To sum up the month of November: living in Nepal was hard. The country is still trying to rebuild/return to “normal” since the tragedy of the earthquake and they are now dealing with a fuel crisis that is causing the people to struggle to live daily. Filth surrounds every corner; spiritual and physical filth. Statues, idols, temples, and incense burning over shrines for their gods. It was dark. The air was heavier and I felt deep sadness for these people. On the flip side the Lord revealed to me so much and made me realize that the Lord loves these people just as much as me and you – even in the midst of the darkness. For me, the people we got to encounter made it all worth it. From Brian Williams’ family, his son Sameer, the Kathmandu International Christian Church, the refugees that had to escape their homeland because of their faith, my friend Sam that works in a Hindu/Buddhist art shop, the street kids we played soccer with, and the VBS kids we got to teach – I knew that the Lord sent me and the rest of my team there for a reason. Even though it was a hard month I’m so glad we were there.
Also during the time we were living in Nepal there was a celebration going on called Diwali (also called the Festival of Lights). Diwali is an ancient Hindu festival that typically lasts 5 days. The Hindus decorate their houses with lights and each day dedicate their worship and offerings to a specific god or a messenger for their gods.
One of the weirdest days I had in Nepal happened on a 5 mile run through the busy streets of Nepal. My friend Kelly and I loved to go running in the mornings. The first couple times we went we started getting used to the constant chaos surrounding us at every moment; trash everywhere, playing real-life “Frogger” dodging motor scooters and cars, weird smells, smoggy air, and breathing in constant gusts of dirt. It’s not like a nice run in the park back in the U.S. And you know it’s bad when even the locals wear masks to help them breathe better. The only way for me to find peace during these runs would be to plug in my headphones and play worship music (and even some days listening to the new Justin Bieber album- guilty I’m sorry).
On this specific morning, it started out pretty typical. I walked down the stairs to see Kelly’s bright and shining face, always ready to workout and run. But after we prayed and started our run, the streets felt more chaotic than normal. We continued our run through the busy streets but something didn’t feel right to me. As we had hit the half-way mark and were now on the way back to the house we turned a corner and what we saw next was traumatic.
Surrounding the whole sidewalk was a sea of trash. It has such a horrendous smell I was gasping for clean air. Right before we turned around, me and Kelly both looked down and saw a dead dog lying a foot away from us in the midst of the trash. I couldn’t believe my eyes; that image haunted my thoughts the entire run back home.
I was really shaken up by the dead dog. What a filthy sight to see. I kept asking the Lord what was the point of seeing that? Later that morning as I was meeting with my team to discuss VBS ideas, I shared with them my experience that morning seeing the dead dog. One of my teammates Kacy paused and said, “You know, today for the Festival of Lights they are worshiping the dogs…”
In that moment I knew exactly what the Lord was trying to show me. It was no coincidence I saw a dead dog on the day the Hindus worship the dogs. The very thing they were worshiping I saw blatantly dead before my eyes. It made me realize the gods they worship are dead. The gods and idols they worship cannot save, redeem, love, or give eternal life.
After having this realization I started praying and opened my bible. Ironically I came across the book of Habakkuk. Whoever is reading this, if you get a moment please read this short book in the Old Testament. This is exactly how I felt the entire month in Nepal. But something that stood out to me regarding idols is in Habakkuk 2:18-20:
“What profit is an idol when it’s maker has shaped it, a metal image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation when he makes speechless idols! Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, Awake; to a silent stone, Arise! Can this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in it. But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.”
Now the question I ask is this: what are your idols? We all have had them; they just manifest themselves in different forms depending on the culture. For instance. idols can be physical idols like gold/silver objects, stones, carved images, or animals. In America, idols can be materialism, sports, accomplishments, success, or money. But these things cannot save us. Surely the things of this world will pass away, but the Lord will never pass away! He is risen indeed!
