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January 17, 2007
To answer many of the questions regarding my disappearance for the good part of two months, I will simply state that “no, I was not made into a three course meal by a komodo dragon (sorry Hunter Goff for the disappointment), I did not take all my incoming support and head for the summit of Mt. Everest on a whim (sorry Eric D.), and furthermore, I did not die due to spontaneous combustion.” On the other hand, the latter is a peculiar thing that I might further devote more time to in personal study...
…Just kidding! I am, in fact, still here. I have just chosen to remain hidden halfway across the world behind a few brief emails. It’s complicated, I know! But, at your mercy, let me try to explain. I am not sure on the exact date, but recently (within the last month, I think) an earthquake ripped through the country we know as Taiwan. Due to the shifting of oceanic plates (I think), a lot of the internet communication devices were damaged, leaving much of Asia (yes, Nepal) without a decent working internet service, and for a few days, no internet service at all. For the good portion of two weeks I was able to send out only a few emails as long as they weren’t too big and had basically no pictures attached. I had planned to update thus blog with pictures and stories, but, due to my recent frustrations, could not at all. I had hoped that I could devote 3-4 blog updates to the bombardment of photos that I had taken and have wanted to share with you. I tried for 3 weeks with many complications and failures. So, rather than correspond with several non related updates, I will just make this one extra long and add a few photos for your enjoyment.
…and yes, I know that some of this will be repetitive to things you have already read or heard about, but you can skip over that much if you like…
Overall, Christmas was a new experience for Jordan and I both. Jordan’s includes countless, consecutive days of December alone in his room with his friend, Pilo. Thankfully, his run in with the bacterial infection subsided the week and a half surrounding the Christmas holiday. However, with his pilo frustrations and my days busy being a dad for the kids and picking out their Christmas gifts, we both look back and remember Christmas 2006 as one we will never forget. It was the first time that either of us were not expecting gifts under the tree. Even though our families did think of us by depositing money into our accounts (which we stated was the best option for Christmas gifts, opposed to the drawn out, costly alternative to shipping them), our Day was still different.
Usually, on Christmas Day, at home with two younger siblings (Krystal 22, Kirby 10), I am the first one up. I’m the kid, and I rush to wake all the remaining sleepers (that’s everyone else) so that we can see what Santa brought. It’s true; just ask Mom. I have never figured out why I had so much trouble waking a younger brother who is 15 years younger than me and used to be in the prime of the Santa Claus days. This year, it is like I graduated from 5 yr. old boy to 25 yr. old parent in the blinking of an eye, as my focus was not on what I would be getting, but what I would be giving. Now, at risk that you might think that I am good, I want you to know that I still struggled being content with Christmas as it was. But, looking back, it was what I needed—a holiday without many of the distractions.
In the days approaching Christmas, the kids here were not anxious because of the gifts that they might be receiving, but truly joyful because of the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. It was truly humbling for me.
Long before Christmas, Jordan and I were kicking around the idea of getting the children a puppy that they could play with and that would also grow up to be a good guard dog (don’t worry, we are not endangered here). Renee, our Australian volunteer, suggested the idea completely oblivious to ours. Three days after Christmas, and after consulting with Rina concerning our idea and whether it would be a good gift, we set out to find a puppy. We found Max, a 6 week old German Shepherd, in town at a local vet. He was a feisty little guy from the start. Sidenote: Rina and Santosh (her husband) were actually supposed to be getting a German Shepherd puppy from Santosh’s parents’ dogs soon after they had puppies. But for some reason, they never did. So, we found Max to be a good fit and replacement. The kids love him and play with him often, when he isn’t busy relieving himself on either Jordan’s or my own sleeping bag.
Our idea has proven challenging as we have had to educate the children how to care for a dog properly. Most of the dogs here are nasty, dying street dogs and are not really taken care of by society, but rather, they roam the streets drinking nasty mud water and hoping for one piece of meat. Have you ever seen a group of street dogs gang up on a fellow dog with the intentions of killing it and feasting on it? I can confidently say that I have. “Man’s best friend” in America becomes “Man’s daily annoyance” in Nepal. But, there are a few trusting families here who love dogs and have proven worthy of taking care of them. You don’t have to worry about Max. He is not a street dog and the kids have already shown signs of love and acceptance towards him. Way to go, Max!
…Now that you have lost your appetite for any food, due to the “cannibal dogs”, I find it in yours and my best interests to move on…
Jordan and I were blessed to have an opportunity to a free, home cooked meal with a couple from our church. Amidst our enjoyment of beef stew and during our conversation, they suggested that we spend a few days outside the Kathmandu Valley. We had never been outside of the valley in our almost 4 months of being here. On a whim, we decided to do just that.
Chitwan National Park is about 4.5 hours away if you choose to make the trip on a fast moving Microbus (basically a van, commonly used for transportation) which we did. I questioned whether I would get sick the whole way there, as we weaved in and out of and around slower moving, bigger buses that did not have the luxury (sarcasm) of our speed. Usually, I don’t get sick while traveling, but considering that we were descending rapidly while carving out a pattern that wrapped around a huge mountain, my stomach opted to disagree.
We found out that one of our Nepali friends, Biphan, from church, was from Chitwan and was headed that way. So we decided to go with him.
DAY 1 (Thursday):
Stayed with Biphan at his house with his family in Chitwan. Enjoyed the traditional nepali food. Tested our intelligence and speed, as the three of us watched the National Geographic Game Show (Jordan won). In the morning, took a walk with Biphan around his town (strangely enough, reminded us of West Texas, but held our interest a little more) and had a great conversation with him, while we met most of his relatives that lived in the area. Left for our “resort” at the Chitwan National Park.*
*Sidenote: For $50 (which covered ALL EXPENSES) we received 5 days at a resort on the lake in a nice room, 3 meals a day, a bus ride back to Kathmandu, and an itinerary full of activities.
Day 2 (Friday):
Took a day long jungle hike with a guide. Came within 20 ft. of a rhino. Saw a crocodile, wild boar, barking deer, monkeys, several varieties of birds, peacocks, and possibly heard a tiger growl in the distance (verdict is still out). However, failed to see a sloth bear (you heard me right, a sloth bear), a tiger, and Jordan…after the mysterious tiger growl in the woods.
Day 3 (Saturday):
Took a bike ride to the elephant breeding center (come on, it was included in the itinerary). Had lunch. Then, took a 2 hour tour of another jungle while riding on an elephant.
Day 4 (Sunday):
Skipped the bike ride to 20,000 lakes in order to have the day for rest. Relaxed at an umbrella covered table near the river, while enjoying the sand and the hot sun (it was nearly 80 degrees in January). Walked around the resort town and paid too much money to use the internet. Ouch!!! Lastly, enjoyed a culture dance at the local theater.
Day 5 (Monday):
Attempted to leave, headed for Kathmandu, but was delayed and sat in the bus for two hours with every other vehicle on the road during an extensive strike. Finally, we were on our way and got home.
…For $50, that my friends, is how you do a vacation…which brings me back to the thought I usually have with vacations…
…they are such a great time, but I am always ready to get back.
And, here I am a week later, sitting in my room in beautiful CWC.
(to be continued…)
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Christmas!
Our Christmas was one we will not forget! Both Jordan and I were almost completely removed from the hustle and bustle of post Thanksgiving/pre Christmas time shopping and it was great. We spent the two weeks leading up to Christmas explaining advent and teaching the kids traditional Christmas carols. It was a great time. On Christmas Day we all packed into the kids' church bus and spent the day at a Nepali Christmas service.Many of you sponsored a child/children as an "angel tree" idea that we had for Christmas (actually, the whole angel tree idea wasn't mine, but borrowed from every mall in america...for those of you who were wondering). So we asked you to give $25 per child. Many of you gave! I am posting the pictures (finally, whoooo) of the things that we purchased for the kids from you. All the girls received an outfit (a sweater and jeans) with a pair of shoes. Most of the guys received either a pair of tennis shoes and a watch, or a futbol jersey and a watch. A couple of guys specifically asked for Bibles, and we were more than excited to get them.
It was a hard thing, when we think about it, to spend a Christmas giving gifts, especially to a culture that doesnt associate the holiday with gifts, but celebrates the true meaning. So, while shopping for the kids, we wanted to make sure that the gifts we got them were not just toys (which are still fun) but something useful that would provide as a functional need as well. Thanks for your gifts and prayers!
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Coats and Gloves!
Finally! I found a place in Nepal fast enough to put large pictures on the blog. Sorry that it has taken so long, but I hope you all see how greatly appreciated your gift to our kids here were. With the beginning of December came the bitterly cold weather. And trust me, with no heating in the orphanage IT GETS COLD at night and in the early mornings until the sun comes up! Many people contributed to make a gift like this for each child possible. Family, friends, friends of family, our church body, and many others came together and donated their resources to make this happen. I think you will see from the pictures how excited the kids are. Enjoy!!!
Thursday, December 14, 2006
The battle within!
I have been here almost three months to the day.
I have sensed my heart slowly growing numb and unfortunately I have begun to look through the distorted lens that are only concerned about myself and myself alone. It has been a disturbing fact that I guess I have neglected to pay attention to only because I would rather not deal with it. I guess I have seen pride creeping up on me, and yet it seems impossible to beat. Many times I see others' pride as nasty and my own as a minor inconvenience, but nothing major. Or, I find me often saying to myself, "wow, that was a humble thing you just did. Good Job!" And once again pride attacks! It is a bitter reality that God has convicted me on time and time again. I am a prideful person! And sometimes the thought that I should consider others' needs does not even hit me. Out of a book that I read, "Authentic Christianity" by Ray Stroud, he says that true humility does not recognize itself. I had to think about it for a sec..."of course it does right?" I mean, it has to at least know. As I pondered on that thought for a minute, I realized that the humility I have hidden behind is not a true humility; it is false. I mask false humility well.
Last week Jordan also lovingly rebuked me about my lack of contentment. This battle is older than my time in Nepal. It started long before. I am an impatient person! I hate to wait! I hate to sit still! I cant stand to have nothing to do! So, as you might have guessed, my time in Nepal has been a learning experience. Much of our time here is so different than our time in America. We have large portions of our day to do as we please. When the kids go to school at 9 am we are free until 4pm when they return. Wanting some structure, I started going to town to check emails, eat different foods for variety, and just to run errands. I have noticed that I have started to expect a certain "schedule" to happen everyday. And if things change then I am not flexible enough to make the shift. It is this "expectancy" that has gotten me into trouble. With Christmas around the corner, I have been making an increasing amount of trips back and forth to town a week. It wears me out! But, I write my own schedule here. Therefore, I control what I do and don't do. I am realizing that I need more down time. I need more time to just sit and enjoy His presence. I need more time to grab a good book and read. I need to be still so that God can speak to me. Sadly enough, I have closed myself off a little bit and started to expect things to happen in a certain way. I have replaced being in Christ, to doing.
I hate being closed off and unavailable for God to work in me. One value that I cling to is to be honest about myself with God and others. So, when confronted about my discontentment, I quickly turned to God in prayer. It was a sweet time. When you feel like you are in the lowest of trenches and you are looking up to the mountains, where you want to be, yet realize you are completely reliant on God for, it is Beautiful! I dislike the process that brings me to these lowly places. But, I love what happens when your sin is before you and a loving God pulls you from it. It is humbling!!!
So, at certain times I notice my heart grows impatient and I am unwilling to wait. It is then, with my struggle fresh in mind, that God asks me to be content. It doesn't matter what I am doing or where I am. It does not matter who I am with or who I am without. Yet, I live as if life was based on every whimsical detail. I live for the temporary and far too often I don't put my HOPE in Christ himself and his return! I put too much value in the things of this world! So, God is teaching me to make the most of what time I have here; to not look at each day as one day less until I return home, but one less opportunity I have to share Christ through my life with a lost people group.
Please, please, please pray for me! I know that in and of myself no lasting change can happen.
I have sensed my heart slowly growing numb and unfortunately I have begun to look through the distorted lens that are only concerned about myself and myself alone. It has been a disturbing fact that I guess I have neglected to pay attention to only because I would rather not deal with it. I guess I have seen pride creeping up on me, and yet it seems impossible to beat. Many times I see others' pride as nasty and my own as a minor inconvenience, but nothing major. Or, I find me often saying to myself, "wow, that was a humble thing you just did. Good Job!" And once again pride attacks! It is a bitter reality that God has convicted me on time and time again. I am a prideful person! And sometimes the thought that I should consider others' needs does not even hit me. Out of a book that I read, "Authentic Christianity" by Ray Stroud, he says that true humility does not recognize itself. I had to think about it for a sec..."of course it does right?" I mean, it has to at least know. As I pondered on that thought for a minute, I realized that the humility I have hidden behind is not a true humility; it is false. I mask false humility well.
Last week Jordan also lovingly rebuked me about my lack of contentment. This battle is older than my time in Nepal. It started long before. I am an impatient person! I hate to wait! I hate to sit still! I cant stand to have nothing to do! So, as you might have guessed, my time in Nepal has been a learning experience. Much of our time here is so different than our time in America. We have large portions of our day to do as we please. When the kids go to school at 9 am we are free until 4pm when they return. Wanting some structure, I started going to town to check emails, eat different foods for variety, and just to run errands. I have noticed that I have started to expect a certain "schedule" to happen everyday. And if things change then I am not flexible enough to make the shift. It is this "expectancy" that has gotten me into trouble. With Christmas around the corner, I have been making an increasing amount of trips back and forth to town a week. It wears me out! But, I write my own schedule here. Therefore, I control what I do and don't do. I am realizing that I need more down time. I need more time to just sit and enjoy His presence. I need more time to grab a good book and read. I need to be still so that God can speak to me. Sadly enough, I have closed myself off a little bit and started to expect things to happen in a certain way. I have replaced being in Christ, to doing.
I hate being closed off and unavailable for God to work in me. One value that I cling to is to be honest about myself with God and others. So, when confronted about my discontentment, I quickly turned to God in prayer. It was a sweet time. When you feel like you are in the lowest of trenches and you are looking up to the mountains, where you want to be, yet realize you are completely reliant on God for, it is Beautiful! I dislike the process that brings me to these lowly places. But, I love what happens when your sin is before you and a loving God pulls you from it. It is humbling!!!
So, at certain times I notice my heart grows impatient and I am unwilling to wait. It is then, with my struggle fresh in mind, that God asks me to be content. It doesn't matter what I am doing or where I am. It does not matter who I am with or who I am without. Yet, I live as if life was based on every whimsical detail. I live for the temporary and far too often I don't put my HOPE in Christ himself and his return! I put too much value in the things of this world! So, God is teaching me to make the most of what time I have here; to not look at each day as one day less until I return home, but one less opportunity I have to share Christ through my life with a lost people group.
Please, please, please pray for me! I know that in and of myself no lasting change can happen.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
It's beginning to look alot like Christmas!
Friends and Family:
I would like to say thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and financial and moral support through generous hearts, and the extended ways in which you have shown love to me as a brother in Christ. I mean that! God did not intend for us to live life alone, and I experience the fellowship and love of Christ through believers everyday be it through an email, a package, a card, a phone call, a blog comment, and/or a prayer. I hope you know that your generosity has helped in fighting the battle of isolation. I continue to look forward to hear how God is working in the lives of those I love. Thanks!
Jordan and I were walking back to the bus stop one day last week. The thought hit us hard; Thanksgiving was a few days away and for us it was going to be just another day. We noticed that the air that surrounded us acquired a crispness to it. And I instantly remembered our Arkansas fall seasons when the leaves begin to change colors and fall, when strolling around the square with your family was so important and fun, and when the time of the year changed from whatever it was to the joyous season of Christ, Christmas trees, Hot Chocolate, and good ole family fellowship.
Well, Thanksgiving was different for us. I wish I could have been home surrounded by the people that I love. I missed the steaming turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, and pumpkin pie. But, unexpectantly, we received a Thanksgiving meal that we will remember for a while. It was our typical weekly routine. We decided to make the trip up to our local café to check email and get a bite to eat. They were having a Thanksgiving special just for Americans. I could not believe my eyes. For $4 (285 rupees) we enjoyed a fried chicken breast, mashed potatoes w/ gravy, a roll, green beans w/ carrots and broccoli, rice, and lastly pumpkin soup. It was delicious! So, you don’t have to wonder anymore. We were treated, and rather well at that! However, I do wish that I could have seen you all.
This next month will not get any easier. Much like others, this is my favorite time of year. I love the feeling, the anticipation, and I love more than any earthly thing piling in the car with my family and heading to Nana and Papa’s where the rest of my family is waiting with puzzles, pretzels, egg nog, football games, soccer in the backyard, the “nut game”, the Christmas Nativity scene, and just the laughter and good times that we have. I am a family guy! Yes, this time will be hard. To my family, I am there in Spirit! (Ben, John, Alex, Austin, Nikki, Christian, Caroline, and Hunter: I will miss playing with you all in Ft. Smith) I know what I am and will be missing out on! But, don’t forget, that I have a family here as well, and the orphanage does celebrate Christmas much like we do back home. We have already drug out the Christmas tree, it is just waiting to be put up. Soon we will buy Santa Claus Christmas hats for all the kids. And we have already begun to teach them some traditional Christmas songs. My laptop dances to the melodies of Russell Dorch’s instrumental Christmas CD (if you don’t have it, get it) and a few other collected Christmas songs. Though the smell surrounding Nepal is not of fresh pine trees or baked Christmas cookies and chocolates, but rather the exhaust coming from a million motorbikes, know that we are taken care of. This year, we will celebrate a Nepali Christmas. And, it will be glorious!
I have received many emails from you all and I want to thank you for your consideration. My birthday was good. It started off rough and ended better. I went into town to do the weekly email and news check up. I talked to a few people and found out that a friend is not doing well at all. I will not mention any names, but please pray for this person. My heart is heavily weighted and there is nothing that I can do. Nothing! I hate that feeling! What was supposed to be a great day was significantly less. Someone that I care about deeply is struggling. And I am in Nepal almost completely removed from the whole situation and there is nothing that I can do. Prayer is the only answer!!!
It seems as if God has made that thought the underwritten theme on my heart lately. No matter what things I try to say or do to convince others, moreover control them in my own conniving way, I cannot change their heart. I taught the kids about Jacob tonight. We have been studying his life for the last 2-3 nights, but tonight I taught the kids about Jacob’s manipulating manner. If you are unfamiliar, Jacob deceived his elder brother, his father, and his uncle to control his life and get exactly what he wanted. After realizing that a charging, angry brother is approaching because of Jacob’s manipulation and how it has affected his life, he lifts up a prayer to God that is far from authentic and in an essence looks to control God’s actions as well. A man in the night wrestles with Jacob, wounding him at the hip. It is then that Jacob realized that he had wrestled with God. And, God was more powerful than Jacob. It was then that he was dependent on God, not to manipulate things the way that he wanted, but to provide him the courage and strength and honesty to meet Esau, his brother. He then realized that God is bigger than what he had initially thought. God changed Esau’s heart and made the reunion between the two sweet. God is not someone who can be tamed. And you can see this in his comment to Esau where he says that seeing his face is like seeing the face of God. (I mostly borrowed the thought from “Your God is too Safe” by Mark Buchannan. Get the book, great read) And, once again, the thought returns, “I am Jacob”. I like to think that I have control of myself and others. I like to think that God needs me to convince others about their sinfulness and need for a Savior. But, in reality, God doesn’t need me. He loves it when I pray for others, but he doesn’t need me at all! So, I am left where I began, that prayer is the only thing that I can offer for the unbelieving Nepali, my friend back home, or anyone else that I shall come across in the future, not my convincing words. And, I urge you also to join me in praying for him.
The day did get better though. Rina had prepared a nice meal! Chicken, veggies, and croissant rolls hit the spot. I bought a chocolate cake, enough for the kids to each get a piece, we blew up some balloons, and we played games for an hour. The kids had a blast! And, so did I. It was a great way to end a day that started off in the dumps.
Well, I better retire for the day. I need to hit the sack, but I will write sooner next time.
So to amuse your curious minds, I am leaving you with the Top Ten ways to know you are in a different country. Enjoy!!!
Top ten ways you know you are living in another country:
10: doing your laundry includes standing in a bucket while you mash your clothes with hot water under your feet.
9: you wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, and when you return to climb into your nice warm bed you decide to slip on your fleece that is hanging on your bed post, also where a dozen cockroaches are scurrying and have made their beds. (true story, Jordan is my witness)
8: doing the dishes means running some water over your plate to make sure that all the visible food is gone. (to all the mom’s out there: I know, I know)
7: driving is limitless. Imagine: no center lines, no real lanes, no traffic police, and thousands of nepalis who are in a hurry to get somewhere and armed with a horn. (however, in their defense, I have yet to see an accident)
6: a Coca Cola Classic can be as cheap as 15 cents. Does the Coca Cola bottling company know that they are basically giving them away here?
5: a trip to town means that I am going to be laughed at on the way to the bus stop, on the bus on the way to town, and as I walk around town fulfilling my errands and chores. (I know: it must be so amusing to see a very tall white guy try and get on a cramped bus that is shorter than him)
4: the question, “whats for dinner?” is irrelevant here…
3: getting in the shower is like playing the “who used up all the hot water?” game. Oh, I have a better game. Try this one, “Who hasn’t taken a shower in 4 days?”
2: walking down the street holding a 18 year old nepali’s hand (no not a girls) is not gay or wrong, its just different. (it is actually quite common for men of all ages to hold their friend’s hand while they walk the street. God is working on me and I am trying to be okay with this. I have almost gotten used to it)
1: a trip to the Immigration office to renew your visas looks more like 5 people standing around with nothing better to do, while one person tries to fulfill all the requests of the 16 demanding foreigners who are patiently waiting around the room. Meanwhile, Immigration officers #2-6 eat donuts and drink tea while admiring each others’ attire. Then they daringly try to tell Officer #1, the one who IS actually doing something, how he/she should do his job, all without moving more than the eight inches that are required to get their snacks into their mouths. So you are told to apply for the visa and come back two hours later, which is a trip in itself. So you do, and what do you get, more of what was mentioned; except this time you get to pay $30 (2150 rupees) and wait just a little bit longer. (It is so thrilling, we asked if we could come back on the 13th of each month, and they kindly accepted)
SO there you have it folks!
I would like to say thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and financial and moral support through generous hearts, and the extended ways in which you have shown love to me as a brother in Christ. I mean that! God did not intend for us to live life alone, and I experience the fellowship and love of Christ through believers everyday be it through an email, a package, a card, a phone call, a blog comment, and/or a prayer. I hope you know that your generosity has helped in fighting the battle of isolation. I continue to look forward to hear how God is working in the lives of those I love. Thanks!
Jordan and I were walking back to the bus stop one day last week. The thought hit us hard; Thanksgiving was a few days away and for us it was going to be just another day. We noticed that the air that surrounded us acquired a crispness to it. And I instantly remembered our Arkansas fall seasons when the leaves begin to change colors and fall, when strolling around the square with your family was so important and fun, and when the time of the year changed from whatever it was to the joyous season of Christ, Christmas trees, Hot Chocolate, and good ole family fellowship.
Well, Thanksgiving was different for us. I wish I could have been home surrounded by the people that I love. I missed the steaming turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, and pumpkin pie. But, unexpectantly, we received a Thanksgiving meal that we will remember for a while. It was our typical weekly routine. We decided to make the trip up to our local café to check email and get a bite to eat. They were having a Thanksgiving special just for Americans. I could not believe my eyes. For $4 (285 rupees) we enjoyed a fried chicken breast, mashed potatoes w/ gravy, a roll, green beans w/ carrots and broccoli, rice, and lastly pumpkin soup. It was delicious! So, you don’t have to wonder anymore. We were treated, and rather well at that! However, I do wish that I could have seen you all.
This next month will not get any easier. Much like others, this is my favorite time of year. I love the feeling, the anticipation, and I love more than any earthly thing piling in the car with my family and heading to Nana and Papa’s where the rest of my family is waiting with puzzles, pretzels, egg nog, football games, soccer in the backyard, the “nut game”, the Christmas Nativity scene, and just the laughter and good times that we have. I am a family guy! Yes, this time will be hard. To my family, I am there in Spirit! (Ben, John, Alex, Austin, Nikki, Christian, Caroline, and Hunter: I will miss playing with you all in Ft. Smith) I know what I am and will be missing out on! But, don’t forget, that I have a family here as well, and the orphanage does celebrate Christmas much like we do back home. We have already drug out the Christmas tree, it is just waiting to be put up. Soon we will buy Santa Claus Christmas hats for all the kids. And we have already begun to teach them some traditional Christmas songs. My laptop dances to the melodies of Russell Dorch’s instrumental Christmas CD (if you don’t have it, get it) and a few other collected Christmas songs. Though the smell surrounding Nepal is not of fresh pine trees or baked Christmas cookies and chocolates, but rather the exhaust coming from a million motorbikes, know that we are taken care of. This year, we will celebrate a Nepali Christmas. And, it will be glorious!
I have received many emails from you all and I want to thank you for your consideration. My birthday was good. It started off rough and ended better. I went into town to do the weekly email and news check up. I talked to a few people and found out that a friend is not doing well at all. I will not mention any names, but please pray for this person. My heart is heavily weighted and there is nothing that I can do. Nothing! I hate that feeling! What was supposed to be a great day was significantly less. Someone that I care about deeply is struggling. And I am in Nepal almost completely removed from the whole situation and there is nothing that I can do. Prayer is the only answer!!!
It seems as if God has made that thought the underwritten theme on my heart lately. No matter what things I try to say or do to convince others, moreover control them in my own conniving way, I cannot change their heart. I taught the kids about Jacob tonight. We have been studying his life for the last 2-3 nights, but tonight I taught the kids about Jacob’s manipulating manner. If you are unfamiliar, Jacob deceived his elder brother, his father, and his uncle to control his life and get exactly what he wanted. After realizing that a charging, angry brother is approaching because of Jacob’s manipulation and how it has affected his life, he lifts up a prayer to God that is far from authentic and in an essence looks to control God’s actions as well. A man in the night wrestles with Jacob, wounding him at the hip. It is then that Jacob realized that he had wrestled with God. And, God was more powerful than Jacob. It was then that he was dependent on God, not to manipulate things the way that he wanted, but to provide him the courage and strength and honesty to meet Esau, his brother. He then realized that God is bigger than what he had initially thought. God changed Esau’s heart and made the reunion between the two sweet. God is not someone who can be tamed. And you can see this in his comment to Esau where he says that seeing his face is like seeing the face of God. (I mostly borrowed the thought from “Your God is too Safe” by Mark Buchannan. Get the book, great read) And, once again, the thought returns, “I am Jacob”. I like to think that I have control of myself and others. I like to think that God needs me to convince others about their sinfulness and need for a Savior. But, in reality, God doesn’t need me. He loves it when I pray for others, but he doesn’t need me at all! So, I am left where I began, that prayer is the only thing that I can offer for the unbelieving Nepali, my friend back home, or anyone else that I shall come across in the future, not my convincing words. And, I urge you also to join me in praying for him.
The day did get better though. Rina had prepared a nice meal! Chicken, veggies, and croissant rolls hit the spot. I bought a chocolate cake, enough for the kids to each get a piece, we blew up some balloons, and we played games for an hour. The kids had a blast! And, so did I. It was a great way to end a day that started off in the dumps.
Well, I better retire for the day. I need to hit the sack, but I will write sooner next time.
So to amuse your curious minds, I am leaving you with the Top Ten ways to know you are in a different country. Enjoy!!!
Top ten ways you know you are living in another country:
10: doing your laundry includes standing in a bucket while you mash your clothes with hot water under your feet.
9: you wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, and when you return to climb into your nice warm bed you decide to slip on your fleece that is hanging on your bed post, also where a dozen cockroaches are scurrying and have made their beds. (true story, Jordan is my witness)
8: doing the dishes means running some water over your plate to make sure that all the visible food is gone. (to all the mom’s out there: I know, I know)
7: driving is limitless. Imagine: no center lines, no real lanes, no traffic police, and thousands of nepalis who are in a hurry to get somewhere and armed with a horn. (however, in their defense, I have yet to see an accident)
6: a Coca Cola Classic can be as cheap as 15 cents. Does the Coca Cola bottling company know that they are basically giving them away here?
5: a trip to town means that I am going to be laughed at on the way to the bus stop, on the bus on the way to town, and as I walk around town fulfilling my errands and chores. (I know: it must be so amusing to see a very tall white guy try and get on a cramped bus that is shorter than him)
4: the question, “whats for dinner?” is irrelevant here…
3: getting in the shower is like playing the “who used up all the hot water?” game. Oh, I have a better game. Try this one, “Who hasn’t taken a shower in 4 days?”
2: walking down the street holding a 18 year old nepali’s hand (no not a girls) is not gay or wrong, its just different. (it is actually quite common for men of all ages to hold their friend’s hand while they walk the street. God is working on me and I am trying to be okay with this. I have almost gotten used to it)
1: a trip to the Immigration office to renew your visas looks more like 5 people standing around with nothing better to do, while one person tries to fulfill all the requests of the 16 demanding foreigners who are patiently waiting around the room. Meanwhile, Immigration officers #2-6 eat donuts and drink tea while admiring each others’ attire. Then they daringly try to tell Officer #1, the one who IS actually doing something, how he/she should do his job, all without moving more than the eight inches that are required to get their snacks into their mouths. So you are told to apply for the visa and come back two hours later, which is a trip in itself. So you do, and what do you get, more of what was mentioned; except this time you get to pay $30 (2150 rupees) and wait just a little bit longer. (It is so thrilling, we asked if we could come back on the 13th of each month, and they kindly accepted)
SO there you have it folks!
Monday, November 27, 2006
Devotional Time...
Here I am explaining the hand motions to the song "brother, friend" which has become one of their favorites.
Jordan taught this night about the tower of babel out of Genesis. The kids have really enjoyed the time in the Word.
You can see the kids are having a blast with this song. Here they are trying to spell J-E-S-U-S
It raining blankets and sheets!!!
Here is the bed stuff that was purchased for the kids to stay warm at night (blankets, pillows, and sheets)
Oh brother, looking so nice!
And, myself, as the children scurry around and sort through the bedding materials.
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