GREETINGS FROM NEPAL

Hello all. As I sit typing this email, I can see some people farming their terraced plots of land and can hear someone filling a bucket from a water pump. Behind me in one of our classrooms 13 students are studying the Bible in Nepali. They are part of a several month course where they will read through the Bible three to five times. They are learning the Inductive approach, which will teach about the times and authors and situations in which the Bible was written. This is quite a challenge for many of them, who are taking this course in their second language. Sabina, our hospitality director is running around preparing rooms for the 23 Australians who are coming for outreach today. The sun is finally breaking through the fog and things are warming up. The birds are chirping, the flies are buzzing, people are taking layers of clothing off. It is a good day. After returning to Nepal I made a room change. My room now is much smaller, but that makes it easier for me to heat. I also have a new roommate; a team of three came from Canada after I got here. The room is great, except that it is much louder than the last room I had. It gets morning light, so I can thaw out pretty easily! Also, making big base news is the process of buying a new plot of land! Our base is situated right next to a Madrassa. This is a Muslim boarding school for boys. Most of these boys are from the southern part of Nepal or India. For the most part, we live pretty peacefully. They are very nice when we need help or space, or when our volleyball goes over the fence. They have begun to buy up plots of land surrounding our base. It is frustrating to see that the plots of land we have been praying for are being bought up by people who don’t like what we are doing. They recently began negotiations for a plot of land right next to us. They were planning to buy it for some housing. Miraculously we were able to arrange to buy the land before they put any money down. We paid two Lakh Rupees (200,000 or $3,100) for a down payment and need to pay the remaining 14 Lakh (1,400,000 or $22,275) within three months. PLEASE pray for this provision. God has done one miracle in letting us begin the process of buying the land, but we need to see another to actually buy the land. If you feel led to give, let me know! I will keep you posted on the happenings here!

last few minutes in America

My bags are packed, I'm ready to go... I'm leaving on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again. So my last few hours have been filled with packing, weighing repacking, reweighing and getting everything cleaned up. Hard to believe that I am leaving the US again. For some reason this time is a bit harder. I think it is because I was only back in Denver for two weeks. I am excited to go back to Nepal and finish what I started, complete this trip and be with friends there. This time is a little different though. I leave Denver at about 5.30pm today (Monday), and I arrive in Nepal on Wednesday at about 1pm. I am SO NOT excited to be in transit, trapped in the small seat with 500 new best friends. I can only hope for well bathed small people to sit next to me, and for good movies on my little screen. I arrive in Nepal on Wednesday which is typically the day we have our base staff prayer meeting. It will be fun to see everyone at once, and have see people I otherwise wouldn't. Not sure what my ministry plans are, I think I will be working on the same team as before, only this time a team of three is coming from Canada. I think I am going to lead the team (or I guess guide the team is a better term), helping them adjust to Nepali life and culture. We'll see. Thanks so much for praying for me! I have been so blessed by you all! Your calls, emails, comments, hugs and coffee have been an encouragement! I feel like you go with me when I travel, that I am not alone. I received word that the insurance policy I took out will reimburse me for my flight to the states in November. This is a great help, keeping me debt free and lifting that burden from my shoulders. Blessings to you all! Come visit!