In Nepal - Kathmandu

Hello to you all out of Jorpati - Kathmandu - Norling,

I have arrived safely and have commence training the Nepali to be teachers and Bible college students.  They are such wonderful people.  I am using a colleagues computer as I did not bring my laptop with me.  I was already within my luggage limits bringing with me training material for these students.  They are such amazing young people who come from in and around Kathmandu and many out lying districts within Nepal.  Such a heart for the Lord.

I learnt something yesterday which has really disturbed me.  I always thought that the Dalits were the lowest of the Hindu Caste system and now I find that Badi people group are the lowest of low.  I am not sure that anyone could get much lower. It is really heart breaking.  There are approximately 6000 Badi people in Nepal and the girls are often sold into prostitution to India (Bombay).   This has really touched my heart.  We have two of the young girls here with us doing training.  To me they both look just like us.  The discrimination of people is so strong.  Please pray for the Badi people group.  I give thanks to the Hosannah Church, in Nepal who are working with these people.  Nepali people working with Nepali people to change the nation through introducing Christian education. 

We have an average of 40 people attending our day time session and and again 40 from the Bible college in the evening session.  All with beautiful hearts for the Lord.

Some of you may be aware before I left for this trip to Nepal I was quite ill.  I was given the go ahead to travel but over the last few days I have develop a severe throat infection which is now impacting my hearing.  Fortunately the cough has gone.  I have had a lingering sore throat for nearly two weeks.  It comes and goes. Today I was put onto antibiodics.  You can go and buy amocilyn for about $1.50 over the counter in a Chemist hall.  In Australia and New Zealand we need a prescription and it costs us heaps.  And before anyone asks me ....the pills don't expire until 2012. 

Please pray for healing not only for me but the other 3 team members who also have similiar types of ailments.  If I get an opportunity I will try and load up some photos.  I have to work out how to do this.  Also I do not have access to a computer and take the opportunity where I can.

Other than that things are going well.  I can really feel the work of the Lord in amongst the work being done here.  I see the students taking up the challenge and asking questions.  We have a few translators who are helping us out with the sessions.  This is a good thing as my Nepali is very basic.   I give thanks for these people.  The team would be lost without them and I would be lost without their support.

God Bless you all my friends
Until next time

Nearly.....

Greetings to you and thank you for all your prayers.  I am now have the OK to travel after my recent bout of illness.  I give the glory to God. 

I am ready and packed.  This is pretty unusal for me as I don't normally pack until the day I leave.  I must say most of the luggage I am taking are teaching aids and items for the women shelters.  I will have a few days before I start to complete all of my lesson plans and finalise preparations.  The days will be long commencing at 6am and working through until 10pm.  We have 60 Nepali teachers to train up in the New Hope International material.  I will be staying in the centre of Kathmandu. 

I am hoping to have some opportunities to catch up with my Nepali family in Sunkhu and Sarangot and perhap visit a few of Nepal's landmarks. 

Now looking at the clock it is time to go to bed.  My next yak will be from Nepal.

God Bless

Hi Folks, 

I am asking all of you to pray as I have come down with horrible cough, sore throat and now I have managed to burst an eardrum which may put my travels in jeopardy.  I am praying for quick healing as I leave on Tuesday evening and have a long flight ahead of me.  I have also been informed that an outbreak of dengi fever is through parts of Kathmandu.   Please pray for my safety not just for me but also for the Nepalese people. 

Thank you in advance and God bless you all

P.S God willing I will be in Nepal when I next write.

One week to go

Hello to you all.
This is my last week in Canberra before I leave for Nepal.  I still have much to plan.  Prayer cards were emailed out this morning so if you did not receive one and would like to be added to the list please email me at awirtitsch@gmail.com or anji59@gmail.com. 

An update:  Last week I caught up with the team "Educate Nepal" in Sydney.  It was sad to learn that the 2 teachers that were to join us from Nepal had their visa's declined.  We are yet to find out from immigration as to why their visas were rejected.  It would have been a wonderful opportunity for these two teachers to experience Christian education at a good Christian School.  It was not to be.

The Aussie contingent got together and spent the day planning and preparing for the upcoming trip.  On Sunday dear Agnes and I worked on the training material for the Introduction to Christian Teaching and came up with a plan.  I give thanks that she is prepared to do the ground work so that I can organise other things that need to be completed.  I pray all will be accomplished in due course.

Please pray for the city of Christchurch, New Zealand and the people there.  This includes my family and friends who were at 4.30am this morning woken up to a massive earthquake of 7.4 on the rector scale.  They are ok and casualities are light on. 

Please pray that the work the team and I will be undertaking in Nepal and that it will be according to God's calling.  I give him the glory and thanks for this awesome opportunity.

God bless you all
My next update will be in Nepal