thought you might want to read about nepal throughanother eye

Hello guys.
To all those who worried after I posted that last post. don’t worry. .. things are fine with me. Just pray for nepal as the people need food, electricty water and gas!
I have had a really good week so far. Last night I had one of the young new couples working with our team over for dinner.. we had a great time. I love their adorable two young boys .. 18 months and 6 months I think. It’s so fun to practice being aunt Jenn!
Well I thought I would do something alitle different today and let you read about nepal through another person’s eyes.. leah had two friends that are living in china come and stay with us for 10 days and we had a great great time together. It’s funny because it seems our house is quite the place for people to come..since I have lived here every month at least for a week we have had visitors from other countries come. some i knew and some I didn’t. THis is so fun for me. My parents always had the kind of home where people always felt wecomed and loved and like it was there home.. my mom always set another plate on the table. there were always people of all nationalities at our sunday dinners… welll thanks mommy and Daddy for setting such a great example… now i feel like my home here is like that.
ok.. so i am just going to post a copy of the e-mail anna wrote to all her prayer supporters. thought you might like to see nepal through a visitors eyes.

As you know, I (and Jax) had the privilege of visiting some friends in Nepal during our school’s break for Chinese New Year. We spent 10 fun-filled, life-changing days in Nepal. This trip was unlike other trips Jax and I have taken because of who we were visiting–Leah and Jenn, two wonderful ladies whose sole purpose of living abroad is to serve Him and tell people about His wonderful love. I never dreamed I would have the chance to visit Nepal (most of all, live in China), but I am so thankful for this trip. I wish I could break down hour-by-hour the daily “schedule” that took place. I use quotations because Leah and Jenn’s life is so unlike the daily schedule that I have in China. You see, Leah and Jenn don’t really have a routine that is followed everyday. Their ministry is based on relationships. In the Nepal culture, the people thrive on building relationships with people. For example, if you meet someone at their clothing store, strike up a conversation with them and then say “hi” to them if you see them another day, there is a HUGE possibility they will invite you to their home for some Chia (tea) and maybe even food. The people don’t seem to invite you out of “responsibility” either—they are genuinely friendly! Yes, I know that this idea of inviting a complete stranger into your> home for dinner and then having a real conversation with the company (for at least an hour) is VERY foreign to many Americans. I mean, most of us would see it as an inconvenience, especially if the guests were unexpected (the house isn’t clean) or we have other responsibilities that cloud our focus on the> conversation…..make sense? However, the majority of the people that I met invited Jax and I to their home (we knew this through the little English the Nepal people spoke or with the the help of Leah or Jenn). Hm, I just don’t know how else to put this—the Nepal people are so> different from Americans and some of the Chinese people I’ve come in contact with. It was wonderful!> WHOA! Now that I’ve written a massive paragraph> about the people, let me> just give you a rundown / highlights of my 10-day> stay in Nepal:> > Day 1 – breakfast at Leah and Jenn’s (LJ from now> on)….they have an> AMAZING housekeeper/cook named Mia. In Nepal she is called a DeeDee. Mia> was wonderful! Visited LJ’s friend Esther…warm welcome with Chia and food….went to town (Kathmandu)…walked everywhere and sometimes crammed into the smallest taxis in the world> > Day 2 – breakfast at at awesome “Americanized” coffee house called Higher Grounds….Jenn had a Word Study with one of her friends from Nepal…..> > Hmmm……> > I just realized that there are SO many days that> this email is going to take> FOREVER to write and I know that many of you> (readers) are limited on> computer time….here is a briefer version of the> trip> > *There is a two hour and 15 minute time change from> China to Nepal…go> figure!! Where did the 15 min come from?> *Took a plane ride over Mt Everest! TOTALLY worth> it!> *Bought a Corta, the traditional dress of the Nepali> women> *Visited MANY Nepali friends of LJ> *Went to Leah’s Nepali-language tutoring class> *Participated in a sweet woman’s Word Study (every> Wed at 4pm)> *Danced with the Nepali woman….which IS acceptable> in Nepal, even in> “worship” circles (SO much fun!)> *Helped Leah plan for an ESL / speech class at a> local B*b*e college…OH> how I love Speech classes!> *Learned how to play (and became addicted to) the> card game Dutch Blitz> *Almost died NUMEROUS times in the Nepali daily traffic….words cannot express how often I felt like a car beep was going to be the last thing I heard on earth!> *LJ’s town is on a system of how electricity is used. Every town surrounding Kathmanuda is given a time schedule of> when they will (and> won’t) have electricity. Usually we had 5 hrs a dayof electricity…YAY!> *Hot water? What’s that? The majority of the water is heated from a huge water tank on LJ’s roof. If it’s a sunny day,> you’re almost guaranteed a> hot shower. Those days were so nice! *I can genuinely say I prefer Nepali food over Chinese food….not over American food though> *LJ are two of the sweetest and funniest people I> know…and are great hostesses too! *We took a several hour hike up one of the mtns surrounding LJ’s home.> While on the mtn we met a Buddhist monk and had the chance to talk with him about HIM…awesome!> *The view of the Himalayan mountains from LJ’s house is unbelievable!> *Did I already say I took a ride over Mt Everest? > Oh ya. I did. :)> *At night the weather was FREEZING cold but the daytime weather was> oh-so-beautiful!

ok.. i thought you guys mihgt like to read her version of living in nepal.