Picture post!

Enjoy some pictures!! 

First night in the five14 guest house. 

Children's home games. 

Bouda Stupa

This elderly woman was filled with so much joy and love for Jesus. 

A quick stop at this bridge on the way to the border. 

More to come!!

Banquet House

We had been briefed with a few details, but I still didn't know what to expect. The poor, sick and hungry would gather to receive food, love and prayer. I prayed that Jesus would give me His heart and eyes.  

We wound through the city and ended up in a small open building/space. Several smaller rooms housed a tiny clinic and "kitchen".  We were introduced to the staff and given simple instructions "love, just love these people like Jesus."

What followed was beautiful. 

I knelt down next to two young boys and smiled. In broken Nepali I asked their names and told them mine. They taught me a game played with fingers. We laughed and my heart loved without reserve. I prayed for them, and felt the love and presence of Jesus. 

Next, I paused. The room was crowded with men of all kinds, from all different places and with all different looks. Do I randomly say hello? Do I try to find an empty seat to sit down? What do I say? How do I act? And then my heart felt Jesus and all I saw was Jesus and heard these words in my heart.

"If you've done it unto the least of these you've done it unto Me." 

I looked around, and everywhere I looked I saw Jesus. The sores, the smells.. It all faded and I felt a peace and light around me like never before. 

Who cares if they thought I was crazy, I wanted to talk to every person and pray for them and touch them with Jesus. I'm sure most of the time they didn't understand me, and I sure didn't understand them... But they taught me Nepali words and laughed at my blundering attempts. I chatted in English and prayed over them and they smiled. Sometimes I just sat, words weren't needed. Jesus doesn't need words to give love. 

I wish I could describe the joy in my heart. The privilege I felt to be in that room. That word - privilege - kept coming to mind. What a blessing to be able to serve Jesus. 

The food was done cooking and we began to pass out plates. I walked passed the speakers and heard these words break through the air;

"My God is greater, my God is stronger..."

Tears filled my eyes as truth soaked my soul. God is bigger than the suffering. God is bigger than the poverty. God is bigger than the hurt. 

My God is Greater. 

"He brought me to His banquet table and His banner over me is love."

In Jesus there is Hope

We began to walk around the Budda Stupa, the opposite way as is customary. Chants, prayers and incense fill the air. Bowed heads, hands touching the prayer wheels and hearts longing for forgiveness, peace and life. 

A spirit of heaviness was evident and spiritual darkness was all around. Breaking into teams of two, my team began to pray against the darkness, begging God to use us to shine true light. Our team leader had one simple instruction for us - "follow the Holy Spirit and allow Him to direct your prayers and actions."

Crowds of people walk clockwise, circumnavigating the Stupa three times. Courtney and I walked the path counterclockwise, praying for these beautiful people, so lost, yet dear to the heart of God. 

We stopped to pray for an elderly lady. 

An old man with a prosthetic leg was put on our hearts. We prayed blessings and healing and that he would come to know Jesus - something changed as we proclaimed the name of Jesus. 

A tour guide greeted us and spoke English well. He offered to share his knowledge of the Stupa. We confessed we couldn't pay him, to which he responded "your happiness is my reward." For the next 10 mins he shared about Buddhism, and I shared about Christianity - and how they compare. We had to cut it short, and as I shook his hand I said "I will pray that you come to know Jesus!"

Will you join me? Join me in praying that God would reveal Himself to this tour guide.

We left, with hearts heavy yet full of God's faithfulness. We are simply to obey Jesus, plant the seeds of the gospel and pray - He will be faithful to finish the work. 

"Put your hope in God, for I will yet prose Him, my savior and my God." Psalm 42:5b 

The beginning

How can two days be so full of new things, confusing thoughts, fulfilled dreams and the birth of new ones?

A beautiful people, gorgeous countryside and yet so much brokenness? 

This place where I feel so foreign, yet so welcomed and loved?

In the midst of a country reeling from the effects of the recent earthquake I wonder why this single word came to mind as I started to write this post.  

Hope. 

My beautiful team. God is at work and it's a beautiful thing to watch unfold. 

My thoughts are all a jumble. So you'll have to bear with me as I sort out what to share. 

Our team leader is a champ. The fist full day included a cultural orientation and prayer, followed by scavenger hunt throughout the city. This taught us so much about the culture and customs, as well as some great team building and a by of competition. 

Enjoy a couple pictures...

Prayer Request:

- Continued team unity

- A teammates lost baggage 

- God's continues work in our hearts

- Visit to the children's home

This is so important. During a worship time last night God really began to work in my heart on some specific areas. And talk and praying with my teammates knew I wasn't alone. 

Thank you for you support and love. God is moving and working. It's a joy to serve Him.