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Zayd wanted all of you to know that he REALLY likes hanging out w/ my guitar...He is already our little musician!!- He wanted to tell you a few things --
"LOOK! I CAN SING WITH DADDY AND HIS GUITAR!!!" "LOOK! I CAN PLAY DADDY"S GUITAR!!!"
"LOOK! I CAN EAT DADDY'S GUITAR!!!"
It is estimated that 7000 girls are trafficked from Nepal to India every year. i was reading the local Himalayan Times today about a recent survey in a district in the mountains that 35% of parents approve of their daughter being taken into a brothel in mumbai (bombay) the fact is simple: children are victims of this crime. i have been really praying about ways to intervene in a preventive measures-- please pray about this with me
i wanted to share a beautiful photo I took on the coast of India:
A sign of globalization: We are sitting in a restaurant in Goa,India, eating humus, listening to Portugal/Spanish classical guitars, hearing cell phones go off that are made in China, seeing a Muslim woman enter completely covered, (you get the point)---How the world is connected!!!
we are keeping strong through God's grace and goodness- We just came from Goa, India and are back in Kathmandu. It seems the strikes turned violent
here in Nepal while we are gone but we don't have any details. Goa is a Wonderful place, great culture, music, people, ocean... You heard of Goa Trance? a lot of global rave scene in Goa, a key destination for young nomadic wonderers looking for enlightenment---(i am sure cheap drugs help)
zayd was so happy all during the plane ride despite bad sounding coughs, diarrhea, and nose that doesn't stop draining!!!!!!!!! He is going to have some stories to tell when he gets to junior high of where his parents drug him around before he was 1 year old. I am sure they wll not be topped. I met with a guy in Mumbay today, Vijay. It was a real inspiring time. He works with a group from the Philadelphia, PA that helps connect resources with ministires in India.
I also learned that the Indian gov't is trying to pass an anti-conversion law.
"Jesus, You are gracious, holy, and true. tonight i trust, believe, accept, acknowledge your love, passion, and patience with those of us that call ourselves your children. may i be transformed into your likeness so that your GLORY may radiate in and through me to all tribes and tongues."
We are down in Goa, India. We decided to leave Kathmandu due to strikes that were going on this week. Everything shuts down and cars don't even go into the roads during strikes... Bringing Zayd to India was a very emotional experience as we got to Dehli. The place where I have been travelling to for 11 years and invested so much of my life here... Goa is a unique place that my 2 dozen times to India, I have never been to. It was colonized by Portugal for 400 years (Britain was only 200 in rest of India) The feel here is so different. The shops are closed from 1-4 for Siesta -- It is much cleaner than other parts of India. After we arrived here... Zayd woke up the first night and could hardly breathe.. We were terrified. We have discored he has croup and a shot was given to him to open his air passage...This morning he awoke and sounded much better..... We have prayed a lot over him and it was a pretty intense few days for us---
We go to Mumbai (formally Bombay) this weekend and then back to Nepal next week.
Yesterday I got to preach at the largest english speaking christian church in town-- it was a lot of fun. It was a good mix of expats and nepalis -- one lady came up to me from Norway and asked if i was related to a Vestal from Norway who was a long time missionary here in NEpal??? She thought I may be Norwegian background as well (as far as I know from the little research I have done, we are from england) --- We had a beautiful couple over for dinner tonight -- he is American who married a Tibetan woman- They are going to her home village in Nepal this week that is over 13,000 feet in the mountains- after a long bus ride, they walk 5 days to get to her home village- that is right, 5 days...pretty amazing vision they have for the people of tibet and to see them follow Christ!
This week is a 3 day strike in Kathmandu -everything completely shuts down and if shops open they get the possibility of getting set on fire or damaged. We decided really today to go down to India for a few days during the strike. I rushed to the travel agent today and there were just a few seats left to Dehli. I hope to post some thoughts on missions, discipleship--these next few blogs
The situation here in Nepal still looks very bad ---- The rebels are giving much fear in the capital and killing high ranking army and political people. THey have set off several bombs in front of banks and gov't places.... The 7 month peace talks ended a few weeks ago.. The other 5 major political parties can't seem to unify and just fight among themselves and jocky for power -- it seems rather hopeless actually. I could see things going really downhill for this country if the rebels suceed in their tactics -- tourism stops, economy becomes worst from what it already is--- i am actually thinking of an exit plan if things get to a situation that we need to leave-- perhaps we will go down to Dehli or over to Thailand??? God will guide and protect! Zayd is eating great now and we thank God for your prayers ---
Some other thoughts that are in my mind these days: Are we merely making converts or disciples as the global mission movement? it seems our desire for numeric performance and growth has gone in a way where Jesus does not teach. He does say that narrow is the way that leads to life and few find it...Kingdom growth looks more like a mustard seed that takes a LONG time to show fruit. i think of the challenges in this land and how it is really going to take people to really "role up their sleeves" and labor for generations to see the Kingdom of God extend and be established here. That is really the mission statement of Jesus (as I have been thining about that these past few days) TO EXTEND AND EXPAND GOD"S REIGN AND GLORY ON EARTH.
after months of not reading any books on missiology or theology of mission i began to reading again just starting yesterday "Mission, Where have we gone wrong?" by Dyrness & Engel - it really was going in directions my mind has been going and articulating things that have been on my heart these days, mainly the mistake missions have made and how the Great Commission has become the great commotion---- Oddly enough, a phone call came today and I was asked to teach a missiology course at a local College in town-- thought it was pretty interesting timing...Still praying about it - Is God trying to speak to me????
I had to take Zayd to the doctor today. We saw a man from Norway-- Zayd's movements are not going well -- I took his stool for examination at the hospital yesterday (costing a whopping $1) and, Thank GOD, there was no blood or parasites but they did find mucus --- He is in good spirits and mostly happy all the time. He is not eating much and hasn't gained any weight since his 6 month check up----
my new favorite photo of the little man! he was very loved at the woman's conference and passed around A LOT! I hope to have a bunch of photos up on the web site soon - I will keep you posted!
