Last week in May

Here are some of the experiences we had this past week. I can’t believe this is our last week in May, where is the time going. It was nice on Saturday when believers here gather, to have a message in English and it was on helping the young people of Npl. I enjoyed the speaker’s energy and excitement to help the young people here to change their surroundings and country for good. We had lots of time in the south to relax, so I did lots of bible reading, listening to ipod-messages and reading a book; Purpose Driven Life. I would recommend everyone to read this book, it is good for how to find direction in your life, Shane also read and agrees with me.

The sisters were having a good time building relationships with the girls, teaching them English, learning some Npli, and spending time together. It was fun seeing Jess serving food during meals and washing dishes for the girls-taking plates from them to wash. Then three speakers came here and spoke at the training, two of them are foreigners and one local, who are working here in Npl helping the young people and serving Father here. It was so much fun to here all there stories of how Father is working among the young people and also hearing stories from their village treks.

In the mornings I would go out and take walks and have devotions, it was nice walking through villages and praying for them. It is so much more peaceful I think in the villages then in the cities. It was nice listening to testimonies of local people here coming to follow Father and how he drew them to himself. Austin and I were walking one morning and came upon a hindu funeral, so we followed them down to the river and watched them do their rituals and someone there told us what all was happening and why they do the traditions with it. Then we talked with this guy because he is interested in following the Father. So we explained to him how Father has changed us and how he will help him to.

The next day we went to his house and shared with him my testimony and talked with him some more about the Father-I think he will decide to follow him. Us 3 guys finished our 7day fast from food, and we all drew closer to Father, and were at peace with other things we were thinking. It is amazing how close you get to the Father, and how he gives you energy to live, I learned it is important to fast and hope to grow in this throughout my life. It was nice us guys could help encourage each other to keep going, and then when it was over it felt so good to have food again, it is good for spiritual renewal.

These are some of the adventures we had this week. Thank you for all your prayers. Here are some things you can keep in mind when you pray; the Father will continue to lead our team and draw us closer together and closer to Him, that we can stay focused here and take time to allow the Father to show us what to do each day here. We love you all and miss you, and keep you all in our prayers too. Blessings to you all and may the Father draw all you closer to Him. 

Close Encounters with Animals

May 22, 2009

Natasha Yoder

We have had some fun adventures this past week. We had a retreat which was a lot of fun. It was Monday - Wednesday, and then Thursday morning we left. We went on nature walking tours and a bird watching walk. We got to have a canoe ride. The man who was steering used only a bamboo stick. During the canoe ride we saw crocodiles. One even was swimming under our canoe for a few minutes! We went to an elephant breeding center and got to see twin elephants that are only 6 months old, and one that was only five days old. My favorite thing was we got to have an elephant ride. That was a lot of fun, and we saw some wildlife. We saw some deer with huge antlers and another crocodile. We also saw rhinos! At one point the elephants went into the river and the trainers were bathing them. To get back on, the trainer climbed up the trunk! One day we also visited a village for a little while as part of the package. But, for us we have been living the village life for the past few months. One evening we went to a cultural dance. It was really neat, and it was different than the other ones we have experienced. It was guys dancing and they were using sticks and one guy even did one dance with fire.

Last Sunday we went to the BREY graduation in the previous village we were in. It was good to see everyone again.

Now we are in another village in the South. It is very warm here, to everyone else it is very HOT! Everyone is sweating, and for once I am not cold. There is a training program going on here. We will be doing devos and sharing our stories and possibly teaching English, probably in more of a one-on-one setting. One of the girls here is very interested in learning English. Last night she asked us if we would help her learn and she got out her book. She tried to teach me the N_pali alphabet, but it was a bit difficult and I cannot hear any difference between some of the letters; they sound the same to me. We are not one hundred percent sure how long we will be in this village yet.

Praises:

The fun we had during our retreat and the animals we got to see

We had safe travels.

Requests:

good health

that we would be sensitive to the H.S.'s leading.

Natasha

Indipali Searches for way into China

May 14, 2009
Austin Showalter

Last Sunday we had the chance to travel from our village close to the T-bet (Ch-na) border, to the actual border. Some of our N-pali friends were able to cross but our team was not allowed. We hung out in the town, got some food and Shane and I got shaved. There is a river that separates N-pal from Ch-na and the road we traveled follows it. At one point there is a nice view of a waterfall across the river in Ch-na. Kush and I decided to try to cross over so we could say we were in Ch-na. We found a way down the cliff to the rivers edge but stopped there because the river was too strong to cross. We almost made it inside Ch-na.

The climate is slowly changing here. While it is getting hotter it is also starting to rain. We are at the very beginning of the rainy season. I like the rain because the cloud cover cools down the temperature considerably. As we travel down south in the coming weeks it will get very, very Hot.

Our team really enjoyed participating in the outreach with 6 N-pali students. It is rewarding to build relationships with them. Even though we can't talk perfectly with them, we still joke around with them and are able to communicate many things.

Yesterday we returned to one of the villages in which we spent a little over two weeks. It is really good to see familiar faces and catch up with some local friends.

Praises:

Travel safety

Guidance as we prepare to speak at a school in a few weeks.

Requests:

Health. Once a week at least one of us gets sick.

Upcoming travels

Peace,

Austin

Jeremiah 1:7,8

But the L-rd said to me,'Do not say, 'I am only a child.'

You must go to everyone I send you and say whatever I command you.

Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you, declares the L-rd."

In the Sticks Again

Shane Martin

Saturday we all enjoyed an English message once again! She had an amazing message that was very challenging. The main focus was "Where is your faith?" I loved the message!! I wish she could give the same message back home because it made me really think and there were many people who were getting teary eyed as well as me. It touched my heart. Another question that she had is "what would you say if "J" was standing in front of you asking 'Where is your faith?' "

Sunday we were to leave for the T/b/t border, so we roll out of bed at 5:15 am. As we are all in the bus ready to head out we got the call telling us we have a strike and have to leave later. It was all part of His plan. We received an answer to pr/y/r that morning though. We finally received a steady rain that is desperately needed! We were able to go on Monday then.

The area out here consists of many big, BIG, BIGGER mountains. It is extremely beautiful out here with the rolling mountains, the sound of the clear water as you pier into the marshmallow like clouds in the blue sky overhead. Truly our Father is the ultimate creator of this amazing creation! We travel with the Npli students to go along and help with their outreach. The first day of outreach the girls stayed back because of some health reasons. (They are doing better now.) Us guys went along up to the top of one of those BIG mountains. At the top we could see into T/b/t and Ch/na. That is where we interceded for those nations as well as Npl. The good Father will answer the pr/y/rs from His servants for His people. Another day we hiked some more. The girls took the actual path, but us guys took another way straight up the mountain side. Never before have I trusted grass to be the difference between life and death. No lie if we were to slip, 95% chance of survival.

On Thursday us guys decided to be dangerous by bungee jumping. 160 meters (520 feet) high. WOW!! What a rush! All of us are still alive. There is a good chance that we will be going again before our time is up here. It is hard to describe what bungee jumping is like, but I want to share it in this example. You are walking from point A to point B and then the problems of life try to trip you up by the feet. Before you know it you are off the plan that the Father has for you and you go off the side of the bridge, falling down, down, down. Because of the Son he makes sure that you don't fall to your death but brings you up again. Again you go up and down, but He brings you down safely. With His help you can make the long hike back up and eventually you get to point B, a little longer than what you expected too. We need to trust in Him, for the strength to get through all of life's problems big or small. He will never let you fall. In bungee jumping you put your trust in what is seen, lets also put our trust in He who is unseen!

"G/d is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.

But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

1 Cor. 10:13

Praises:
- Travel both walking and driving
- Relative healthy
- That people have been receiving info about the Father
Requests:
- Safety in more traveling
- Take every opportunity to share with people
- 100% healthy

A Turn of Events

This past week was one of rest and relaxation. Since our arrival to this side of the world we have not taken any official breaks, but this week we finally got to spend some time as a team just relaxing, no schedule. We spent three days at a common tourist destination, Pokhara. While there we relaxed at a beautiful bed and breakfast, complete with garden and weight room. The guys enjoyed the opportunity to lift some kilograms. We took in the sights of the Fewa Lake and the gorgeous sunrise from Sarangkot (although we arrived at the top of this hill at least an half hour after the sun was already up). We enjoyed motorbike rides through the countryside and visited a children's village. But most of all we were thankful for the time that our Father gave us to rest and relax.

Unfortunately, things took a change towards the end of our stay there. Our last night in Pokhara was one filled with the sounds of food poisoning. In addition to that, earlier that night during our supper there were many people preparing to attend a party. This was no ordinary party it was one filled with drugs and other unpleasant things I'm sure. It was sad to see so many people excited about this party, looking forward to getting lost in the trance, dance, drugs, etc. It seemed that every person that was going was a chain smoker and definitely enjoyed their choice of drink. As they got on the bus, one of three that were traveling to this party, I could see dead people. People wasting their lives. Death. Not knowing the truth and what will bring them true pleasure and life. Even after the bus had already left many others would come to the restaurant trying to find out how they could get to this party. They didn't want to miss out. They fervently searched out ways to get there. As I said, all I could see in these people was death. I wonder how many of them didn't come back that night...

The next day was spent at the hospital as Natasha needed to get some fluids back in her. Thank you for all your pr-yers, she is feeling better these days although she is still a little weak and tired. Here at the hospital I experienced something similar to the night before. I could see death once again. As was the case for the party goers, it was not actual literal death, but just a sense of no hope for those who came to the hospital. I saw many Hindus there and in them I could see death. I had never seen it this way in them before which is why it struck me as hard as it did. The family members of the sick and the sick themselves were representations of death to me. I saw no hope in them. They were dark. It brought to my memory the verse in 2 Cor. 2:15-16

For we are to G_d the aroma of Chr_st among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.

So, I wonder if they saw something different in me, Natasha and the believers that helped us. Did they see light and life. Was it a pleasant fragrance? Or was I to them the smell of death, as what I saw in them? I wish I would have taken the opportunity to talk with them...

There are many people in this world that are living as dead people. What role do we play in their lives...? It is my pr-yer that we will be bold to share with them the truth through the testimony of J_sus working in our lives. That they may learn what it is to live fully in Him and have hope and true life.

Acts 4:13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with J_sus.

May others see that we have been with J_sus. I thank G-d for the rest He has given us these last couple days in KTM. May we continue to find our strength in Him.

Praises:
For a restful and relaxing retreat
For Natasha's health - she is better
For safe travels back to KTM this week
For opportunities that He gives each one of us every day to share with or serve others

Requests:
For our travels to the T.bet border today - we will be sharing there for 10 days
For health among the team
For the words to speak when words are needed
Continued growth in team unity
That each one of us may find and spend quality time in the presence of our Father each and every day
For the lost souls all across the world

Peace be with you!

Jess