In the last month, I have done a lot: I�ve been to five countries (eight if you count airports), been on four different flights, and spent time in five different cities/villages.
We spent the week of Christmas in Lilongwe, the capitol of Malawi. We had to get our visas to travel through Mozambique, so we spent a pretty good chunk of time at a hostel called Mabuya. It was wonderful and I loved the time we spent there! They offered a delicious steak dinner on Christmas, which I absolutely loved as that is what my family traditionally has for Christmas dinner. I got to spend the holiday celebrating with two other teams as well as Skyping with my parents, sister and grandparents, which was great!
Two days after Christmas, we departed on a 35 hour bus ride to Johannesburg, South Africa, where our whole squad met up for our 6-month debrief. On our bus ride, we passed through both Mozambique and Zimbabwe before spending 5 hours (in the early, early morning) crossing the border into South Africa. Typical World Race travel day! We spent a few days at our debrief, where I was able to relax, cook, go to the movies, shop, and just enjoy some down time in a westernized country. We also got to celebrate the new year as a squad with candles and communion followed by a dance party. It was a wonderful way to bring in the new year!
We spent the 3rd and 4th of January flying to Kathmandu, Nepal by way of Nairobi, Dubai and Bahrain. It was quite the adventure, and along the way I got to enjoy some treats like Starbucks and Coldstone Creamery! Gotta love airport food courts! Upon arriving in Kathmandu, we spent a few days working on getting our Indian visas, which is quite the process, before heading to our ministry site, Hetauda.
I honestly had no idea what to expect coming to Nepal. I heard it was going to be cold, but nothing prepared me for how cold it really was, especially in Kathmandu. I found myself layering as many clothes as possible, not to be warm but just to avoid being incredibly cold. It probably isn�t too much colder here than it would be at home right now, but we don�t have any heaters anywhere, so what would be manageable in Washington could be miserable here. But the great thing about Nepal is that they have tons of cheap winter clothes, so I picked up a hat, gloves and booties for my feet and was pretty much good to go!
More than the cold temperatures, though, the main thing that stood out to me here in Nepal is the incredible hospitality of its people. We stayed with a family, our main contacts being Subash and Sussma, a married couple, and Sussma�s brother Sushan. Sushan translated for us all month and was a wonderful ministry partner. We stayed with Sussma�s mother, aunt, uncle and cousins, and all were so quick to welcome us into their family with hugs and love! They were constantly concerned about our comfort, and were honestly incredible hosts. I fell in love with them all and miss them so much!
Our main ministry this month was going to the villages, handing out tracts and sharing the Gospel. Nepal is a mainly Hindu and Buddhist country, and Christianity didn�t even enter here until the late �50s, so many people out in the villages here have never even heard the name of Jesus, or believe Him to be one of the many Hindu gods. So unlike our time in Africa, which was mainly encouraging believers, we were sharing the Good News with people who had never heard it and were interested to hear more. As a result, we didn�t see many salvations but saw a lot of seeds planted that I am confident God will water, especially as there is another World Race squad coming to Nepal next month!
Nepal stands out as one of my favorite months of the Race, along with Ireland. I have become so accustomed to the way of life here, from eating curry for breakfast to sitting on the rooftops. On our last night with our ministry hosts, we were able to have a night of worship, singing praises together to our incredible God. That is a memory from the Race that will stand out in my mind for years to come. It was such a blessing to be able to spend the last month here, and I hope one day to return!
On the 1st, we will be leaving Nepal to head to Mumbai, India. This will involve two flights and a bus ride that will be at least 16 hours, from current estimations. Please keep my squad in your prayers through this, and be praying for the ministries we will be working with!
Random Tidbits from Nepal:
-We spent one of our days off by going on an elephant safari! We rode elephants through the jungle and saw rhinos, alligators, deer, warthogs and peacocks.
-I showered a total of three times, and that�s more than some of my squadmates.
-I ate yak cheese.
-I illegally crossed the border into Tibet (for about 10 seconds), so I guess I can say I�ve been to China now!
-I rode for about an hour and a half on top of a giant bus while travelling through the mountains on my way back to Kathmandu.
-I participated in No Shave Nepal. Mostly because of the lack of showering. #toocold
-I crossed several suspension bridges including a 230 meter high one that several squadmates bungee jumped off of.
-I finally finished the Pentateuch after starting it four months ago. Praise the Lord.
