Standing above the clouds...

Im writing from Pokhara, having just finished our trek as we debrief. We got to glimpse a spectacular view of the Dhaulagiri & Annapurna Himalayan range. Hours and hours of up, up, up, up... I thought my legs would fall off, and I would tip off a cliff from sheer exhaustion a few times. I can say at this point it hurts to walk. But of course, with a little dahl baht- we all made it. We even got to swing on a vine over the trail at a particularly jungl-ish part of the trail.

Along the way we got to stay in cozy little sherpa-like lodges... Great tea and hot food by a fire with pouring monsoon rains outside... My favorite was from the highest point of the trail; we got up one morning after a drenching rain and hit the soaked trail to the peak of "Poon Hill. We glimpsed nearly the full mt. range and sunrise bursting into a rainbow over mt. peaks!!!! We were so high planes were flying down below us, above the clouds.

I stood, awestruck gazing at these mighty, majestic, snowcapped beings before me, while also treading on intricatly painted tiny pink and white flowers. A rainbow arched above the sunrise, and a chilled wind turned my sweat into ice. I stood in wonder at the Creator who sculted the mightiest peaks, yet also tenderly breathed life into the delicate flowers beneath my toes. I wanted to do one thing, and that was - SING. HE IS GLORIOUS!!

Please pray for our community's huddles as we verbally walk through what these 4 months have been all about! I desire the Holy Spirit to reveal His purposes to me so I can build on the stepping stones He's put in me through Nepal.

House of Love

The other day we went over our Nepali pastor's house for supper...

He has a pretty big family - because he has welcomed girls rescued from trafficking, and boys off the street into his home. When we stood on the roof of the boys home we could overlook the entire city- the view was breaktaking. He told us the story of how God led him with the streetboys and I was fighting back tears of joy the whole time. You see, often when I am walking in the morning I see a little gang of street boys about 15 minutes from my house. I know the patch of sidewalk where they usually sleep. So I make it a habit to say hello, of give them a little fruit of something. They call me "deedee Asa" (older sister/auntie Hope) and I call them Babu (my son) in Nepali. One time we even went out for tea, and had a great time. These troublesome guys have to do tough stuff to scrape in enough moneyto get by. Many of them often look beat up, and they can be found huffing glue on the corner.

When pastor told me the story about his boys I felt my love for my own little guys rise up within me, it was overwhelming. I wanted to do something. I wanted to change the situation these boys face on the streets. I wanted them to be set free in God's love, and delivered by His power.

Pastor said walking the streets - he saw the boys, and was troubled. He heard God tell him, "They are my prophets." Pastor could see eternal purposes in a tiny boy with a black eye, huffing glue. The Holy Spirit told him not to preach to them at first, just love. So love he did - played games with them, spent time, earned their trust. Sometimes he would pay for them to all pile in a taxi, come to his house to get cleaned up and eat a hot meal and play rowdy games. Sometimes he would give them a little money, and even though they swore up and down to not use it for drugs, he told them to use it as they wish. He trusted them. Pastor himself had been delivered from a heroin addiction when he radically met Jesus, and so he knows he couldnt tell them "Quit your bad habits, be a better person, get your life together." Thats legalism. He knew only God can heal and set free, and first these boys needed to be loved to understand Gods love. After some time they began to call him up once in a while, and even asked him to keep the little money they might have. Whenever they needed him, they would call him, they knew he could be counted on. For all the insanity and instability the boys face on the streets here, having at least one sound person to rely on means alot. He said he would even let them fall asleep in his lap when they were high. He loved them like a father would his son.

He never told them he was a christian, but they began to ask. (They said they saw him going into a church once) He said he was, then they were interested in coming to church with him. That sunday the whole lot of them came together and packed into the church. Everyone was amazed to see a gang of street boys there, clamouring around the pastor with familiarity. And the boys were amazed their "friend" turned out to be the guy up front preaching! That day every one of them accepted Jesus, got filled with the Holy Spirit and went out from there speaking in tongues!

Shortly after the pastor said his heart was deeply troubled - they were now in the family of God but living without a home. He regularly had them over but wanted something better for them. God provided the means for him to buy a beautiful home with large glass windows, a large living room, and beautiful view from the roof. The backyard even has big garden space! So the boys became his sons - and it was amazing to meet them. They are clean, happy, and purposeful young boys growing up into godly men. We asked pastor alot of questions - "Do you have a counselor in the home?" "How did they all get off drugs?" Pastor said the Holy Spirit alone was their counselor, and comforter. Once they surrendered everything to God and lived in His grace and love - they no longer needed the drugs. Their minds became renewed on the Word of God and their bodies began to follow a new order, no longer craving fale stimulants to survive. It wasnt rules and regulations that keep these boys in their new home and new life - its freedom in the love of God, and a new way by the power of the Spirit within them. What an amazing story.

Some day I dream of doing something like this. Having a home, a refuge, a safe place for children to be healed in the presence of God. I could feel my heart burning by this story; my heart is breaking for my friends on the street...

Trekking

Wednesday our team is off to trek for 5-7 days. (Depends on how slow we walk up those thousands of stairs on the mt. trails) It will be beautiful!

This time is for our debriefing. Please pray the Holy Spirit breathes on our community to reveal the fullness of what He has been teaching us the last four months. When we return we will have about a week to pack up, say our goodbyes, and we get on the plane home june 1st.

Solidarity

Well, nepals been waiting amidst all the political shifts. what'll happen? nothing wilds been transpiring, just a few little protests - which was already common here.

So, with no news to report - here's the promised solidarity post.

WordMafeFlesh talks alot about solidarity. At first I didnt get it, Ill admit. I didnt know what exactly that looks like in practical terms - or if I agreed with it. I read books in college ab a guy who moved into a slum in Asia, actually into a cardboard box - for the sake of the gospel among the poor. (Viv Grigg) He really inspired me in college to first begin dreaming about serving the poor. Yet at the same time it all sounded weird and a little bit unstable.

Also, since moving out here I've thought alot about being an "intercessor" and what that means. Jesus is the ultimant intercessor - he entered into a human frame to deliver us, and he completely understands us because He's faced our temptations and limitations. So WHY would someone choose to live simply to minister to the poor? Because I think it models Christ's incarnation. Voluntarily entering into a life of simplicity among the poor has allowed us (in a small way) to grasp the suffering of the poor, and receive God's heart for them.

I struggeled with this at first, because I felt solidarity was somehow validating poverty, which isnt Biblical. I feel scripture is clear that God deeply loves the poor; as He values the humility and hunger they often have because of their desperate needs. But true "poverty of spirit" is a matter of the heart and not possessions. I know plenty of prideful hard poor people, just like I know plenty of prideful hard hearted wealthy people. God doesnt love the poor more than the rich, He loves people with tender hearts who know they need Jesus. So I figure choosing to live simply isnt taking on some kind of "poverty" mindset, and its definently not validating it. If anything my choice to be here says humanity wasnt designed to live without basic needs met,or without the gospel! My very act of coming on this trip is contending for something better, for my friends here in Nepal. I dream about the day Christ's kingdom comes on earth and under His reign - hearts are redeemed - nobody is hungry - justice comes for the oppressed - and spiritual darkness is wiped out. I want to live as an ambassador for that day, by coming alongside my friends with the love of Christ.

So what does that look like in practical terms? Hmm... thats a tough one, a question I face every day in fact. Well, Ill begin by saying solidarity is a choice- and a continuous one. Its little things, really.

-My servant team is given an "allowance" every two weeks. Its a pretty tight amount of money to cover our personal needs, (toiletries, internet, ect) transportation, and two of our daily meals. (We eat supper at night with our Nepali families.) How we use that money is our choice, but we have to plan to keep it simple to have enough... and if we run out - we are accountable to one another as a community. If one person wastes their money in a week, then the others on the team need to give them rupees to get through - we see all of our funds as being in one pot. Ill be honest with you - this one has been a stretch for me, its a learning process. I think this looks alot closer to how the church was supposed to function financially than the financial independance I've had before Nepal. Without accountabilty its easy to be selfish and wasteful with my cash, which is a grave thing as I want to be found a faithful steward. Sometimes Ive really entered into this lifestyle, sharing money and having to ask for help at times. And sometimes if I use my money for "extra" things (a cup of tea I dont need) Ill use some of the personal money I brought. So its hard. The extent I enter into simplicity here is a daily choice.
-We dont live in a nice fancy house like some of the foreigners. We rent a simple room like everybody else and our rent is less than some nepalese pay. We live in a one room "apartment" (a bedroom) and share a bathroom with the landlord's family. (Communal toilets in apt. buildings are the norm) We dont sleep at our Nepalese family's homes bc most of them have only a room or two also, and it would be kinda awkward sharing the floor with a nepali brother the same age.
-We mostly eat Nepali food. Once in a while as a community or on a day off we may have lunch at a Western restraunt... but for the most part its all simple nepali food. Nepalese eat twice a day, morning and evening - and its always the same thing - dahl baht. Dahl Baht is rice and lentils, and they're great at serving it with creativity - different vegtables and sauce. Its very simple, fairely healthy, and we've grown to love it. Since I gave up meat at new years, (for life) my family gives me an egg once or twice a week. When the nepalese have the rare treat of a little meat (My family's only eaten it two or three times since I got here) its a big deal.
-I stopped using toilet paper. Hold on, dont be grossed out. All nepalese hold to this tradition because their septic systems arent designed to process tp, and because they dont have rupees to waste on paper. They use water and the left hand, and it works quite nicely. (Yes I use soap after and no I dont plan on continuing this tradition back in America.)
-Since water and electricity are a big shortage here, we bathe only once or twice a week usually. Most of the time its from a bucket, but Ive discovered I need alot less than I ever imagined. For electricity, when the power's out in our part of the city, we use candles and go to bed early. (They rotate the power on and off across districts of the city because their is so little resources for electricity, no matter how much your paying for utilities.) We usually do our laundry by hand in a bucket and line dry.
-we didnt bring laptops or cellphones

These are just a few little things, there's more but I wouldnt want to bore you. Its a glimpse into some of the little choices we're trying to make to understand our friends. So far I think I've really been the benefactor on this one... I see I need alot less than I ever dreamed, and that Jesus, love, and people matter more than my stuff, how good I smell, or how nicely I dress. I've learned alot - like to wipe windows with old newspaper instead of paper towels, and to buy bottled water in a giant container instead of small liters to save on plastic waste being dumped in nepal. Jesus is coming back soon and I might as well get started on restoring things, no need for my waste and selfishness to be a mess the saints are cleaning up in the millenial kingdom.

Whats your thoughts on solidarity? Im realizing its something anyone can do, anywhere, and it doesnt just have to be in the third world.... !

oh dear

Prachanda quit. (Nepal no longer has a prime minister) whats next?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8032389.stm

things could blow over or start looking kind of nasty over here. keep us in your prayers and dont worry!

A Revolution? Or not...

Today was pretty flippen exciting. We see protests all the time out here with the politcal turmoil, but things have been heating up lately. There was talk of cerfews, the possibility of a military cou (did i spell that right) and church was cancelled. Before we crossed town to get home, Calvin said "OK, whatever happens, jump when i say jump, duck when I say duck, and run when i say run..!" (haha! thankfully we didnt end up needing to do any of that, our bus got through all the crowds) I saw my first tire burning roadblock, smoking into the sky and the road blocked by crowds. Calvin also said "And if we get caught in the middle of it ( a protest) just go like this (hand motion for a fist punching the air) and they'll think we're with 'em."

all in all im confident itll all die down, always does...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8032131.stm

What am I reading?

I love to post little snippets about books I'm reading, because its a great way to communicate what I'm learning or thinking about. I've read a ton of books being out here, but I'll only post my favorites. I figure it'll spur readers onto check them out, or hear from the Lord in the same areas.

This book really struck a deep chord in me, as it evoked emmense hunger to go deeper into God. Bill shared his own journey of "crying out for more" and how God answered. It reminded me that we only have as much of God as we are asking for; or as much of Him as we think we need. The greatest purpose for my existance is intimacy! I was created in the image of God - a Trinity - who has always existed in communion. So also I was made for God, stated so well in the lines of a favorite IHOP song, "I was made for love..." It encouraged me to be all the more ardently intentional in my prayer life - to be jealous with my time and my priorities - to seek Him with all my heart, and find Him!

This book affirmed the purposeful way God has created me uniquely - with abilities and passions that only I possess - which fully expressed become a unique shout of the kingdom of God! It affirmed my identity in the Lord; that there is no part of my redeemed self that isnt valuable for God. The church so over "spiritualizes" serving God by separating "the secular" from "the church" - when in reality all we should do in vocation, pleasure, and community - should be an expression of His ways on earth. God made me good - with all my passions for prayer and worship and even the little things like my love for relationships, bonfires, good chai, antique blue glass bottles, and fashion magazines. I want all of me, to be all for God - and it spurred me to shoot for the stars in my steps into the future...

I emmensly enjoyed Purity. In fact I read it in one day. Some of these books read like run of the mill after a while but there was some fresh perspective in this one. A few things that stood out to me - Kris said that the enemy's counterfeit for righteousness is prudery - another form of legalism. I tend to agree. People today are living in sexual insanity - and so often the church reacts as if sex was evil and shameful. Remeber, God created sex and its good, within the intended context of a covenant relationship between a man and a woman! Instead of the church running and hiding, I'd propose another solution: lets take the lead church. Lets model healthy sexuality expressed in happily faithful marriages. Lets model healthy modesty women- beauty displayed without being provocative! Lets model purity without legalism, from the inside out and not the outside in. (We are pure as we walk out by faith who Christ is within us) Rules and regulations dont control the sinful heart - only repentance and forgiveness washes us clean. We can only be pure as we walk out who Jesus is, by His enabling power, and in community.

"Visions Beyond the Veil" is an account from Heidi Baker about corporate encounters with the Holy Spirit, experienced by the children at her orphanage in China. As far as I can see I read this as a literal account, trusting that if children ask for more of the Holy Spirit - God, begin a good father, will indeed meet them. (He will not give them a stone when they ask for bread.) Little boys taken off the street, newly saved, were taken up into Heaven and given revelation on many things. I was astounded at how accurate the children's accounts of end times were - because Im presently studying Revelation. God promised in end times He would pour out His Spirit - and I know the church is beginning to experience this in greater measure. It encourages me to ask for more without fear!

This was one of the ones I didnt read on my own, but in community with Servant Team. We read it and had two discussions about how it changed our perspectives - and we all found it quite profound. The things that stuck out to me were fresh light on the incarnation and temptation. God revealed Himself through Jesus - the God man who came in the flesh. I began to understand the reason God voluntarily modeled weakness and entered a human frame was to reveal love - even to death on a cross. Revealing His love He was giving human beings an opportunity to then choose Him. At the temptation the enemy tried to entice Jesus to be a kind of masquerade, forcing His power rather than following the will of the Father to submit Himself to weakness unto death. Jesus chose to became nothing for us, which is the very power of the kingdom of God revealed. Now God has exalted Him in the highest place! Seeing this chosen weakness in the Incarnation, it has pushed me in this context to humble myself among the poor for love's sake - to enter into life among them and serve them to reveal His love! I also see through His revealed love, how sacred humanity's free will is to God. My choices for/or against God, truly matter with eternal ramifications. Profound.

This was hearing from an amazing guy who created community's to serve the disabled - to rescue them from the coldness of institutions into the warmth of community life. I am able to serve Jesus by serving broken human beings, and often I end up seeing my own brokeness in another's pain. Ultimantly all of humanity is the same - we all live and breathe and have basic needs for God and others. Reading some of the lessons learned in this context, felt like reading about our life here. God's taught my servant team alot while serving the poor. As we've given four months of our life, a tiny sacrifice - God's poured tenfold back into us. Weather its bathing an old lady who doesnt walk (which I do every week at the WMF home for widows) or chillen with homeless kids on the street - God's poured His love into our hearts. Funny how it works like that in the kingdom - you give everything away and you then you receive.

"Intercessor" was a book I started and brought on the planeride. Right away, it spoke to my time in Nepal - through the story of a simple Welsh man's prayer life. God called this guy to some downright crazy stuff, each time he said yes in prayer. He learned that although we have all authority in Christ - we learn to walk in it as the kingdom first becomes a reality within us. You can only give away what you have first received. For example, Rees was challenged to take care of a very sick man, who was contagious with a nasty disease. God told Rees that he'd be protected and he'd have to believe it, before God would answer his prayers to heal the man. Rees walked in faith (agreement) and tended to this guy's bedside for months - yes, Rees didnt get ill - then the man was healed after a long battle of prayer. In the same way God challenged me to trust Him for His protection over my health in Nepal, and its a journey of faith Ive been walking. I have been well for weeks now after I chose to believe God's word, and now He's asking me to pray for healing for others. Also its similar to the story of my service to the poor. (I volunteer at an orphanage a few times a week.) I asked God to put His love for them into my heart - so it would be more powerful than just my own affections and service. He challenged me to lay down my life by asking me if I am willing to adopt a child in the future - when I agreed - He began to pour His love for them into my heart and I've never been the same. (None of these stories are typed to cause you to admire me or glorify the work being done here- rather to spur you on to say yes to God and watch Him do His awesome thing!) I want it to continue! I want to keep saying yes, and going deeper into His heart!