Wow time is flying by! I can't believe it is the end of the week already. It has been another great week. Austin and Jess continue to teach their computer and music classes. They have also began learning N_pali songs. Shane continues to paint for Uncle. I still go to the children's home in the mornings, which I love. I walk the children to school, and then go back the the children's home and do whatever work I can there to help out. It is mostly cleaning. I really enjoyed it. Kush has been traveling with Uncle. He comes back tomorrow.
Last Sunday we took G_pal bungee jumping. He seemed to really enjoy it. Friday we did the scanvanger hunt that we did in our team, with the youth here. They all had a lot of fun.
We continue to go to the children's home in the evenings and and play with the children. It is so much fun! One evening we joined them for their house fellowship. There is so much to learn from children. These children amaze me. They love the Father with all their hearts. They are not living at home with their families ; they do not have the kind of life that other children have. Yet, they are not bitter or angry at G_D. Instead of saying that life is not fair or asking "why me?" they are praising G_d and thanking Him. They have things going against them, yet they are still remaining thankful and faithful to Him.
Today we all had some neat opportunities. Shane gave the message at a ch_rch he visited last week. Austin is spending the day and night at the YWAM base. Jess and I went to a concert with some of the youth/young adults from Binay Ch_rch. It was a Chr_stian battle of the bands competition. It was a lot of fun and it was really nice spending time with them.
I am sure that this coming week will be full of many more blessings!
Natasha
Praises:
opportunities
blessings
Requests:
we would remain focused
rain
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Routine and Adventures
The week of the 15th was filled with both routine and adventures. Our routines include, Jess teaching music class and me teaching computer class in the morning. The number of students, who show up, varies each day. Sometimes I will have ten students and not enough computers, while other times I have one student and teach one on one. I like this better because I feel like I can actually teach to their level. I have a wide variety of students, some know a good bit about computers and others are still mastering the use of a mouse.
Another routine is going over to the Kids Home each evening. There are two homes and about 14 “kids” in each. I say “kids” because not all of them are that young. There are a few in their mid to late teens, while most are a bit younger. I enjoy sitting on the top of the roof and talking with the older guys. One is training for the British military so he goes running for around two hours each day. Since they are older they have responsibilities around the house like cooking, cleaning and going to the hospital when a younger brother gets sick. They live in such community. Most of them are not blood related yet they treat each other like brothers and sisters. It’s encouraging to see how they care for each other when they are in need.
Some adventures include, going on a picture scavenger hunt, visiting a slum area and carrying water. Jess put together a picture scavenger for the rest of us. She sent us all over the surrounding area to get pictures of things such as; us drinking tea with two new friends, us riding on the back of bicycles and many other interesting things.
One afternoon our host Mom took us to a slum area down by the river. It’s hard to believe how people live in such grimy conditions even when you see it with your own eyes. We stopped at a fruit market and bought 40 pounds of mangoes. We had to carry it back so Shane, Kush and I took turns carrying it on the walk back. We had fun sharing them with the kids that evening and eating some ourselves.
Our outreach coordinator had a baby and invited us and many other people over for a party. Since there is water shortage right now in Kat-mandu he asked us to help him carry water from the tap about a mile away. Going to a tap is an experience in its own. People come to it to; bathe, wash clothes, get water for household needs, and what ever else you can think of. We had to wait while one man scrubbed himself down under the water before we could fill our bottles. There are many people and every body wants to use it at the same time so you just have to weasel your way in there to get your turn.
Praises:
good health
plenty to be involved with
Requests:
Focus for the last weeks
Austin Showalter
Friday, June 12, 2009
New Beginnings
Indipali Y_S Team Newsletter #27
Shane Martin
June 12, 2009
Blog: Old Newsletters (Pics of Npl are trying to get put up each day)
Well this week consisted of a few new things. First new thing was cooking. Kush has not cooked many times ever in his life, until now. But the good L/rd helped him greatly and the food was editable. Went to an English service with one of our new friends. It was really great being able to sing and listen to an English service again! Most likely we will be going there every week because it is on Sunday in stead of our normal Saturday services. We still go to both service though. We also have a schedule that is planned and we know the expectations for us for the rest of our days here.
During the days we have things to do, like... Jess is teaching a music class to some of the youth from the ch/rch we attend an Austin is teaching a computer class after her class to mainly the same youth or some people that want to learn how to use the Microsoft office programs such as, Excel, PowerPoint, and Publisher. Both are really enjoying there jobs although it becomes frustrating when they don't pay attention or understand something after 5 times. But the students are really great. Natasha goes to the children's home during the day time and helps them clean around the house and do other chores that they would like to be accomplished. Kush goes around to different homes of people from the ch/rch and visits them and fellowships with them (to the best of their English) or goes with others to see what they do during the days. As for myself (Shane) I have the responsiblity of painting. I am to paint the outside of the wall upstairs on the 4th floor. I love it because I got 4 (1 liter) paint cans. All the same brand and "color". Well in each of the colors I had 4 different shades. How does that work?? Either way I did my best in trying not to make a noticeable color change. If you look hard you can see the difference, but you have to look very hard. I also have to paint a few doors and railings in the house. The house will smell a little funky the next weeks. We all have a packed day, but a free afternoon to do whatever you feel like doing.
Now with our free times the sisters like to read or visit some people that come to the house or will go somewhere else. Us brothers go to the gym. Trying to get back into shape a little so that people will once again recognize who we are. The first week of lifting really hurts, but now our bodies are feeling better. Since there is a water shortage here we take showers at the gym, so that we don't use up our water. So uncle gets something good out of it as well as us guys! All are winners.
In the evenings we usually go to the children's home and play with the kids. The kids are so cute and they are so much fun to be with. They now a good amount of English and the older the kid the better the English. The kids love giving us hugs especially the younger ones. I am not much of a kid person, but I do enjoy being with these kids and loving them like G/d loves them.
Wednesday and Thursday nights we were unable to go to the children's home because dinner got to late. We spent time with Uncle and Family. From now on we are having dinner together a couple times a week so that we can learn how to cook Nepali food better and so we can fellowship. We made pizza one night. We were teaching them how to make it, because they enjoy pizza too now. We have a little oven that can make 2 pizzas at a time but they are not the biggest pizzas. So we made 8 but only could eat 6. Oh well now we had leftovers so we didn't have to make lunch the next day, yay!! The next night we made momo's. Both veg and buffalo, momo's fried and steamed. To help us make them we invited some friends so they could help and get a dinner and fellowship time with us. Both meals were super amazing!!
So know you can see a little bit of what we do here in the final weeks and some of the fun times we are doing here as the time goes down.
"The g/d of this age has blinded the minds of the unbeliever,
so that they cannot see the light of the g/sp/l that displays the glory of Chr/st,
who is the image of G/d"
2 Corinthians 4:4
Blessings to all!!
Shane
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Rest, Opportunites and a Call to Pr-yer
Isaiah 40:28-31 says,
Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The L-rd is the everlasting G-d, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the L-rd will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
We have returned to the city and have just completed one of the six weeks we will be here before returning to India. G-d has been so faithful to us over the past three months in this country. We have traveled to many different places and have been witnesses to His working in each one of them. He has brought us safely to KTM once again and has provided us with His rest this week. I just want to thank Him for renewing our strength and giving us the desire and passion to finish well. How awesome it is that our Father never tires and renews the strength of those who hope in Him. He is our strength when we are tired and He gives us a passion and drive to press on.
This past week was one of rest and renewal. We successfully extended our visas! We also were able to purchase a few things for loved ones back home. This week, new life was brought into the world. Our trekking guide Gpal* and his wife now have a son. It was a joy to be able to celebrate with them as they received this gift from G-d. And we were able to visit the children's home for the first time as a team to play and interact with the kids.
Over the next five weeks we will be doing various things. We will be going over to the children's home each evening to play with them. We might also get to help them with school work or with various chores around the home. We are planning on teaching some English, music, and computer to those who are interested. Austin and I will hopefully have chances to join the worship team. And we are all looking forward to getting involved with the youth.
In the nation many things have been happening. Politically the government continues to be rough and corrupt. In addition, there were some bombings in weeks past in a few ch-rches. A group called the Defense Army, the ones who have done these acts, are demanding that all believers flee the country within one month. They are making threats against the believers. It is my pr-yer that during this time the Ch-rch will unite together and be strengthened. That they will continue to press on and share the g-spel. That peace will prevail and love will be sown. In response the ch-rch that we attend on Saturday mornings will be fasting and pr-ying for 50 days. At least one person each day will be fasting and pr-ying for the nation over the next 50 days and I would like to invite you to join with us if you are feeling lead to do so. We can pour out our pr-yers for this nation, for the Ch-rch, and for the Defense Army. Let us pr-y that more people may come into the light and know the truth, that lost souls may be redeemed to their Creator and that the Ch-rch will be strengthened through it all.
Thank you for all your continued support and pr-yers! You are making a difference in this world!
Praises:
Visas extended
Opportunity to talk with my home congregation this morning
Safety in travels
Better health
Gpal's new baby son
Renewed strength and G-d's provision and faithfulness
Going to the orphanage/children's home and being able to invest in them
Requests:
For Gpal, his wife, and baby son - you parents out there know what this is like
Defense Army
The Ch-rch and this nation
50 days of fasting and pr-yer
For guidance to know how and what to teach - English, music, and computer
Continued growth in team unity
That we may continue to grow deeper in our own relationship with G-d
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in pr-yer.
Rom. 12:12
Peace be with you!
Jessica
Thursday, June 4, 2009
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