the flesh (sorta)! Here to update you with more good news! In my last update I told you we’d be in the mountains for awhile well …. we did it… and everyone is alive and healthy once again! We trekked through the Himalayan mountains!! How many people can say they’ve done that??? Idk but I can!! So that’s awesome ??
How were the Himalayas Raiven?? Well let me tell you! Beautiful. Absolutely astonishing. Honestly never seen anything like it. I kept thinking I was in a movie, it honestly never sunk in that it was real. And like God just spoke it into existence. Incredible.
How was the hike Raiven?? Well let me tell you! Hard. Really breathtaking, literally lmbo. We hiked the first day for 2 hours or so through rain, lightening, and and hail. The next day we woke up early hiked about 4ish hours (majority uphill), stopped for lunch, and hike another 2 or so hours to our destination where we stayed with different families. We split up for ministry where we had another hour hike uphill to find some people to share the gospel with. The next day we hiked about 3ish hours more.
Our purpose in going up was to share the good news with people who have either never heard it before or probably won’t get that many chances in their lifetime to hear it because they literally
Live in the tops of the Himalayan mountains and idk about you guys but idk that many Christians making the journey up there lol. But we did it because our host has a heart for the people, some of the most unreached. Whether we speak different languages, or are from different countries, we’re all from the same God. And He loves us all and deeply desires to now us all and be in a relationship with each of us. And so it’s just as important for me to share the gospel with my neighbors in Ypsi, MI as it is for me to share with my future brothers and sisters in Christ in the Himalayas. Because let’s be real… hell is real. “If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our dead bodies. And if they perish, let them perish with our arms wrapped about their knees, imploring them to stay. If Hell must be filled, let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go unwarned and unprayed for.”
-Charles Spurgeon
So my boy Charlie said it right there folks. Hope is not enough. Well wishes are not enough. It would be a beautiful thing to see all of God’s children turn back to Him. We must pray every prayer and make every effort to preach the word of God and share Jesus, because it’s life or death.
I’ll try not to be too wordy while still letting you in on the experience. So one family in particular stands out to me. We hiked up to their house, and sat on their porch and they brought us tea. My host has been to this house a few times before with different groups over the years. Most of the older people in Nepal don’t speak English only a few words and we were talking to an older man and woman. Our host was speaking in Nepali to the couple and he turns to us and says okay share the gospel. You would think it would just com easily but it trips me up everytime. I watched my teammates explain as best they could in simple phrases while our host translated. We told them about the blessings you receive as being a part of the family of God. And the man said he was interested he said he was 50/50 because it sounded good but he was worried about his village. Nepal is a much more communal culture than America. To us following Christ is an individual decision because we have those freedoms. To them following Christ means being shamed and disowned by their family and village, it essentially means losing everyone you’ve known. His concerns were valid. We didn’t push. But I pray for those people. And I’m asking you all to pray for them to. As Americans we love instant gratification, and that’s not always how sharing your faith works. You usually don’t share the gospel and get to see someone accept Christ all in one conversation it’s a process. So today I’m thankful that whether we planted a seed or watered one that the Lord chose to use us in the story of these people’s lives
Enjoy the pictures (check Facebook for the whole load of them). Yes I have stories about the people we met and the families we prayed over, and the people we shared with, no I can’t type them all. But once again please ask when I get back or shoot me a message and I’ll tell you more when I get wifi again!
Prayer request:
lol my legs are sore.. too much hiking. And we leave for chitwan tomorrow where we will hike an hour or so from the church we’re staying at the villages each day and back
The couple who are on the fence about Christ. Need I explain more?
Team vibes. We’ve been together in each other’s space and in each other’s face for 2 week. The honeymoon phase is ending lol. But in order for ministry to be effective we have to have unity amongst ourselves
