First, a long overdue THANK YOU to everyone who has been reading my blogs and praying for me. It means a lot! Here’s a brief overview of our recent excursion to wrap up our time in Nepal…
Day #1: “FIRE!!!” Our ears grew familiar to hearing this word from Bipin whether it was during fervent prayer or a 4am wakeup call. He is the pastor who graciously led half of our squad into the jungle (the other half set off for the mountains). He has a childlike faith and such freedom in the Lord. Our adventure began with a 16 hour bus ride. We arrived ready to pitch our tents, but discovered we would actually be sleeping on the floor of a church. It was located on the 2nd floor in the home of Pastor Benjamin and his family. A brief bit of his story is that he was an alcoholic feeding his family with scraps on the street and gambling all his money away before giving His life to God. He started his ministry with only $3 in his pocket, and the Lord has abundantly provided since then. Praise God!
Day #2: Our first day we got to walk to a home where Jacob shared a message, we worshipped and talked with some of the local people. We also walked the perimiter of their land and prayed over the vision they have to build a church/orphanage on it.
Day #3: In the night there was a phone call that a woman from the fellowship died and they wanted us to come.The woman was young and had a husband and 4 children, one of whom I had sat next to the day before. She died of an asthma attack, something so preventable with the proper resources. When we got there, we saw her body being prepared, then placed in a casket they brought with on the bus. We followed the family out to the cemetary while the grave was being dug. They had to dig a new grave because the one they were going to use had bones in it. It was heartbreaking listening to one of her older daughters wailing with uncontrolable grief. I braided the youngest daughters hair while we were there, and as the dusty strands slipped through my fingers, I couldn’t help but imagine this girl growing up without her mom. It reminded me how life is such a vapor and so out of our control. But, it also reminded me that “the LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in Spirit” -psalms 34:18. He is so faithful in every way.
Day #4: We hiked almost 7 miles through the villages doing home visits, praying for people and showing them the love of Jesus. We met a man who was once a witch doctor but came to Christ and now lives as a walking testimony of Gods power over darkness. Another man had been paralyzed and couldnt walk, but was healed when Pastor Benjamin prayed for him and now can walk. Jesus truly is the Great Physician! We were followed by curious people and adorable village children. We saw lots of animals and crossed some questionably unstable bridges. I was made more aware of the fact that because people don’t have as many resources they are forced to rely on God.
Day #5: Billy Grahams got nothing on Bipin. He decided we would do a crusade through the villages. Revival! We managed to gather a crowd of probably 200+ people with our squad participating in preaching, worshipping, dancing, and prayer. It was so cool to witness and be a part of the fruit of boldness. I loved playing with all the kids.
Day #6: 6:30 a.m. Saturday we had to be packed and out of the church where we were sleeping for services to be held there. My squadmate AnnaBeth preached a great sermon on the book of Esther which I think is extra cool because it is almost Purim (festival commemorating the defeat of Hamans plot to massacre the Jews as recorded in the book of Esther). Another highlight of the day was holding the neighbors newborn goats! So newborn the mother was still birthing the placenta. They were adorable!
Day #7: Our last day we went to some believers homes to pray for them. Afterwards, me and my squadmate Leah got to hang out with a really sweet girl Leah had met earlier in the week. We drank sugar cane juice from a street vendor and chatted. Excitement bubbled up in me as we shared with her about Jesus and how much He loves her and prayed with her. The encounter encouraged me to step out in faith and share with people more often.
Day #8: Before departing I got a ride on a motorcycle through town because I lost a game called what are the odds. It was another interesting bus ride. Our lunch pit stop turned into a 3 hour event of some squadmates taking over the restaurant kitchen cooking mo mo’s (Napali dumpling type things). We left at 9 a.m. and arrived at 4:45 a.m.
With all squad month coming to a close, and it already being the start of month 3, I will attempt to sum up the world race thus far… It is absolutely nothing I imagined but everything I didn’t know I needed. A wild adventure yet the most mundane daily living. Exhilerating and exhausting. Painful and joyful. Essentially, it is one big oxymoron of seeing Gods heart more each day. I came into all squad month dreading it and am leaving realizing what a privelage it is to have 50 brothers and sisters I can trust to do this life with.
We leave for Vietnam tomorrow with an overnight layover in Malaysia. I can’t wait to see what’s in store next. I feel change on the horizon. Until then & to go with the fire theme…
