As many of you know Michael and I recently lead a small team of four girls to Nepal and India this summer. We faced many ups and what seemed to be many more downs which thankfully always lead back to good things. First we boarded our flight with the team but having to leave a team mate at LAX airport because of passport issues getting into Nepal. It was stressful but she arrived 4 days later.
We got to Nepal and came across some obstacles leading to us having to make a "creative outreach". Normally you have a contact handing you everything you need in terms of ministry. Most times we really had to pray, seek God and listen to where He was leading us. Through the month in Nepal we found ourselves doing so many things!
We played soccer and hung out with street boys (ages 7-13) who had grown up too quick having been living on the streets, huffing shoe glue to get high and being sold for sex at night. It was hard to get to really know them because of the language and they were very reserved and untrusting of others, but it was so worth the moments where they did let their guard down and become kids again.
We were English teachers for a few days at a secondary school which had hundreds of kids! Where we also got to play sports and have a huge dance party with them, they really love to dance.
Michael ended up work at a tattoo shop in the Stupa (a place of worship/tourism) where he rebuilt artists machines making their machines run more efficiently. He was able to take clients and during that time built relationships with the artists in the shop.
We did many prayer walks in temples and around the Stupa while also praying for many people who needed physical healing.
We taught Sunday school for the kids at the local church which I feel like they taught me more than I taught them. I've never seen so many little kids so charismatic and in love with Jesus, it brought tears to my eyes every time I was there.
For a week we stayed in a small village in Chitwan, which literally translates, "Heart of the Jungle". And I kid you not it was a freakin' jungle alright! I've never felt humidity like that in my life and I also was sick the entire time with multiple things. It's the hardest place I've ever live in but it was amazing! We gave out water filters to the village so they now have access to clean drinking water, this community was so thankful. Our team also went to different families meeting them, encouraging them and praying for them. Renee and I trimmed some women's hair with what looked like sheep shears! Our girls were able to speak in the small church of 20 people and encourage them in their walks with Jesus in a village full of devote Hindus.
Our last few days in Nepal we went to an Indian slum which was a community full of Indian refugees. We brought them the some of the water filters we had taken to Chitwan. They were so thankful and in great need. I think a lot of what I saw in that slum was worse than a lot of other places I had seen, just so dirty, full of trash and sticks holding up tarps for shelter.
Nepal was so much fun and the people there are very hospitable and warm hearted, I hope that I get to go back again one day!
To see the rest of our journey, I will be posting part two of this blog soon from our time in India. Stay tuned!
xx
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| Mike and I about to take off to Nepal |
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| The view from where we stayed |
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This is what the older generation of Nepali women look like. Tattooed and nose rings. So many nose rings…
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| Ruins from the earthquake last Spring |
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| Remnants from the earthquake at the Monkey Temple |
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| We always saw groups of grandmas walking around the Stupa doing Kora. Which is a meditative ritual performed by practitioner making a circumambulation around an object. |
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| Three of the street boys we saw and got to play soccer with |
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| Boudhanath Stupa-The worlds second largest Stupa outside of Tibet |
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| One of our beautiful students at the Boudah Secondary English School where our team taught English |
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| "Queen E" (aka Erika) teaching Common English Expressions |
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| Sometimes the kids who sit on your lap smell like pee, but it's okay she was still the sweetest little thing. |
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| This is Lhakpa. I met him in Sunday school, I've never met a little boy full of so much joy! |
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| There are prayer flags everywhere! And that's not an exaggeration… |
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| At the Monkey Temple on our 3rd wedding anniversary |
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| Our team: Erika (Hawaii), Emily(Australia), Tina(Germany) & Renee(Colorado) |
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| Best friends that we prayed for healing over them after they were injured in the earthquake |
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| 6 hour bus ride to Chitwan |
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| The team prepping buckets with water filters to give to the community |
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| Michael and the pastor in Chitwan |
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| What Renee and I used to trim hair when we forgot to bring our shears to the jungle |
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| This is Sunita. I lived with her for a week in the jungle. She reminded me so much of my baby sister Keelee. It almost felt like a little piece of home was with me that week. |
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| Got to see some of the most detailed and intricate art I've ever seen |
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| Kora around the Stupa |
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| Tea time, all the time |
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| Monks on bikes |
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| Prayer wheels at the Stupa |
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| Our friend Meredith came and did our pastoral visit to make sure the team was on track and doing well |
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| Temple Art |
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| Stupa Ink // Where Michael worked and built relationships |
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Our last day in Nepal waiting for Michael to finish at the tattoo shop
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