A wedding and thoughts on the Advent...

Today was an incredible day at Church!  We had the privilege of witnessing a beautiful wedding ceremony for two refugees.  An Iranian man who grew up in Iraq, now a refugee in Nepal, and a beautiful woman from Myanmar (also a refugee) were united in marriage in front of hundreds of Nepali and foreign believers.  An American who has lived most of his life in Malawi and a man from Ghana officiated the ceremony, while friends and Church family from Pakistan, India, America, and Somalia stood as witnesses and acted as translators for the ceremony.  Talk about an intercultural wedding! The joy and excitement in the room was palpable – and the faces of the bride and groom were so full of joy!  A little background on their lives: The groom’s entire family was murdered in Iraq, and upon escaping and arriving in Nepal, he was immediately imprisoned by the Nepali government.  The International Church has a ministry to the refugees who arrive in Nepal each year, and they visited and ministered to this young man while he was in prison.  Through the care and Christ love of these Christians visiting him each week in prison, the groom became a believer – and now, three years later, is happily married to his stunning, Burmese bride!  The bride had also lost all her family in the violence that has shaken Myanmar over the last years, and upon arriving in Nepal two years ago as a refugee, was led to the Lord by Christian women ministering to refugees.

            How beautiful to see how God multiplies His blessings on His people! This bride and groom, who have both lost their entire family, home and country, have been given to one another as a gift from our Lord – to start anew together in Nepal as husband and wife, and lovers of the One True God.  How good our God is to those who love him!  As I live in a country that serves and worships stone idols and lives in such fear of the spiritual realms – and as I celebrate the Advent of the Christ – do I truly understand what a GIFT God gave in sending His Son to Earth so many centuries ago?  He has given us the greatest gift: the worship of a GOOD and HOLY GOD.  A God, who in His goodness AND holiness made way for us to be reconciled to Himself.  “Where is there another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of His special people?  You will not stay angry forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love!  Once again you will have compassion on us…you will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean!  You will show us your faithfulness and unfailing love as you promised….long ago.”

            I mean this with all my heart: there is NO one like our God! No other religion speaks of a God (or gods) who shows unfailing love and pardons again and again the sins and betrayal of His people.  Abba Father Whom have I in heaven but You?  You see the weakest and most despicable parts of me…of my heart….of OUR hearts, the hearts of Your people.  Yet you still came….!  A baby born to be crucified.  O Holy God we are not worthy, but we praise you with all the gratitude our weak, fragile hearts and minds can produce.  Without You we would descend into the chaos and horror of those without hope.

My Jesus how I love Thee!

Tihar: The Festival of Lights

It is Christmas in Kathmandu!

     Ok well not quite, but it certainly felt that way this week.  This week Nepal celebrated Tihar, the festival of lights.  This is an important festival for Nepali people; it demonstrates the reverence for humans, gods, and animals, all of whom live in intense relationships within Hindu religion and Nepali culture.  Hundreds of homes and buildings were decorated top to bottom with long strings of lights - they were draped across the streets, and decorated windows, doorways, and entrances.  Candles were lit inside the homes, and on Wednesday, Nepalis spent the day decorating beautiful painted paths sprinkled with flowers and lined with candles.  These paths led to the doorways of their homes, and are meant to lead Laxmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity to their homes, where they will do "puja" (worship) and thank for her blessings from the past year.  Small groups of girls also go around singing songs in exchange for sweets or money (somewhat like caroling!).
     The next few days are specified for worshipping certain animals, such as the crow, and dog, and most importantly, the cow.  Dogs and cows are decorated with garlands of marigolds, and receive the tikka (red mark) on their foreheads (I have not seen any crows decorated for Tihar - too hard to catch, I assume!).  The final day of Tihar celebrates the relationship between brothers and sisters: The sisters put the tikka on the foreheads of their brothers, ensuring long life and also thanking them for the protection they give.  The brothers in turn bestow on their sisters small gifts or money.
     It definitely has the feel of Christmas - family members come visit (my apartment building is FULL of Nepalis!), grandfathers, fathers and brothers stay home and fuss around the house, gardening, playing with their grandchildren, nieces/nephews, etc.  The holiday spirit is contagious, I have found myself humming Christmas carols throughout the week!  Yet despite the happiness of the holiday, I can't help  but realize that the Tihar lights are out in hopes that Laxmi will find and bless their homes, whereas our lights symbolize that the Messiah has come to redeem mankind - and He most certainly does not need lights to find His people!  But that is life here in Kathmandu - a constant, humming awareness that behind the lights and the colors and the smiles, there is deception and darkness.  Although, I would argue that you can find this same paradox within the celebration of Christmas in our own culture.  Well, more of that later...

In order to best see all the sights of Tihar, some friends and I headed out on our bikes after dark to see what kind of lights and ceremonies we could find...so for now, enjoy the pictures!

The star path outside my neighbor's door...

The stairwell in my apartment building....

I never made a sacrifice...

     I have had the most wonderful opportunity to spend time in Penang with my parents and grandmother, and then host the three of them in Kathmandu for a week!  Two weeks past I flew to Penang and spent an incredible week with my family: I was able to finally visit the place of my mother's childhood: Dalat International School.  It was so wonderful to be standing on the same campus where she lived for so many months and years, and visit the night markets, eat crazy fruits that were my mother's favorite, and learn how God is moving among His people in Malaysia.  On a more materialistic note, it was wonderful to be on roads with LANE LINES (and the vehicles stayed in their respective lane lines for the most part), to walk on sidewalks not covered with trash, and not hear incessant beeping horns all the time.
     In fact, it was so good that I began to dread my imminent return to KTM.  And that really shook me: I firmly believe and KNOW that KTM is where God would have me serve for the next two years of my life, and though I knew at times it would be difficult, I did not expect to be overwhelmed with feelings of such dread and loathing at the thought of going back.  What was going on?  On Wednesday morning, 2:30am, I awoke with knots in my stomach, lungs unable to find air, and tears pouring down my face.  I stumbled into the living room and poured out my heart to the God who never sleeps, and knows the deepest corners of my heart and soul.  LORD, why this dread, why this doubt? I came with a love for Nepal and its people, and a passion for your powerful and holy Word, but all of this has been crowded out by fears, loneliness and discomfort.  Am I that weak?  Where is your joy, your hope?  The tears continued to flow, but my breathing slowed, the knots in stomach loosened, and the Holy Spirit quietly spoke truth to my heart: "Is not my grace sufficient for you? My grace IS sufficient for you, and my power IS made perfect in your weakness - even in this moment in the darkness where it is just you and Me".
    Friends and family, how WONDERFUL it is when the Holy One speaks to us in our dark moments! I returned to my bed renewed and overjoyed - and unafraid to admit that I really AM weak - I don't like the crazy traffic, giant spiders in my bed, feeling unsure and exploited at all times due to language and cultural barriers...and I especially do not enjoy being physically separated from my family.  But if my Lord's power is made perfect in these weaknesses, then I will gladly suffer these inconveniences for His sake!  And at the end of this journey, I pray that I may truly be able to add my voice to David Livingston's, who at the end of his service in Africa concluded "I never made a sacrifice".  All praise and glory to our Lord and God, the Author and Perfecter of our faith!

But as for me I will hope continually

and will praise you yet more and more!

 My mouth will tell of your righteous acts,

of your deeds of salvation all the day,

even though their number is past my knowledge.

 With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come;

I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.

 O God, from my youth you have taught me,

and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.

 So even to old age and gray hairs,

O God, do not forsake me,

until I proclaim your might to another generation,

your power to all those to come.

-Psalms 71

Will you come back to the village?

A friend and co-worker of mine is Khaling; I read this and thought of him, and his work on a translation for the Khaling/rai people.

You…

Saying you’ll come by this evening

You’ll come by tomorrow

You’ll definitely come by this winter

Or by any means you’ll arrive by the end of the year

You keep me waiting and waiting

I’m left to stare at the path

Where have you gotten entangled?

Here…if there were a sun it’s on the verge of setting

If there were a fire it’s close to dying out

If there were a river it’s drying up,

If there were a flower it’s begun to wilt

Here….there is great difficulty

In keeping our culture alive

There are no Shilee dancers for the Tosi puja

There are no Risiwa singers

There is no one to recite veda and mundhum texts

And so…will you come back to the village

Before the Khaling language of Khaling is lost

Before the mundhum vedas of Khaling are forgotten

Before our culture becomes extinct

Before our identity is erased?

-Shiva Kumar Khaling

(Originally written in Khaling/rai)

Football!

Last week a group of friends and I went to watch the World Cup qualifying football match between Jordan and Nepal. The last time Jordan and Nepal played each other (in Jordan), Nepal lost 9-0, therefore I certainly wasn't expecting much. I was excited to go to the stadium, for not only do I pedal by the stadium on my bike often, I also love “soccer” and knew that Nepalis are intense soccer fans.

Everyone else arrived early, but one friend and I had work stuff to do, so we arrived a little bit late. We arrived at the stadium, and found a chaotic tangle of Nepali men, boys, and a few foreigners.  There seemed to be two LOOOOONG lines forming to get into the stadium, where intimidating military men with shields protected the entrance gates.  These guys certainly were not rent-a-cops! Traffic near the stadium was an absolute disaster since the crowded lines swung out into the roundabout and roads on either side of the stadium. However it was the first time I have seen Nepalis form a ‘line’…it kind of surprised me! One of our friends was able to pass two tickets to us through the fence and then we mashed ourselves into one of the lines, hoping we would get to see the start of the game.

We certainly weren't the only people who were late. The line was HUGE!! My friend and I were not only the only females in line, but the only foreigner females in line – pressed on either side by young Nepali men who were eager to know whether we were cheering for Jordan or Nepal.  The smell of body odor and cologne was a bit overpowering, but we did overhear some of the boys behind us “singing” about how nice we smelled.  I guess anyone can appreciate when someone else chooses to shower. When we got near the entrance gate, I could see that the guards were opening the gates for 10 seconds, then closing them and waiting about 30 seconds to open the gate again. As we got closer the line turned into more of a mob and (I didn’t think this was possible) more tightly pressed together.  I didn’t fancy smelling like body odor and cologne, so I stepped to the side of the mob to get a big more breathing room.  BAD IDEA: once the gates opened for our group, I was literally picked up off my feet by the mob and squished through the gates-kind of like getting squished like frosting through a cake decorating tube.  My arm was dragged against the concrete gate, and I left a fair amount of my skin behind.  I have added this scar to the collection I have from mosquitoes, leeches, and fleas.  

Once inside, the game was amazing! It had just started, and all the Nepalis were jumping around with flags and shouting their support for Nepal. Alcohol had been banned from the stadium, but you wouldn’t know it from the antics and excitement of the Nepali spectators as they cheered for their team. It ended up pouring rain during half time turning the field into a giant mud puddle. When the players returned to the field, the ball hardly rolled on the field; it just landed in puddles and splashed around. The Jordan team really struggled with this – they were unable to predict how the ball would react to the field conditions.  The Nepalis were much more accustomed to the weather and how to handle a soccer ball on a mud field; therefore we saw quite a few amazing feats of athleticism as the players slid, dove, and sprinted through the water and mud.  It was amazing to watch!

Security guards in full riot gear kept fans away from the edge of the viewing area. I was told this is to prevent the throwing of things onto the field. However, once both teams had scored one goal, the fans all rushed into the 'do not enter' zone in the pouring rain, overwhelming the security.

True fans!

The game ended at a tie, 1-1.  Nepal did not qualify for the World Cup games, but you wouldn’t know it by the enthusiasm of the crowd!!!  The players and their fans were absolutely thrilled that they had tied Jordan, a team that had previously humiliated them on the field.  Some of the Nepali players were wiping tears from their eyes, throwing their jerseys to crowd, and the fans were absolutely thrilled.  Despite the scar I will have from losing some of my skin to the stadium gate, it was an incredible experience!

Garbage Man

Saw the craziest thing the other day -

As many of you know we are in monsoon season.  As I was heading to my language teacher's house with my friends and fellow classmates, Klaas and Dineke, we ran into a huge traffic jam on the main road.  To start, there was a literal waterfall gushing across an intersecting road, creating a bit of lake in the middle of the main road, which severely constricted traffic.  Second, a poor garbage man had been rear-ended by a car.  Garbage men in Nepal have a three-wheel bike+cart system that they use to pick up garbage, and his whole cart and been knocked over against the side of another car, driven by a very irritated, wealthy woman.  The whole driver's side of the car was plastered with rotting garbage, and the garbage man's cart was minus one wheel (you can imagine his horror as his entire livelihood depends on his garbage cart, and repairs are not cheap).  But the sense of community in this country is wonderful: when we stumbled on this scene, there were five Nepali men helping him get his cart disentangled from the car, and clean up the garbage that had spilled out.  Not only that, but one Nepali man used the water from the "lake" to clean off the garbage slime from the woman's car before she drove off.

Of course, there are layers and layers of propriety and expectation in the culture that could reveal all this "goodwill" to not be so generous after all, but for now I am still the ignorant Westerner, and I choose to be encouraged by this display kindness.

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY

Well people, it has been awhile.  And I apologize.  Life has been humming along here in Kathmandu, busier than ever, and blogging pretty much slipped my mind.  However, the American Club and Embassy paired together to make a fabulous 4th of July celebration (well as fabulous as one can be when it is not shared with family and friends IN America) and I thought this would be a great opportunity to hop back on the bandwagon of blogging :)

At 11am, when my friends Jessi, Megan, and I arrived at the American Club, we waved our passports at the guards outside, had our bags checked, and then passed through the doors into a world of red, white, and blue.  Awnings splashed with our national colors peppered the massive lawn/baseball field, under which tables stacked with American products sat waiting for their American victims :) There was "pop" - as in, something other than coke, sprite, or fanta (MUG ROOTBEER! Amazing stuff when you don't have easy access to it hah) American candy, chips, cookies, and or course, beer.  Now none of the afore-mentioned items may sound very exciting to those of you who are in the States, but for the American ex-pats -  it was glorious!  They had a giant grill set up and were grilling chicken and hamburgers. There was a dunk tank, a slip n' slide, pony rides, and blow-up games (all for the kids, of course!)  If you were an American, or a club member/guest of a club member, you were welcome to event; therefore, people from many different countries were present to celebrate the fourth of July.  Instead of seeing a sea of white faces and hearing strong, American accents, the lawn was covered with multi-colored shades of brown, copper, yellow, white, tan, and black - along with many different, colorful accents.  The main commonality was that everyone wore something either red, white, or blue :)  It was beautiful.

We spent a sunny afternoon (a miracle for monsoon season) eating, chatting, watching the craziness of the dunk tank and watermelon-eating contest, and tossing frisbees.  I was also introduced to the Pizza Hut here in Kathmandu - and let me tell you, it is the REAL thing! Not that I ate pizza from Pizza Hut on a regular basis while in the States, but it was amazing to sit down at an "American" restaurant on the 4th of July, and eat pizza that tastes exactly like it does at home.  Double cheese-pepperoni pan crust pizza, you were heavenly.  

The Fourth of July festivities were wonderful, without a doubt.  It was an excellent excuse to spend a day doing nothing but being with friends, outside, with the added bonus of enjoying American food products typically unavailable to us in our everyday lives here.  I hope you all also enjoyed the parades, fireworks, and time spent with family and friends.

Blessings!

Four thousand stone steps, a sunrise, and the Himalaya Mountains...

Nepal is stunning.  I think that seeing the Himalyas first-hand should be on everyone’s bucket list. Seriously.

This last week, three friends and I embarked on a short trek in the Annapurna Circuit of the Himalaya Mountains.  Our goal was to see the spectacular views from Poon Hill, which is a mere 10,500 feet high.  The first day we set out past small farming villages and rice fields, following a dirt/stone path that slowly began to wind at a steep ascent up into the Annapurna range.  We had faithful dog, whom we named “Old Faithful” follow us for the first five hours of our trek, stopping and waiting when we rested at a tea house for a hearty meal of dhal bhat (rice, lentil soup, fried vegetables, and saag – SO GOOD) and waiting patiently when we stopped to rest our sore feet.  The last two hours were spent climbing a steep (and I mean, STEEP) staircase of a mere 3500 stone steps to reach our first tea house where we would spend the night.  I have never slept so well, or appreciated a hot shower, in my life!  The following day was much of the same: a steep stone staircase up (and at rare moments, down) the sides of the mountains and we climbed closer to our goal: Poon Hill and the extraordinary view of the Himal Annapurna range.  As we slowly but steadily crawled from one mountain to the other we encountered stunning waterfalls of the clearest, coldest mountain water, emerald forests, friendly faces of fellow trekkers, and small, painted villages of blue tea-houses and welcoming Nepali villagers.  Upon finally reaching Ghorepani (the village at the foot of Poon Hill) we finally rested our weary bodies, enjoyed hot chocolate and a fire, and headed straight to bed.  At 4:00am we crawled from our warm beds and prepared for the final 400 meter ascent of Poon Hill, racing the sun in order to watch it rise over the Annapurna Himalayas.  It was hard, hard work, but the views were INCREDIBLE (see photos below).  Pictures cannot do justice; the immensity of the beauty and strength of those mountains, as the clouds slowly recede like the ocean tide to reveal snow capped mountains tipped in blazing orange and pink as the sun slowly climbs into the sky – it is breath-taking.  

The next two days found us slowly descending (who would have thought going down took so much energy and concentration?  There were many times I thought I would just pitch headfirst down the mountain…especially with all those pesky loose stone steps I found!)  But the sights were just as beautiful: mountain jungles, rhododendron forests, some wild ponies, and more tea-houses with gracious Nepali hosts/hostesses.  At the end of our trek my legs hurt as they have never hurt in my life, but I can understand the thrill of the climb and why there are people who have done both ABC (Annapurna Base Camp), EBC (Everest Base Camp) and Everest itself multiple times.  The mountains are a wild and dangerous place, but that only enhances the beauty and wonder of what you find there.  Thank you Lord for creating something that can give us a glimpse of what it is behold something so beautiful and majestic, yet terrifying.

Ok, back to the everyday life and chaos of Kathmandu….!  Enjoy the pictures :)

During the sunrise....

Just before the sunrise....have no idea who this man is, but he adds some perspective and depth to the picture...

Just to prove that the above photos are not stolen from google, and that I really, actually was there.  (Mom, this one is especially for you!)

A soul that was charmed...

"Beggars Heart"

You changed my mind

You said something I had never heard

Something that is too high

It's left me limping and in wonder

Because all the things I know

Suddenly seem so small

When You build, it feels like You tear me apart

When you heal, it always leaves a scar

And even when You fill, You leave me with a beggar's heart

Hands reaching through barred windows

Falling asleep on the sidewalk

You say You draw near to the low

Now I'm here, I know I'm not low enough

Because all the things I know

Suddenly seem so small

When You build, it feels like You tear me apart

When you heal, it always leaves a scar

And even when You fill, You leave me with a beggar's heart

-Bethany Dillon

A few big changes....

Jaymasi!

I feel a little like a drifter or a hobo...I am in the process of house-sitting for a few different people here in KTM and that means I have been living out of a backpack for the last couple of weeks.  Now I am "permanently" at a friend's apartment for the next month while she is gone for work - her flat is at the very top of a six-story building, which means lots of stairs :)  I'll be there by myself, which means I get lots of practice in learning to live alone in Nepal! I get to deal with water shortages, installing new gas cans, killing giant roaches and spiders all by myself (well, I don't know about that one-I might be calling someone for assistance, especially if the bug is a spider), and working with a Didi (house-help) who speaks NO English.  It will be great language practice I suppose!

...speaking of language: classes are going very well.  Klaas, Dineke, and I are learning lots of vocab and key phrases for functioning on a day-to-day basis in Nepal.  We are enjoying getting to know our language teacher's family more, and even went to a Nepali wedding with them yesterday.  The wedding was beautiful - the couple were a Christian, so they mimicked a western wedding ceremony.  The bride chose to wear white instead of red, the traditional wedding/marriage color for a bride's clothing.  The food was incredible, including a dessert of fried syrup with yogurt (SO GOOD, trust me).  However, a storm hit before the festivities had finished, and since everything in Nepal is done out of doors, we all go soaked :)  But it was still a great time!

Earlier this week I experienced my first "bundh", or strike.  If any of you like to follow world news, you may have heard that Nepal is in the process of re-writing its constitution, and there a few different people groups who would like to have certain legal rights included.  However, their wishes have been largely ignored, and thus there was a strike.  I went out at 6am with a friend for our morning bike ride and there were NO VEHICLES OF ANY KIND on the roads! It was crazy, there were just a few people out walking, where as normally the city streets are already full of people and vehicles, dust, honking, etc.  As we headed back to our neighborhood we noticed military guys stretching barbed wire across the main roads; therefore I decided to take a vacation from language class and my other commitments and spend time at home.  It was really nice - is it weird to hope for another bundh?  Maybe....but a forced vacation day is SO nice and guilt-free :)

When I have a better internet connection I will upload a video from language class, as well as more pictures....pheri beTaula!

Charging cows, chaar and chaa, and a conference thrown in for good measure....

Jaymasi!


Life has started to calm down just a bit, but here are a few highlights from the last three weeks....


1.  Conference: we had a wonderful conference in Badanthilkantha (northern KTM) where all of our staff came for a four day conference and retreat.  We were VERY busy fitting everything into schedule, and I'll admit I have never been so tired in my life (which is what happens when you volunteer for all the committees, help out with worship, MC, and help organize the whole thing in general!) but it was fantastic.  I finally was able to meet the majority of my colleagues, who are from all over the world :)  They are amazing people who inspire me and leave me feeling honored to be able to work with them and serve them.  At the end of the conference, I had the same bittersweet feeling you get when you are saying goodbye to relatives after a vacation....many of these people/families I won't get to see again until next year at conference, as they work far away in very remote areas of Nepal.


2.  Language Class!  I have 'officially' started my "for real" language class :)  Two dutch friends and I are being tutored by a Nepali man and his family by use of the Greg Thompson method.  Basically, this method is non-academic and mimics language learning methods used by young children: in short, you learn to recognize sounds and actions through games and interaction...your homework involves going out into the city and interacting with Nepalis (whether at a restaurant, the supermarket, your taxi driver, etc.) and reporting back on your experiences.  I'm very excited about it, and our teacher says that we are doing very well, which is always encouraging!  I did have a bit of trouble with "chaar" and "chaa": the first word means 'four' and second means 'six' - and let me tell you, they sound EXACTLY THE SAME.  It is very humbling to work for a half hour on pronouncing '1-10' correctly!


3. Cows....Yesterday a friend and I rode our bikes down to the General Mailing in KTM in order to pick up a package.  The bike ride is about a half hour both ways.  As we were zipping around the corner of a chowk (roundabout) we (me, my friend, and a rickshaw driver) almost crashed into a pack of charging cows in the middle of the road!  There was lots of shouting, honking, swerving...but we all got out ok, even the rickshaw driver.  That night at dinner, we all laughed about how the biggest hazard on the road is COWS....and potholes the size of craters.  Ah, life in Kathmandu!!!!


I am seriously beginning to fall in love with this place....

ke bhayo?

jamasi!


My my, so many things to write about!  My life here in Nepal is most definitely a constant paradox: there are both moments of extreme hilarity, and extreme sadness as I am thrown against a culture and religion that is so tangibly LOST.  


To start, a few moments of pure hilariousness:
1.  A friend and I biked to a bakery in order to purchase some sort of dessert for a dinner party we were invited to.  I was inspecting desserts in the cooler that resembled something like a very large swiss cake roll.  Looking at the sahuniji (female shopkeeper), I asked "ke bhayo?".... what I meant to ask was "what is this" or "yo ke ho?", but instead I pointed at the cake and asked her "what happened?"  She gave me a very confused, slightly offended look, and my lovely American friend jumped to my rescue, asking her the correct the question.  I shared this story at our staff meeting on Friday, and everyone loved it, assuring me that there will be many awkward moments to come!


2.  While driving in a taxi, a friend of mine asked the other passenger and I "how do you say 'stop' in nepali?"  Simultaneously, both of us replied "roknus!", at which point the taxi driver slammed on his brake (my forehead almost hit the dash) in the middle of the road!  Luckily he was good-natured and got quite a laugh out of our "nepali bhashaa practice" :D


3.  Early in the morning I was walking to language class, and was almost run over by a motorcyclist...ok not usually funny, but this particular gentlemen had his helmet on askew, and was belting out a nepali song at the TOP OF HIS LUNGS...I can't believe I almost died for the sake of a Nepali love ballad.


Sobering moments:
1.   I visited a temple with a friend about two weeks ago...it was the strangest thing: there were so many videshis (foreigners) leisurely strolling around with their cameras, taking pictures of both the temple and the Nepalis, who were frantically scurrying around the temple desperately attempting to spin each and every prayer wheel on the hopes that one of their gods will acknowledge their prayers.  What struck me about this was the looks on these people's faces: FEAR.  Fear that their cries will not be heard or acknowledged, that their cosmic deities really have no interest in their hopes, dreams, and fears.  Laughing videshis taking pictures of a people group desperately trying to appeal to their gods....I couldn't stomach it.  What a privilege to know the ONE TRUE God who knows each and every hair on our heads! Every prayer is heard, and every prayer is answered.  Do we know how blessed we are?  I think most of us take our Lord and His constant care and provision on a daily basis for granted...and this includes me.  But at times maybe we find it easier to take something so amazing for granted rather than be overwhelmed by the enormity of it every day...


My Lord God,
Your attention and guardianship are overwhelming to me!
That nothing in this world or the supernatural realms can touch me without your permission
is completely beyond my frail, human comprehension.
Grant your servant the ability to live each day in this reality; 
to take risks, to seek the lost, and love the un-lovable.
For we are immortal until the moment we complete on Earth the tasks which You created us for.
To You all alone be all glory and honor!

Our place within Your liturgy....

Prayer flags at Swayambu

"After the football game...."


While at the end, the immense crowd flowed laboriously into the narrow streets, I reflected, Lord, that human history, for us a long game, is to you this great liturgy...
A prodigious ceremony initiated at the dawn of time, which will end only when the last celebrant has completed his final rite.


In this world, Lord, we each have our place.
You, the far-sighted coach, have planned it for us.
You want us here, and our brothers need us, as we need them.


It isn't the position I hold that is important, Lord, but the reality and strength of my presence.
What difference whether I am forward or back, as long as I am fully what I should be?


Here, Lord, is my day before me...
Did I sit too much on the sidelines, criticizing the play of others, my hands in my pockets?
Did I cooperate with my team without seeking the limelight?
Did I battle to the end despite set-backs and throw-backs?


I come in now to rest in the pavilion, Lord.
Tomorrow, if you kick off, I'll play a new position.
And so each day...
Grant that this game, played with all my brothers, may be the imposing liturgy that you expect of us,
so that when your last whistle interrupts our lives, we shall be chosen for the championship of Heaven.


-Anonymous


Snapshots.....

Prayer wheels at the Swayambu temple (Buddhism)

Burnt Offerings....

Burning of paper...unsure if the women wrote prayers or sins on these slips of paper before the burning.

deep in thought....

Santhi and Esther, my guides for the Kathmandu Zoo

dogs, motorcycles, and temples oh my....!

Well it has been eventful last couple weeks to say the least!

First, my roommate for the next three months arrived, which means not only a partner in crime for cultural and city orientation, but also the start of language classes!  We started on Monday, and our lovely teacher Chalita is very gracious and kind, and talks v....e...rr...y s....low.....ly for her "bidishi bidhyaartis" (foreign students).  Here is a brief recap of some sentences I can put together:
Mero naam Meghann ho.
Mero desh America ho.
Ma Kathmandumaa, Patanmaa, Dhobighatmaa baschuu.
Ma Nepali baashaa sikchhu, ma bidhyaarti hu.
Mero jholako rang seto, raato, ru kaalo chha.

Translation:
My name is Meghann
I am from America.
I live in Kathmandu, in the suburb Patan, at/near the dhobighat.
I am learning Nepali; I am a student.
My purse is white, red, and black.

CLEARLY I am well on my way to effortless fluency.  You have no idea how much I can with just that little amount of Nepali ;)

Anyways, Jessica, my roommate is wondeful! We have been having a great time.  She will be here for three months teaching some of our mother tongue translators (MTTs) how to improve their English and professional writing skills.

New subject: DOGS.  Apparently the dogs in KTM have determined that white foreigners can usually be dependable for small food handouts and to NOT throw rocks at you.  Therefore, dogs will sometimes attach themselves to foreigners who are out walking on the streets.  This usually isn't too much of an issue, but tonight my friend and I had a small female dog get so attached to us that she followed us for almost a half hour, waiting outside the bank for us, crossing the busy jawalakelchowk (roundabout) with us, etc.  The reason became clear very quickly: every time we passed a male dog, of which there are many, they would snap, growl, chase, and try to EAT HER until we had passed...I was certain that both the dog and my leg were probably gonna get chomped on.  I have never been so relieved to go to a restaurant as I was when we finally ditched the dog for some yummy Chinese food.

Motorcycles...sometimes, they just get a bit too close for comfort.  Maybe its my western "personal space bubble" kicking in, and there a few other reasons, but motorcycles are starting to make me jumpy.  Guess I'll just have to take the plunge and purchase one myself....if you can't beat 'em, join 'em! :)

Yesterday we visited the Patan Durbar square.  It is a beautiful and clean square in the center of Monghol Bazaar which houses both temples boasting stunning Newari wood carvings, and the residence of the former Royal family.  There were many nepali youngsters hanging out listening to music, old folks smoking and chatting, and foreigners enjoying good food at the museum cafe and taking lots of pictures (of course!)  See pictures for examples of some of the temples...there is also a picture of my friend Stephanie and I in our new kurtas (traditional female nepali outfit) and a shot of our street with the Himalayas in view.

Stephanie and me!

One of the temples....

Another temple....

Can you see the mountains?

To finish off, its been a great, yet exhausting couple of weeks.  Thank you all so much for your prayers and support - the community I have found and friends are most definitely blessings from God and results from prayers!  Please continue to pray that God will loosen my tongue and sharpen my mind with language learning, and that I will continue to learn and discover all that God wants to reveal to me in this city.  Namaste...

One week in...

Hello everyone :)

In some ways it feels as though I've been here for much longer than just a week, and in other ways it seems like just yesterday I was wrestling with my suitcases and fending off taxi drivers as I left the city airport.  Crazy.

But the reality is that I have officially completed my first week in South Asia! And what a week it has been....God has blown me away with a ready-made community of people also working with SIL who were eager to take me around the city, help me with shopping, introduce me at church, drag me to ultimate frisbee (I am sadly quite sore) and much more :)  If anything, this first week as left me impatient to find permanent housing/roommates, start language classes, and become independent where I can leave the house ALONE without too much fear of getting lost after a mere two minutes!  Ah patience....not one of my virtues at present, but how great it is to trust a God who as every minute detail under control and part of His purpose.

Of course, after a week there a some things about my new home that are proving a bit bothersome.  First off: air pollution.  It is impossible to breathe here - it is the driest/dustiest time of year, which doesn't help, but regardless this city is famous for its foul air.  As one friend put it: "You know you're in trouble when you go to Bangkok (Thailand) to breathe 'fresh' air".  Coupled with that is all the filth.  There is trash and dirt EVERYWHERE.  At first I didn't really notice, after all what can you can expect in an underdeveloped country?  I'd seen poverty and filth before, but four days after I arrived it suddenly hit me that this by far the filthiest place I have ever been (Others have said the same).  It will be a real challenge in the summer when the heat accentuates all the smells! :)

Electricity/Internet access.  Going seven hours straight without any electricity is incredibly normal here.  Yikes.  I had been warned of this before arriving, and people also said that there really is no way to prepare for it, and boy were they right!  Everyone goes running for their apartments when the electricity turns on, and the most popular restaurants are then ones that advertise a back-up generator.  So funny.

THE DARK.  Ok so this city has no light ever, thus once 7pm hits you are plunged into darkness.  And the roads here are not kind to foreign feet!  However, there is a wonderful tool here that I have never seen anywhere else: Cell phone lights (no, not the screen light).  There are flashlights on every cell phone sold here in the city, and so at night the roads are full of black shadows following little blue cell phone lights to and from their homes.  Ah, Nepali ingenuity.

In other news: I have ordered my first kurta!!!!  A friend and I went shopping the other day, and stopped by a tailor to get measured for a kurta.  Kurtas are the traditional Nepali dress for women...a long tunic with pants (think Aladdin) and a matching scarf.  I am SO excited to pick it up on Thursday...next outfit: a sari!

My new favorite food: Dahlbaat (Thakali)....the "veg set".  There is a great restaurant near my house that serves incredible vegetable dahlbaat, and includes free refills!  The meal consists of white rice, a green lentil soup, curried vegetables, some spices, and a really hot salsa.  All of this gets mixed together on a big platter :)  YUM.  I also really love the buffalo momos (think wontons but with buffalo, or "buff" inside of it).

Well folks, that's it for now...more adventures and experiences to come!

**After a security debriefing later this week with the Asst. Director of SIL, I'll know more about what I can/cannot say in a newsletter regarding spiritual matters here in Asia.  After that I will begin my first newsletter since my arrival.  Cheers!

drum roll please....I HAVE ARRIVED!!!!!!

Well guys, I am here.  In Kathmandu.  And there are no emoticons or words or smily faces that can accurately depict how I feel!!!!!  For starters, though the flights here were long, I made it safely with very little hassle (both me AND my luggage - quite the accomplisment) and though it was raining, here is a list of my first impressions.

-The people are so kind. Really.  Between my Nepali friends that I met on the flight from Abu Dhabi to KTM (though they are somehow convinced I am from Bangkok??? oops) and the very kind and hilarious immigration officials (since when are those guys friendly and funny?) I am even more excited to get out of the guest house and try interacting with others (especially when language training starts!)

-It's very colorful.  And also extremely dirty!  Funny how those two things always end up together in third world countries.  At first glance I thought KTM looked very similar to many of the Latin American cities I had visited - when I discussed this with my hosts, they said that everyone says KTM looks/sounds/smells like some other third world city they have visited, but after a week everyone concludes: DEFINITELY NO SIMILARITY.   Hmmmm.....

-The women's clothing is beautiful. I can't wait to have the language skills and the guts to walk into a tailor's shop and get some real Nepali clothing made for me.  It will be a great day.

-They have multiplel Kohler stores here! Bizarre....I'm sure I will encounter more bizarre things of this nature as I get out into the city and explore.

-In the mornings (such as 6am) all the neighborhood children are out running around and screaming before school.  If I had done that during my school years I probably would never have graduated thanks to all the classes I would have slept through.

-The men like to sit on the rooftops and shout nonsensical things to one another throughout the day.  Even fleunt Nepali speakers such as my hosts say they can't understand a word.  :)

-The city is surrounded by mountains, but apparently everyone calls them "the hills" (For a girl from MN, this is EXTREMELY challenging to understand.  We would never refer to the Rockies or the Appalachians as the ''hills'').  The actual Himalayas are at the moment hidden by clouds.

-Today Jonathon, the son of the family I am staying with, came running into the kitchen with  ham and cheese that he had just bought at the market, saying "Mommy, we must have toasties (ham and cheese toasted sandwiches) today because the electricity is on!"  Looks like my life is about to revolve around the availability of electricity.

There will be many more to come....thanks for all your prayers and support!
Namaskar/Subha ratri (depending on your time zone, good night or good day!)

Meg

SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!!!

लामो समयसम्म हराउनु भयो नी!
(lamo samaya samma haraunu bhayo ni!-Long time no see!)


I apologize for the long respite from blogging - things have been CRAZY considering I leave on SATURDAY!!!!!!  Quick travel info update: I leave from MSP at 1:45pm, have a six-hour layover in Chi-town, then fly to Abu Dabi for an overnight (a 14 hour flight. jet lag????) On Monday morning I leave at 10am for a four hour quick flight to Kathmandu.  I arrive in KTM at 4:00pm their time.  


So how am I feeling when I realize next week I will be LIVING in Nepal?  Well, I'm kinda freaked out.  Yes, I am super excited and thrilled that it is finally here; I mean come on, I've been waiting since last March!  However, these last months at home have been wonderful: I have loved being with my family and back in their orbit, MN stayed true to form and gave me a fantastic winter hah, and I got to finish out my time home working at my all time favorite coffee shop from high school, Lulu Beans.  Great people, great coffee, great place.  I'm going to miss it.


All this to say, life has been good but "easy", and I'm hoping "little miss independent" will show up soon and give me some nerves for what I am about to do!  When I arrive in KTM I will be staying at guest housing available through the translation agency, so I am taken care of in a sense, but I will need to start language classes, work on finding a permanent apartment, acclimate to culture, and find friends.  Not too bad, huh? ;)


Friends, please pray that God will grant me safe, hassle-free travel (!) and is already preparing strong friendships and community.  I can do anything if I have the support and encouragement of others, even build a whole new life in a foreign country!  How blessed we are to serve an attentive, compassionate, creative, and generous God - I fully trust in His plan and purpose with this new adventure.  If I didn't, I honestly wouldn't be going.  Seriously.  


If you're in the Willmar area tomorrow night, please stop by my home where we will be having a send-off party...I'd love to see all your beautiful faces befor I leave the lovely United States of America!


AND make sure to look for the next post, which will be a summation of my first impressions of my new home :D


Cheers!

New online-giving information!

Hey!


Just so everyone is on the same page, here is the new, easier, and far-superior system for online giving.  Go to www.wycliffeassociates.org/links/donatenow 
and then under "Name" write in my name.  It will take you directly to my account for financial gifts.  Sweet stuff!

O Come Emmanuel

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

My departure date is only six weeks away! I will be flying out of Minneapolis on February 18 and arrive in Kathmanud on February 20.  I am so excited – please pray for for my dear family as they say goodbye, again, to their daughter and sister.  Please pray for me as well; for the heartbreak of saying goodbye to my family and friends, and health and safety as I embark on this journey.

There is much to prepare for: buying headlamps, cockroach houses (ish), extra laptop batteries and external hard-drives, a gazillion bottles of contact solution, long underwear, and much more as you can well imagine.  Any further thoughts or suggestions on how to survive life in the Himalayas is very welcome! J

As we start the New Year, and wrap up Christmas 2010, I wanted to leave you all with a thought I had during our Christmas Eve candlelight service.  We were singing the song “O Come O Come Emmanuel”, and I thought how fitting this song is for the people of Nepal who are still waiting to read and learn about the Messiah.  I have taken the liberty to replace “Israel” with different Nepali tribes…

O come, O come, Emmanuel

And ransom captive Tamangs

Who mourn in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appears

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, people of Tamang.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse,

Free thine own from Satan’s tyranny

From depths of Hell thy people save

And give them victory over the grave

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, o people of Gurung.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer

Our spirits by Thine advent here

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night

And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to Thee, o people of Thakali.

O come Thou Key of David come,

And open wide our heavenly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high,

And close the path to misery.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, all peoples of Nepal!

Does it change your understanding of this beautiful Christmas hymn? 

It did for me.  

Blessings to you all in this New Year.