On our sixth day in Nepal (February 3rd) my team and I were taken to a leper colony to share the love of Jesus. Upon arriving to the colony, the ladies there become fascinated with a big keychain I was carrying on my bag. The keychain I had made contained the names of all my supporters back home, so I could remember them and have them with me (in a way) throughout my trip.
I show them the “Lilly” keychain (it represents my dear friend Lilly Naish) and tell them that’s my name. Then, this woman points to the name and tells me that she will be praying for me. I told the translator (who was with our team) to tell her that I’ll be praying for her as well.
She motions for me to get up, and I look at the translator. He tells me she wants me to go pray for her… now. So, she lead me into her home.
I come into a very small room with a bed to the left, a cross on the wall above her bed, and various things scattered along the floor. She sits me down on the bed and asks me to pray… more like motions. So I pray for her and as I pray she repeats “hallelujah, hallelujah”.
I finish and she says dhanyabaad (thank you in Nepali). Then, she gets down on the ground, and as she is motioning for me to stay on the bed, she pulls out a banana. I struggle to open it, so she peels it for me. I offered her some, but she motioned that she had some more… this one was for me.
As I eat the banana, she teaches me what “hallelujah Jesus” is in Nepali, and I tell her what it is in English. We start to sing hallelujah together, and she was full of so much joy in that moment… as was I.
Next, she grabbed a Christmas card that was inside a plastic bag. In the card were pictures of her family. She showed me one of her mom and motioned above. I understood that she meant her mom has gone to heaven. Some of the pictures showed her in a hospital bed with two people, who I assume were her grandchildren.
The people in the leper colony are banished from their home because leprosy is seen as bad luck in Nepal. So I think this woman, Sita, had a family, but somehow got leprosy. Even though it was treated and cured, she was banished and now all she has to remember her family by are a few photographs.
I responded by showing her pictures of my family. I showed her one of my mom and dad and she repeated “mom” and “dad”… she understood they were my parents.
Also, as I’m talking to her I’m forgetting to eat my banana, and she motions for me to eat, haha. As I continue to show her pictures, she motions for me to take a picture of us together. So I did.
Soon the translator came in and told me it was time to go. We hugged and shouted “hallelujah” (the only word we mutually understood).
I went to my keychain and pulled off the one that said “Lilly” and gave it to her… so that she will remember me, and I believe God blessed her through that. She got to her knees and said “dhanyabaad, dhanyabaad” (thank you, thank you). After one last hug, I left.
My team and I exited the village waving at everyone, and she ran out of her room waving at me, saying “Jai Nashi”. I held up heart hands to her and said “Jai Nashi”.
Imagine bringing a stranger into your home, offering them what little you have, and telling them about your family and praying with them. Sita to me was a picture of unconditional love, and a picture of what kind of person I want to be: accepting and loving, no matter the reason.
John? ?15:12? ?(AMP??)
“This is My commandment, that you love and unselfishly seek the best for one another, just as I have loved you.”
For more pictures and stories from me about my team and all the wonderful things God has done in South Asia, be sure to follow @expeditionpittman on Instagram. I hope everyone is having a blessed day, God’s peace be with you!
