Every time Nepal came up during our first month, I would almost yell PRAY FOR TREKKING. When we found out that Nepal was our all squad month, I wasn’t sure how plausible trekking would be. If all squad month was supposed to be all 54 of us living and doing ministry together, a hike to a village in the Himalayan mountains probably wasn’t plausible. Not only would not all 54 of us want to trek, but 54 white people coming into a village that has barely seen the cities of Nepal would be over whelming. However, I kept saying it, and praying for it.
Then we got to ministry after debrief (which was full of rest, joy, and good times), ministry began to take shape. Our ministry contact is a great family, but I still can’t exactly explain what ministry looks like. The organization that we are working with does a little bit of everything! They have a soccer ministry where they invite kids to come play soccer and then eat with them. They have a ministry that works with women at risk with the sex industry. They have a ministry that brings informal education to the slums in the Kathmandu Valley. They have also have a trekking ministry. They do so many different things.
In the first week of introducing us to the ministry they have only told us when to be at our contact’s house. Our first day went something like this –
“Tomorrow, we start at 10am, okay? Wear clothes that will cover your ankles and your shoulders.”
That’s doable, seeing how it’s kind of cold – although not as cold as we were planning for Nepal! With those directions, we all showed up in jeans and long sleeve shirts. We spent some time at our contact’s house, and then he said, “okay, we go trekking!”
PRAISE THE LORD WE’RE GOING TREKKING!
Right now?
I mean, I’m excited… but I’m wearing jeans, and a long sleeve.
“We go trekking right now. It’s a short one, only two hours up! You can see all of Kathmandu valley, are you ready?”
So we all got on a bus to walk to the trail head to hike up a mountain. The whole bus ride I was so excited. WE’RE GOING TREKKING GUYS. WE PRAYED FOR TREKKING AND NOW WE ARE TREKKING. When we got to the mountain we slowly got 54 individuals at varying fitness levels to the top, if you’re from Bozeman I would equate the hike to Drinking Horse. It really was a simple hike.
While I was grateful for the trek, I wanted more. I wanted at least a week long hike into the mountains where we sleep in tents and have to filter our water ourselves. I was excited for off days so we could find more small hikes, but more than anything I wanted ministry to be trekking. Three days later we found out that ministry will be part trekking! (tentatively, seeing how plans inevitably change) We will spend a few days here in Kathmandu working with women at risk, slum children, and visiting churches. THEN, on February 27rd we will split into smaller groups and hike into the mountains to live with a village for 8 days!
I guess now I need my supporters to PRAY FOR HEALTH, but also PRAISE FOR TREKKING. I am ecstatic to see what this looks like, and also PRAY FOR TENTING, we are carting around 4lbs (ish) tents and I would love to use it! More importantly, I am excited to see how God shows up. When we step out of our normal, we can see God in a new light. While the World Race in it of itself is outside of normal, it quickly becomes normal. So while we did village ministry last month, I know that this month will be an entirely different kind of village ministry and that means I get to learn another new lesson from God, and – Lord willing – see eternity impacted for somebody.
p.s. finding internet that will allow me to upload a photo with my blog is becoming impossible, so sorry for that! photos to come eventually.
