June 19th, 2012 Kathmandu, Nepal
How can I put into words all that I saw today, all that I felt? I asked the Lord to wreck me. To move in me and make me more like Him. today did not feel like ministry day two, but as though we were close to the end. If my heart is this burdened, this attached to these people now, what will God do will all of this time?
We went to a shopping area to share the Gospel through our dramas and then talking to people. One woman, whose sister is a christian, decided to follow Jesus. (See the picture of us praying with the woman below.) Two men who were Hundu and Buddhist decided to seek the Lord and we gave then a Bible bookmarked in John.
My MIG really endured today, from heat, feeling sick and not wanting to go on. From squatty potties to upset stomaches, we pressed on. Even with two girls sick (Brandi and Meg) we did our drama, we shared the Gospel.
Satan keeps trying to attack us, but our God is greater, stronger and will not let us be stopped by these small things. We said 'Push me!' and He is pushing us all.
We went to a park after our drama and this beautiful woman came running. Her name is Anita Lama and the only thing she knew about christians is that you cannot serve other gods.
Before our drama and testimonies, to gather a crowd, we turned on music and danced. Anita Lama joined right in and showed us how to do some Nepali dancing. It made us all laugh as we joined in. She would throw her hands up in the air as though teaching us how to dance like the Nepali were a hopeless task! What a precious woman.
After our drama, Marissa came over with our water jug to fill our bottles and the woman rushed over, and this is where my heart breaks a little more. I thought maybe she was thirsty and was going to try to drink some of our water. But no- she began grabbing our water bottles, taking their tops off and filling them for us. She isn't even a believer, but because we have the good news, she was serving us! I don't know that she made a decision to follow Christ today, but seeds have been planted and we trust God will carry her and that soon, so soon, she would trust Jesus as her Savior.
When my MIG got up to talk to people, the first man said he was following tradition, being Hindu. We shared teh good news, but he said he was too old, he would share with his son though. Then he did something I won't forget- he walked away. He walked away from the most important message, the one we came all the way from America to share! Next we met some Christians who knew some English and were so encouraging to talk to! We prayed with them as we moved on. Something I am learning as a 'First Responder' is that I must be urgent! This may be the only change someone has to hear about Jesus! The last group we talked to was of four men, and a couple of boys who crowded in. One man said he had just returned from Iraq and was safe, and because of it he wanted Jesus as his Savior! His Hindu friend was considering it, but he was unsure. When we asked him if he wanted to trust Jesus and have a relationship with him, he said, 'I am thinking about it. I may go to church with him Saturday.' Even though he didn't accept, he has something to ponger and god's word never comes back void. We gave a Bible to the man who got saved, tracts to all of the men around us and got their contact info for the local pastor.
Our next adventure was taking on another squatty potty. When we are serving the Lord, even that is a joy. A trial we count joy for Christ.
Our next ministry site was a childrens home (all Christians). We stayed an hour longer than we were supposed to. We did our program, and introduced ourselves and then they wanted to sing for us. An as they sang, one of the women brought us all tea and cookies. They have so little, but they give freely!
We played with the kids, loved them, stuck stickers on each others faces and both spoke in a launguage that we could both understand- love.
They genuinely loved us and I love them. I hated saying goodbye, but I am so glad they are believers! We put our shoes on (that we had to take oss when coming in) and said our goodbyes.
On our girst day of ministry (yesterday) on our way back 'home' so many people had to go potty... So bad it physically hut them. So we made an emergency stop at the bathroom and all of those who had to go got off and, hunched over, they wadled to the nearest potties! Today, that did not happen. Squatty potties were used and we made it back home.
We ate supper quickly and went to our 'Worship & War Stories'. We shared about our days and what God had done and celebrated together! I shared about Anita Lama and cried- the truth of why we are here is so evident! Count these trials joy!
We came to our room and got ready for bed, but in the process Sarah dropped her toothpast in the toliet. We all started laughing and then she had to fish it our with our only two hangers and threw it away, but nasty particles came up while she 'went fishing'. We couldn't stop laughing!
Then I crawled into bed and closed my eyes for sleepy time. =) The Lord is teaching me so much about love- love I have never ever known before.
Highlights of the day:
*Anita Lama coming to me, hungry for the Gospel and saying, 'Miro Nahm, Anita Lama.' I shared my name and her face lit up and she gave me a huge hug! What a beautiful woman that I will never forget!
*Worship and war stories- sharing at the end of the day how God moved, and His power over everything. From slums to orphanages, God moved. We open our mouths and He works. Whether it is in speaking to others or speaking to the Lord!
*Grinning at the children, not understand each other, but grinning and putting stickers on each others faces. sierra laughing and talking to the kids who didn't speak english. Love. Did I mention that on the bus ride home none of us wanted to pull the stickers off of our faces?
*Party with Sierra's MAG! Beka, Rachel and Amaya. They're all crazy, but they love the Lord! IT is so nice to sit and listen to Amaya tell stories about Nepali men creeping her out. But one of the guys rescued her! She 'really needed a glass of water', our codeword for 'Guys! I need help from creepy men!'
*Sarah Peters dropping her toothpaste in the toliet and having to fish it our with two metal hangers- now we cannot hang up our wet clothes. But at least the potty isnt clogged!
I remember Anita Lama. Her face comes to mind and I pray for her. I miss that woman and I wish so much I could see her again. I pray that one day I will, in Heaven, because I know how hungry she was for Jesus.
It really does seem like forever ago that I was in Nepal, but I loved every second. I didn't know yet that God would wreck my life in Nepal and change my heart. I already loved missions and God's heart for the lost, but He continued to change me and make me into a new person!
How can I put into words all that I saw today, all that I felt? I asked the Lord to wreck me. To move in me and make me more like Him. today did not feel like ministry day two, but as though we were close to the end. If my heart is this burdened, this attached to these people now, what will God do will all of this time?
We went to a shopping area to share the Gospel through our dramas and then talking to people. One woman, whose sister is a christian, decided to follow Jesus. (See the picture of us praying with the woman below.) Two men who were Hundu and Buddhist decided to seek the Lord and we gave then a Bible bookmarked in John.
My MIG really endured today, from heat, feeling sick and not wanting to go on. From squatty potties to upset stomaches, we pressed on. Even with two girls sick (Brandi and Meg) we did our drama, we shared the Gospel.
Satan keeps trying to attack us, but our God is greater, stronger and will not let us be stopped by these small things. We said 'Push me!' and He is pushing us all.
We went to a park after our drama and this beautiful woman came running. Her name is Anita Lama and the only thing she knew about christians is that you cannot serve other gods.
Before our drama and testimonies, to gather a crowd, we turned on music and danced. Anita Lama joined right in and showed us how to do some Nepali dancing. It made us all laugh as we joined in. She would throw her hands up in the air as though teaching us how to dance like the Nepali were a hopeless task! What a precious woman.
After our drama, Marissa came over with our water jug to fill our bottles and the woman rushed over, and this is where my heart breaks a little more. I thought maybe she was thirsty and was going to try to drink some of our water. But no- she began grabbing our water bottles, taking their tops off and filling them for us. She isn't even a believer, but because we have the good news, she was serving us! I don't know that she made a decision to follow Christ today, but seeds have been planted and we trust God will carry her and that soon, so soon, she would trust Jesus as her Savior.
When my MIG got up to talk to people, the first man said he was following tradition, being Hindu. We shared teh good news, but he said he was too old, he would share with his son though. Then he did something I won't forget- he walked away. He walked away from the most important message, the one we came all the way from America to share! Next we met some Christians who knew some English and were so encouraging to talk to! We prayed with them as we moved on. Something I am learning as a 'First Responder' is that I must be urgent! This may be the only change someone has to hear about Jesus! The last group we talked to was of four men, and a couple of boys who crowded in. One man said he had just returned from Iraq and was safe, and because of it he wanted Jesus as his Savior! His Hindu friend was considering it, but he was unsure. When we asked him if he wanted to trust Jesus and have a relationship with him, he said, 'I am thinking about it. I may go to church with him Saturday.' Even though he didn't accept, he has something to ponger and god's word never comes back void. We gave a Bible to the man who got saved, tracts to all of the men around us and got their contact info for the local pastor.
Our next adventure was taking on another squatty potty. When we are serving the Lord, even that is a joy. A trial we count joy for Christ.
Our next ministry site was a childrens home (all Christians). We stayed an hour longer than we were supposed to. We did our program, and introduced ourselves and then they wanted to sing for us. An as they sang, one of the women brought us all tea and cookies. They have so little, but they give freely!
We played with the kids, loved them, stuck stickers on each others faces and both spoke in a launguage that we could both understand- love.
They genuinely loved us and I love them. I hated saying goodbye, but I am so glad they are believers! We put our shoes on (that we had to take oss when coming in) and said our goodbyes.
On our girst day of ministry (yesterday) on our way back 'home' so many people had to go potty... So bad it physically hut them. So we made an emergency stop at the bathroom and all of those who had to go got off and, hunched over, they wadled to the nearest potties! Today, that did not happen. Squatty potties were used and we made it back home.
We ate supper quickly and went to our 'Worship & War Stories'. We shared about our days and what God had done and celebrated together! I shared about Anita Lama and cried- the truth of why we are here is so evident! Count these trials joy!
We came to our room and got ready for bed, but in the process Sarah dropped her toothpast in the toliet. We all started laughing and then she had to fish it our with our only two hangers and threw it away, but nasty particles came up while she 'went fishing'. We couldn't stop laughing!
Then I crawled into bed and closed my eyes for sleepy time. =) The Lord is teaching me so much about love- love I have never ever known before.
Highlights of the day:
*Anita Lama coming to me, hungry for the Gospel and saying, 'Miro Nahm, Anita Lama.' I shared my name and her face lit up and she gave me a huge hug! What a beautiful woman that I will never forget!
*Worship and war stories- sharing at the end of the day how God moved, and His power over everything. From slums to orphanages, God moved. We open our mouths and He works. Whether it is in speaking to others or speaking to the Lord!
*Grinning at the children, not understand each other, but grinning and putting stickers on each others faces. sierra laughing and talking to the kids who didn't speak english. Love. Did I mention that on the bus ride home none of us wanted to pull the stickers off of our faces?
*Party with Sierra's MAG! Beka, Rachel and Amaya. They're all crazy, but they love the Lord! IT is so nice to sit and listen to Amaya tell stories about Nepali men creeping her out. But one of the guys rescued her! She 'really needed a glass of water', our codeword for 'Guys! I need help from creepy men!'
*Sarah Peters dropping her toothpaste in the toliet and having to fish it our with two metal hangers- now we cannot hang up our wet clothes. But at least the potty isnt clogged!
I remember Anita Lama. Her face comes to mind and I pray for her. I miss that woman and I wish so much I could see her again. I pray that one day I will, in Heaven, because I know how hungry she was for Jesus.
It really does seem like forever ago that I was in Nepal, but I loved every second. I didn't know yet that God would wreck my life in Nepal and change my heart. I already loved missions and God's heart for the lost, but He continued to change me and make me into a new person!
Performing our drama, The Journeyman. The Journey of one man trying to find the meaning of life and the answers to lifes great questions. 'Who made me and why am I here?' The Journeyman seeks the answers in greed, but then kills someone and his hands are stained red. He then continues to reject Jesus, his guilt eating him. He looks for fulfillment in pleasure (the scene above), power and intellect but only finds true redemption in Jesus. But the man is guilty and must die for what he has done. Jesus takes his place and is crucified on a cross. He then cleanses the journeymans hands and ultimately his guilt, and washes him clean. The Journeyman then tries to tell everyone else, making them break free from the cycle of life-eating, working and sleeping.
Praying with a woman who accepted Jesus.
HAHAHAHA I totally forgot about dropping my toothpaste in the toilet! Good memories :) I miss you! Love you sweet Leigha :)
ReplyDeleteSarah