chicken clucking exams, nepale balso bana sachkcha rhombro cha

Hello friends. Sorry for the delay in writing.. it’s been a busy week with my nepalee language exams finals and trying to find time to write when we actually have electricity is proving to be a challenge. But it has been a GREAT week.

I am about to snuggle up under my covers in what has now become my VERY cold room and sleep well, with my heart full of Joy. I have spent the evening laughing with my two best nepalee friends, Maya (who works for us every day ) and Sita. We just spent hours sitting around laughing and talking (by candlelight, no power!) . It was so amazing to me because we were just talking and laughing like I would with friends in america. What’s so amazing about that.. about 2 hours into it I remembered.. God’s amazing power.. I was sitting there with them talking in another language that one year ago was completely unfamiliar to me. I mean I know I have been speaking the language for a while now, but I never want to stop being suprised or thankful for the faithfulness of God in this area. Here I was talking with my friends, sharing, praying with them.. IN NEPALEE!! praise the lord for His good and perfect gifts.. Maya and Sita are spending the night because we are leaving at the buck crack of dawn to go to their village tommorow . I’m excited. there village is nestled in the himilayan mountains.. we take a 5-6 hour microbus ride and then we hike for 7-8 hours up a mountain. I have been wanting to go to their village for a while. Pray for us as we go and minister there. We will be there for 3 days, returning on sunday! 😉 Especially pray for safety as we travel.

It’s been a great week. Ladies bible study on Wednesday night went really well. I taught the on waiting on God. .. how mary had to wait to see the fulfillment of God’s promise of son for 9 months.. but in the waiiting time SHE BELIEVED. How many times do we do that? In the waiting time BELIEVE.. or do we pretend to believe while really not trusting that “which is being formed in us” will be birthed? Had a great time laughing, teaching and praying with the ladies.. you should have heard us try to sing Joy to the world in nepalee. Afterwards a few of them stayed after to have brocolli soup– homemade for the first time by Jenn (and i’m not going to lie.. it was good!) so AMAZING News. Just last week I had to confess my sin to God of unbelief.. unbelief in the power of His cross to save people out of the darkness of hinduism in nepal. I mean I have been here 16 months and have not seen one conversion. I was talking to Jesus and confessing my sin of unbelief just like week. Then this week it came to praise giving time in Bible study. Every week I ask the ladies kun ashish tyou hapta paremesore dinaybyo (what blessing did God give you thisi week?) Maya my friend and house helper got a twinkle in her eye and I knew she was up to something (she is very mischevious which is why we have a great time together). She told us Mero ama bishwas garnuhuncha. MY MOM believed in Christ this week. Whew. I was blown away. We have been praying for the salvation of her mom since I knew her.. especially since her dad died. .. and here she was telling me that her very old mom was saved (this is almost unheard of in hinduism!) How beautiful is the power of the cross. Please celebrate with me that we will be having a dhal bhat dinner together in heaven someday with Jesus because she has accepted christ!! from darkness to light– how powerful is the cross!

God is continuing to just give me joy in the smallest moments. In the mundane and the extraordinary– this christmas season i am seeing him. I finished my language exams this week, therefore finishing my first semester of language school for my visa. I was reminded that I was in nepal taking exams when 1) the exam was all written in nepalee script 2) a chicken walked clucking down the hallway as i took my exams 3) 5 police men with machine guns were guarding the door every day as we took our exams.. can’t say that ever happened in america 4) I had to avoid hitting 3 cows and a whole village of people crossing the road on my scooter while on my way to language school..

oh yeah and i started helping in a new ministry with slum kids that I cannot wait to tell you about, but i will wait for the next blog entry .. this one is getting long.

thanks for celebrating with me I love you guys