Finally an update

Hello to you all,

I know it has been a few weeks that I have had the opportunity of updating my blog.  Yet in that time so much good has happened...now where to begin.  There is so much to tell.

I have had the chance to catch up with my Nepalise family in Sankhu.  They live about 45mins from where I am staying with the team in Jorpati.  I was lovely to see them all.  I just wish my Nepali was better than the few words so that I could have a proper conversation with them rather than having someone translate all of the time.  I am sure that will come as I return to Nepal on a longer term assignment all going well in 2011.

The classes are going well.  The knowledge of God and His works amongst the students is just amazing.  They seem to grasp everything they can even though the class is conducted in English and translated by interpreters into Nepalise. We are blessed to have all of our translators come from the Hossanah Church. The Students seem to thrive on the group activities especially the simple stories by Max Lacardo, other life experience stories, the role plays of Bible stories, and group work really well.  Over here amongst Christian we say Jaimesi which means Praise our God. 

One of the blessings we gave the students to show that as Teachers in schools we are all equal in God's eyes yet the children should still show respect.  We used the example of Christ washing his disciples feet.  We managed to get 3 buckets, soap and towels and Ian, Agnes and I broke the day class students into 3 groups.  As the leaders we set about to wash the feet of each student.  I had 8 people's feet to wash.  I had 3 male students and 5 females in my group.  By the end of the washing I was made to sit down so that the three male students could wash my feet.  Wow my feet have never felt cleaner.  It was the most humbling experience and one that will stay with me for a long time. 

Our day time students preparing for Devotions

I would like to ask you all to pray for Haris who has converted from Hinduism to Christianity because of what he has learned and seen in the work we are doing with Educate Nepal.  Haris is one of the workers at the Conference centre where we are working.  He fits into the lower end of the Hindu caste system.  You would often see him standing or sitting...sometimes through whole sessions trying to take it all in.  I approached him at the end of last week and asked him what he was thinking about as he stood and listened to us sing, talk, discuss things, pray and so on.  He said he liked our God and would like to know more.  We talked about the issues that he would need to be prepared for when becoming a Christian in Nepal.  There is much persecution for those who convert from Hinduism to Christianity.  More so from families.  He said he was aware of this.  He told me that Christians seem to always be happy even when things go wrong.  In Nepal this seems to be the case.  He liked the way people praised God through prayer and worship and were not afraid to talk about their faith.  He said that the team did not care who heard in the dining room that we prayed and gave thanks for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  I passed on what I had learned to the other team members so that we could commence praying for him and put him in touch with the Pastor of Hossanah Church.  We also ensured he was given a Bible in Nepalise.  He would also like to go to Bible College.  In Nepal it costs around 5000 rupee to put a person through Bible College training.  This is less than $100 Australian.  It covers all costs, accommodation, books, uniforms and training.

Haris has since been in touch with one of the church associate Pastors who is working with him to find suitable accommodation with a Christian family. Please pray for this to eventuate and also that Haris makes some good connections through the church, and has the support needed to grow   This will help him grow in his new found faith.  There are many Haris's around Nepal just reaching out.  Please also pray that similar opportunities come their way too.

Haris

On Sunday we drove for 2 hours to attend one of the satilite churches via a taxi.  Our taxi was a small Suzuki.  So not a lot of room for 5 people.  The roads were rough and dusty.  We had a long climb through the mountains and we took a number of back roads to avoid the traffic conjestion of Kathmandu.  We went via Bhaktapur, Banepa, Dhulikhel and then took the road leading to Tibet/ China boarder to a place called outside of Dolalgat called Kalika. We passed through some of the most amazing countryside.  Just beautiful.  People walk everywhere if they are not riding a motorbike or on a bus.  Very few people own cars as they are too expensive.  Kalika is a really small run down village.  Of course westerners seem to be an attraction.  I doubt many westerners come here.   Approx 60 people gather in an upstairs building above the local shops.  It was hot and steamy considering Nepal was coming to the end of its monsoon season and heading towards autumn/winter.  The service was conducted in Nepalise.  Grahame who is the backbone working with the Hossanah Church provided the teaching.  An interpeter was provided for this.  The service went for 3 hours, a break for lunch and then a few hours of worship.  We did not stay for lunch as we had to return to prepare for classes the next day.  I sat in the lotus position for the whole 3 hours and am no quite sure how I managed to do this.  I was so stiff when I got up off the floor.   The trip home took a lot longer than anticipated.  We got a flat tyre.  Mind you the tyre was pretty bald in the first place and the replacement was not much better.  I think we all prayed hard so the driver of the taxi could get us back to accommodation safely.

Some of the beautiful children at the church we visited     

The view from the church window

People on the roadside

 Another one of the highlight and memorable moments was to visit the Bardi Orphanage.  It is located outside of Kathmandu in Bhaktapur.  There are 32 girls aged from 3 to 18 who have no family and would have been sold into prostitution.  It is interesting to note that the government will not allow these girls to be mixed with other children in other orphanges..  These are the girls that I mentioned in my previous blog.  There stories are horrific, tearful, pain and sorrow yet when you meet them you get the great big smiles.  All we could do is just love them, hug them.  They deserve so much more and in this orphange there are going to be so many more opportunities once the Christian School is set up.  Hossanah Church is also opening up an orphange in a village in Chinchu, close to where these river children live.  Child trafficking is as big in Nepal as it is in places such as Thailand or any other developing country.  One of the teachers who lives and works at this orphanage is undergoing the training program with us in Jorpati.  Rama is amazing and has the most beautiful heart.  Here are some pictures taken at the orphange.  They are blessed with an amazing house-mother and father and some additional helpers and their children. Just as well that we have a great God with a huge heart for the lost. Please pray for this unique people group especially as the girls find new direction, hope, peace and safety at the orphanage.  May they feel that they have a sense of belonging without fear of persecution.

 

We saw Ian leave for Hydrabaad in India after week 1 and we had Brendon replace him for the remainder of the training.  It was good to observe and have both of the men on board.  I valued all what the team brought to this teaching program.  There was just so much interaction in both the Teacher Session which ran from 6 - 8.30am.  The teachers then went of to the respectives schools to teach.  Preparation time for the day students occured from 9 - 11.30.  Many of the day students attended Uni, or College before attending our classes and some had to travel 45 minutes just to attend the classes after already being at school from 6am in the morning.  The day session ran from 11.30 until 4pm and then the last session for Bible College students ran from 5.30 to 8pm.  These students had already been to classes before attending our sessions or going to classes afterwards.  It made me wonder just how many teachers or students would attend a session before or after already being at school in our western culture.  This went on for 3 weeks.  Graduation is tomorrow for all of the students.  I have heard some really amazing testimonies from many of the students.  Too many to write home about but happy to share over a good coffee.  It has really opened up my eyes and heart to see the work that is happening in this place. 

I give thanks to God for this amazing opportunity to be part of His bigger plan and as I am called for a longer term assignment in 2011 I am open to what He has in store for me.   I know I already have a home to go to when I arrive back to Jorpati.  This is a huge blessing as finding suitable accommodation for a westerner can be difficult.

I head to New Zealand on Wed and return to Australia on Sunday.  Looking forward to be catching up with as many people as I can on my return.
Jaimesi