Thankful

Hey! Just wanted to let everyone know Im having a great time here. Got the chance to preach 2 nights ago. It was in one of the believer's home. Ive been able to visit an ancient city here in Bhaktapur. And even had 7 children follow me screaming "Hello!! One rupie!" over and over again. Haha. All I could do was laugh. But its really not as funny as it was sad. I have never seen so many children in poverty in my life. They are living on the streets. They have nothing but each other..which proves to be just enough to help them survive. They are family really. There is nothing like having a friend to stick by you. I am thankful today for my best friend Kirby. I have never met anyone so loving and spiritually discerning.
Anyways, I may not have many chances to keep my blog as I normally have. Where we are going does not have good Internet service. But no worries, everything is fine ;)
I will update when I get the chance. Love yall so very much
PS Ive been reading Isaiah 53. Wow. It has spoken to me. The sacrifice Jesus made for me...He came to free me from the devil's work. He loved me so much that He gave His life for me, and now I am to give mine for others. 1 Jn. 3:16 has been good too.....oh man there is so much more I am learning...but I have such a short time on the Internet....gotta go..time to eat

Tova

I will not leave you orphans

I am so moved as I am about to leave for the children's home. Yesterday I was reading a passage in Isaiah. It is where the Lord is talking to Jersusalem, his beloved.
"Yet Jerusalem says, 'The Lord has deserted us; the Lord has forgotten us.' 'Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you! See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands"--Isaiah 49:14-16

This is how God loves us because of Jesus and what He did on the cross for us. The Lord has not forgotten us. And the Lord has not forgotten those who have been abandoned and rejected by their parents. He will find a way to help them. I thank God for people like David and Sony Sagar who work dilligently and give their lives to help as the Lord would if He were physically walking on the Earth as a human. These precious servants are truly God's hands and feet.

I encourage you today to love on someone who may be poor or in need. Let the Lord use you to show His love. Just be mindful of the people around you and ask God to give you an opportunity to bless someone today and show His love.

Check out the link pasted below. This is Bro Rick's website where he has information regarding the children's home. This is where I will be staying for a week. You can actually see each child's profile. I will be living and eating with these children. I hope to be able to show them as much love as I possibly can. They deserve it. I pray you are as moved as I was when I read their stories and saw their faces.
http://rickzachary.com/children/home.htm

Children's Home

Tomorrow we are leaving for Bhakaphtar (spelling ?). This is where David and Sony have the Children's Home. I will be there for a week and the Zachary's will leave after 2 or so days there. They will be heading to Nepalgunj and I will fly to meet them there on the 2nd of March. I wil lbe staying with the orphans while I am there for the week. Im excited. I have some stickers for them...and toothbrushes....odd combination huh? All that to say, Im not sure how much I will be able to update due to lack on Internet there. So, we shall see. I will update when I get the chance.
Love yall and really miss yall.

Are you willing?

So, the meeting we went to turned out great. It was in the home of Pastor Samuel. Samuels father, Robert, pastored the church and grew it from the ground up. The church was built with the majority of money coming from the Nepali congregation. This is remarkable considering that this is a very poor country. Robert was one of the first missionaries to come to Nepal when it became an open country. He is from India and came here not with a vision to pastor, but to teach. The Lord actually called him while he was here teaching to become a missionary. Thus bringing forth the largest church here in Nepal. God can do anything. He can call you to preach at the age of 50 or 80. He can call you to sell everything you have and serve the poor. He can call you when you least expect it to do things you never desired, dreamed or imagined. God can do the impossible. If we are willing. That is the key..our willingness to be used of God. So, let me ask you..How willing are you to be used by God friend? What if God wanted to change some things in your life? What will you give to God? What will you allow God to have so that He can take that and transform the world? He desires for you to give your entire life, wants, puropses, plans and desires to Him. Count the cost. Would you be willing to do like Pastor Robert and forsake everything for the call of God on your life? Cause there is a call. You must make it important enough to find. What is holding you back dear friend from giving all that God asks? God has a plan and purpose for each of us. But we will never find it if we are not willing to sacrifice.

Back to my story now (haha), towards the end of our time, Pastor Robert asked Bro Rick to pray for their family and minisrty. Bro Rick agreed, but then asked if Pastor Robert would pray over me. I was so shocked. I thought Bro Rick was going to ask him to pray for him and Mrs. Bev. Bro Rick describes Pastor Robert as a Paul to the Nepali. It was such an honor to have him pray for me and for God's direction upon my life. He assured me that God answers those who inquire of Him. I believe that with all of my heart.

Yesterday was a good day. We went and got a good American breakfast at a place called New Orleans Cafe. Its a really neat place with great food. Then Mrs. Bev and I played on her fairly new MacBook laptop. It was cool to see all of the things you can do with her computer. Then we all went to Monkey Temple. The name is fitting because there are monkey's ALL around the temple. They climb and slide down everything. I have never been so close to monkey's in my life. It was a beautiful place because it overlooks a part of Kathmandu Valley. It reminds me of a place we went to in Thailand that overlooks the city.

Today, Saturday, is Nepal's day of rest..or church day. We attended Pastor Samuel and Robert's church. It is a large church and was a great experience. The entire congregation sits on the floor, minus a couple of benches in the very back. I would say there were at least 1,500people there. And for those of you who have been out of the country you will appreciate this....they even had translation available for us!!! (Through a head set that is). Today has been a beautiful day weather wise. And since its a rest day, there are not as many cars and such to pollute the air. So thats always nice!!
Anyways, we are off to dinner now. Cream cheese sandwiches!!! They are good, I promise.

Knock, Knock

Today we traveled to a place near Patan...Im not really sure of the name but it was quite a drive...long and bumpy that is. Bro Rick and Mrs. Bev contacted their friend name Rena whom they met a couple of years ago when in Nepal. She now runs an orphanage that provides for 65 children...altogether they cook for 80 people! Can you believe! 80! Rena herself was an orphan. Please pray for Rena and her husband to find a home church so they can be pastored and mentored. There is such an importance in having a home church in which you can be connected and serving. I find that tolerance and compromise are always knocking at the door and sometimes we are not aware we have opened the door to them. This is why, among many other reasons, it is so important to be mentored. Not only does it bring accountability, but wisdom and light into your life. ALOT of the time, we cant see everything. We need to be submitted to a trusted leader who can speak into our life...with discernment and who can lovingly deal with us.
I have learned so much being here and watching the Zachary's as they interact with the nationals, and even with one another. I feel so blessed to be here with them. I know its not the easiest thing to have someone tagging along with you ;)
Ive been reading out of Hebrews, particularly chapter 2 and it has hit home with me. Jesus became like us so that He could defeat the devil who held us in fear of death so that we could be free......mmmmm.....YES. Ok gotta go. We have a meeting to attend tonight. I will update more when I have some time. Should be soon.

PS in the picture, from left to right, Rena's mom, Mrs. Bev, Bro Rick, Rena, Rena's husband

Across the river

This morning I got a text from my good friend Patrick informing me that his grandfather, Jack Littell, had passed away. Please remember Patrick and his family during this time.
Today we have been traveling throughout Kathmandu trying to learn our way around (Mrs. Bev and I, that is). There are so many things that happened today so it may take a couple of blogs to get it all out. We visited Durbar Square, Bouddhanath Stupa (an ancient temple), Kathmandu Valley, and a place where we witnessed cremation. To say the least, it was an experience to watch families prepare the body and conduct specific rituals before burning. It was so eye opening to watch a widow as she grieved the loss of her husband. She literally had to be held up by many people in order to stand. Her grieving was deep. And as we sat there across the river, we could not help by sympathize with her. We watched the entire process of cremation; from preparation of the body to the burning of it. Ladies who lost a loved one would light candles and place food and all sorts of things in a bowl that would float down the river. Not a foot away, there was a pack of boys scravaging through the dirty river to retrieve the bowl. There were monkeys all around the temple. Also, there were 'holy men' who sit around and pretty much smoke marijuana the entire day. Then we watched the body moved to the burning site. Then was the lamenting time over the lost one. We then watched as they laid cloths on the dead body and put a wreath on it. They would circle around the burning place three times with the body before placing it on the firewood. They then start the fire in the mouth after circiling it three time with the fire. We met a guy named 'Progress.' I think he liked me haha. It was funny. But, he told us that my name means 'Peace' in Nepali and oh my god, oh my god' in Hindi. His name was representative to him. Progress was on a progress himself...to knowing Jesus Christ as the ONLY way. Sadly, he does not believe Jesus is the only way to God..its just one of the ways. He worships many gods. MANY. Bro Rick was doing most of the talking with him. It was good for me to see how Bro Rick interacted with him. He did not 'preach' at him. But he did clarify that if you read Jesus' words carefully that he is very clear that He is the only way. Bro Rick challenged him to read The Gospels and invited him to check out the church they helped to plant.
I have seen things today I will never forget and will be sure to upload pictures when I get the chance. My heart was moved today as I saw many children on the streets begging. They stayed in a group, almost like a family. I figure they are all each other had. I was really moved to know they probably were abandoned by their parents, due to lack of means to keep them or just to simple apathy of their existance......
Lord, when I am satisfied, help me to always remember the poor and needy.

Tea Time

Met up with the Zachary's at the airport and we arrived safely in Kathmandu!! We ate at a cute little place called 'Pumperknickel.' We had the BEST sandwches ever...mom you would have loved it. It tasted alot like greek and lebanese food. MMM. Then we took at walk around. I bought a nice jacket and a booksack. The owner of the store, Chhaya, was so friendly. Apparently they have what is called 'Tea Time' and she invited us to sit and have tea with her in the middle of her little shop. Oh man..it was the best tea ever. Seriously. It tasted even better than Starbucks Chai tea. I must find ut how to make it!! Anyways, its funny because Bro Rick is making Mrs. Bev lead us around the area..and she has done good so far..the goal for the next 2 or so days is to be able to find our way around town without having Bro Rick help us! I SO know we can do it!! Anyways, just wanted to let everyone know we are here and doing good. :)