…Ok I’m going to be honest with you, I didn’t see any yaks or the infamous yeti at all in Nepal! But for some reason, this country is obsessed with them…you’ll find dolls & shirts with their images!!!!
…But let me tell you what I did find in Nepal,
Some of the most hospitable people, whose goal was do go above and beyond to love you…
A culture built of the honor/ shame system…
A country full of beautiful mountains, which are famous for their snow capped peaks, their heights & their trekking opportunities,. The Himalayan Mountain range, which includes Mt. Everest, also their is the Annapurna Mountain Range!
A country where cows are a common site hanging out on the road or sidewalk downtown. The cars dodge them, backing up traffic quite a bit.
A country where the drivers are extremely aggressive, but yet there are few accidents…(just to be in a taxi and see the chaos of the traffic around you… let me tell you it’s an experience.)
A country where there are no stop lights; instead at major intersections there is a traffic cop directing traffic. At smaller intersections… we’ll let’s just say there was a lot of praying going on by yours truly!
(Check out the side of the Snickers bar, it’s written in Nepali!)
In Nepal, their native language is Nepali…
A country where English was spoken often & pushed in schools to be learned by the younger generation from the beginning…
Also, their money is called the Nepalese rupee! While we were here the $1.00 USD = 111 RS
In Nepal, they are know for this tea call milk tea or Nepali tea. ( black tea, with equal portions of milk and water to make it, this creates the creamy look!)
(This is the largest Buddhist Stupa in the world.)
The two main religions in Nepal are Buddhist & Hinduism. Sometimes people worship a combination of the two.
In Nepal, it’s against the law to convert someone to Christianity. Many a Christian has spent time in jail, because of their beliefs.
In Nepal, some of their cultural values are based off the chaste system.
In Nepal, arranged marriages are common. The parents of the children meet and come to an arrangement on the bridal price & what is expected. When the agreement is settled, the couple is married in a typical three day wedding celebration.
It’s very common in Nepal to have the food option of veg or non-veg. (Aka… veg: vegetable or non-veg: with meat or with meat products) In fact a majority of the population doesn’t eat meat.
(Chicken Momos with a creamy sauce, also in the middle is a soup.)
In Nepal, Momos are a common food. Momos are very similar to dumplings. There are three main types of momos available: veg., buff (aka buffalo meat), or chicken. (My favorites is the chicken!) There are many ways of cooking a Momo; steamed, steamed/ with light pan fry/ fried, to name a few!
(These images are from our Pani Puri party, that our hosts made for us!)
Pani Puri is a food here too! (Also in India!) It’s a street food, that takes a thin fried shell, you crack it, then fill it with a potato, onion, cilantro mixture (or in India a chickpea based mixture), then you dip your shell into the spiced soup water mixture and fill it up, then you eat it all in one bit! It’s super yummy and has a little bit of a kick!
In Kathmandu, the dress is relatively westernized, with a few women (mainly the older generations) still wearing cultural clothing…
In Kathmandu, it is quite dusty; in fact so dusty that about 70% of the people wear masks over their mouths and noses…
In Kathmandu, their power lines are a mess. It looks like when one messes up they just add another line instead of finding the problem and fixing it…(aka: a power person’s worst nightmare!)
……..
Now let me tell you what this month looked like for us…
We spent a few days at the beginning of the month in Kathmandu, where each day looked different.
We went to Christian rehabilitations center and hung out with the owner and one of the females.
We interceded for multiple people who were going to worship at the Hindu Temples and the Buddhist Stupas.
We got to love on, sing songs, & share some conversation, with older ladies, that were once living on the street, but now live at a facility run by a lady called “the Mother Theresa of Nepal!”
…
After a few days we went to the Chitwan National Park region of Nepal where we did multiple things…
We stayed at and partnered with a local church, where we got to share with the congregation our testimonies, our stories, and a sermon at church on Saturday.
While some where sharing in church others of us where spending time with the kids in Children’s church, teaching bible studies, singing songs, and playing games.
Also, during this time did many house visits to multiple people in the congregations; giving them encouraging words, sharing our testimonies, and short sermons.
We even went into the jungle to share the good news with more remote villages and people there.
We also were a part of a Palm Sunday service in an outdoor pavilion in the middle of the jungle.
…
After a few days we caught a bus to Pokhara…
While in Pokhara, my team dropped me off with another team, (because of my back pain), while they trekked up the mountain; where they got to go to various villages. In these remote villages they stayed in lodges or homestays, while their they shared Jesus with the people and encouraged the one Christian couple that Jesus loves them.
While my team was trekking, I was with another team in town, who where doing ATL (ask the Lord)!
I joined there team for a few days, where we worked on forming connections with the Locals, asking the Lord what he wanted us to do, and being obedient to the call.
…
After a few days, we traveled back to Kathmandu…
In Kathmandu we celebrated Easter together as a team, in a sweet service.
We went into the tourist district of town, Thamel, and talked with foreigners, sharing the Love of Christ.
We prayed over and talked to ladies at the Buddhist nunnery.
We traveled to the outskirts of town to a leper’s colony, where we encouraged, prayed over, loved on, and even cleaned veggies with the residents.
We went to a local school; where we got to spend time with the children, help them practice their English, play games, and give hope to the children at the school.
Over all we had a busy month, each day was different and the Father was at work! It was a very good month, and I would highly recommend Nepal to anyone…
(Update: My back is doing great, I’ve been working at stretching it out and building up the muscles.)
