point of view

Nepali buses are notoriously overloaded to multiple times their capacity. But to go into the regions we are trying to reach, there are few options. As it is, we trek hours from where the road ends. But the conditions in the bus can be intense (for instance, riding several hours balancing on one foot over an old woman who is squatting on the floor of the packed aisle with no hand hold and people on either side vomiting). It's not for the faint of heart. Well, when it gets that rough and they are (I am not kidding) passing dozens of school children hand over hand thru the windows and filling every square inch with human bodies... there is only one recourse: the roof. The mountain bus rides are harrowing as is, but from the roof you feel the full momentum of it all. It's quite the point of view. Don't go worrying- we only take to the rooftop when necessary... and at that point, inside is no better off. Anyhow, looking down the inclines and seeing my boots dangle over valleys and rivers far below is definitely an experience...an unexpected point of view that occasionally makes my heart skip a beat!

This shot is of my student Kate and i's feet as our bus began to ascend from the floor of an unusually tidy and lush farming valley. I won't worry you with pictures from later in the journey;)

radiant joy

i just love the joy that radiates from the faces here when they give way to laughter- such a delight. Be it weathered old men or giggling young girls, when smiles take over, its a sight to rival the Himalayas.

gilligan's island remix

After several days teaching pastors and leaders in one village, we set out for another. A two hour bus ride found us in Jiri, and from there we continued by foot. The local pastor with us assured me it was a three hour walk. But several hours passed and two things had become abundantly evident: 1) this was a trek, not a mere walk; and 2) we were in for more than three hours. The ominous theme song of Gilligan's Island began to echo in my thoughts: " they set sail that day on a three hour tour; a three hour tour..." I actually sang it out loud to myself at one point. The sun set; no sign of our destination. We strapped on headlamps and continued on, soon descending into a steep ravine and passing over swinging cable bridges spanning a river we could only hear below. It was over five hours of hiking before we reached the village. During the next two days of teaching, most of my team was in and out of illness and all I could think of was getting them well enough to hike out of the ravine with their backpacks. The night before our departure I was informed that to catch our bus in Jiri we would need to set out from the village at 5am, hiking the ravine in the dark... again. This time going up it. Ugh.

Suffice to say we made it (some with an enormous amount of effort, due to weakness from being sick) and ended up on top of a packed bus (again) back to the town from which I now write. We planned to be away in the villages several weeks, but the pastor has relented and we are on an overnight pit stop which means good news: my second shower of 2013! And a few minutes online:)

Next it's on to another village to train pastors and church leaders with the biblical  foundations of Christian life. We are astounded that church leaders are so untrained that they are amazed at the most basic teachings about the Cross. It's s privilege to build up the Kingdom in this way in Nepal. I heard about the need, but the reality of the situation here astounds me. Please continue to pray for me and the team as we push ahead here, despite frequent challenges. (Most recently, I lost part of my rear left molar and have a jagged broken tooth! It's one thing after another these days!)

In the midst of everything we are full of joy and embracing the wild ride. Thank you for your prayers!

faces of our sisters in the villages

Such beautiful and remarkable women, such precious saints.

rooftop of the world

They call this the rooftop of the world- and its not hard to see why! As we trek up to remote village areas, the highest mountains in the world arch around us. You couldn't ask for a better backdrop to our journey. But the majestic panarama is not our aim- we are in these stunning locales for the brothers and sisters we have here. High in the mountains are people that have believed on Christ, meet faithfully, but have no instruction in the basics of the faith...therefore the church remains infantile and grows very slowly. We are bringing basic teaching on Christian belief and biblical living- and seeing the pastors and leaders stirred as they are equipped to disciple their people and bring others into the kingdom. It's such a privilege to be sent to these saints- their life is a hard one and yet their joy in their salvation thrives. Praise the Lord for the church He has called for Himself in Nepal!

Our ministry is not typically evangelistic, so we see less of the immediate fruits... but my heart is stirred as I comprehend the role we are playing in seeding the future of the Kingdom here. The testimonies of those who walk for hours to come be trained are encouragement enough. It is overwhelming to think of the long term
implications of this work we are partaking in with the Father. My heart glows when i think of it.

I apologize that few of the pictures show the fullness of real life here on this intense trip- they fail to show the hours of  teaching, fellowshiping with these saints, or praying or ministering to our brothers and sisters. Its awkward to bust out a camera at such times:) Indeed, the pictures I have shared show the stunning peaks and wild locales- but fail to show the overloaded buses that we eventually rode on the roof of, the week and a half plus without a shower (a day or so ago was my first shower in 2013!), being able to see my breath in the room where we sleep on straw mats, the vomiting over squat toilets in outhouses (from midnight till 4am) in sub-freezing temps, and the hospitably provided meals of curried buffalo intestines with rice and cauliflower.

So take in those himalayas with a grain of salt:) The rooftop of the world is not for the faint of heart! But when we ARE faint of heart or weak in body- we have been carried through by the strength of the One who sent us to "Go tell it on the mountains...over the hills and everywhere..." Praise the Lord that His power is shown strong in the midst of our weakness!