P@ssword: WheninAsia
The second part of our time in Nepal was spent pretty differently than our first half.
Worship Workshop:
For our third week, the squad was split up into different groups (not necessarily by teams) and we took on a few different projects for another organization in Kathmandu. My group traveled about 2 hours by bus each day to a church in a village. We walked into the church on the first day having honestly NO CLUE what we would be doing (yay for flexibility!). The only thing we knew was that it had something to do with encouraging worship leaders. We assumed we would be encouraging the worship team of the church we were partnering with. Upon arrival, it was explained to us that we were to be teaching/leading a workshop on Worship. Surprise! A majority of the participants had an interest in worship, but no experience. Several of the participants had come from all over Nepal, not just that church or that village. After spending some time in prayer and scrambling a bit to figure out what on earth us teaching a Worship Workshop would look like, we found our footing again and went for it. I find it no coincidence that we spent the first half of the month learning what it truly looks like to rely on the Spirit, and head straight into a week where, though we had more “defined” ministry, we still had to rely heavily on the Spirit to lead us each day!
We settled on the theme of The Heart of Worship. During the first half of the week, we taught on what the heart of worship leader should look like: the importance of having a right relationship with Papa and being able to worship him by yourself before you every try to lead others into a place of worship. The second half of the week, we transitioned into more hands-on workshops: teaching guitar, piano, djembe, and vocals. The song they learned in each of the workshops, Heart of Worship, they then came together at the end of the week and lead US (the leaders/teachers) in worship!
Overall, it was a sweet surprise of a week. There were several people in our group that had expressed interest in LEARNING how to lead worship. At the beginning of All-Squad Month they had joined the worship group for our squad, and were in the process of being apprenticed by some of the leaders with more experience.. but then 2 weeks later they ended up being placed into a group where they were told to teach others how to lead worship. Watching them use their unique positions to encourage other up-and-coming worship leaders was so encouraging for me personally!
Sick:
The last week of our time in Nepal, I spent most of the week sick with the flu. It was not the most exciting way to spend a last week in, well anywhere really! I was extremely thankful for my sweet friends Melissa and Roxi, who also didn’t feel well that week. If you are going to be sick with the flu, have to make multiple trips to the hospital (no Urgent Care Clinics over here!), and have to stay home from ministry and overnight trips to hike a mountain and wake up to see Everest that the rest of your squad is doing…. it is far more bearable with your two closest friends on the Race!
Side Note: My medical bills from this whole “adventure” of the Asian Flu ended up costing me just shy of $100 USD (doctor fees, blood tests, and prescriptions). Since then I have had one other bill for my regularly scheduled prescriptions that totaled out to $450 USD. Needless to say, these two bills were WAY out of my “personal money” budget for the last two months, let alone the first 5-6 months of the Race combined! If you would be interested in sponsoring a portion of these medical bills, please contact me via email at kat.kendall12 at gmail.com. THANKS!
In the end, I left Nepal with a full heart. For as much as I fell in love with the country and the city of Kathmandu, I expected to cry when it was time to leave. But instead I felt overwhelming peace. Papa told me early on in the month that I would be going back to Nepal one day.. and knowing that made leaving so much easier. I have no idea how, when, or for what reason, but I have no doubt in my mind that I will return to these beautiful mountains!
