Summer Travels: Nepal

In January of 2013 I started attending a new Bible study class at church.  Shortly after the class started, we had a game night.  At this game night, I met a girl named Jenny.  We started talking and discovered that we both have a love for S. Asia.  So, I popped off (as I am known to do) and said that we should plan a trip to India together.  Thankfully I didn't scare her friendship away with my over-zealousness that night!  Over the course of the past (almost) 2 years, a very close friendship has formed.  I can't imagine my Sundays and Wednesdays without seeing this girl!  Here we are at a young single's putt putt fundraiser:

So fast forward a year or so... we started talking and praying, which led to some planning and recruiting, and... VOILA!  We planned a trip to Nepal and India.  The original plan was that we would spend a week in Nepal (where Jenny has friends) and then a week in India (where I have friends).  While we were planning, my good friend Kamesh called to let me know that he would be getting married in Chennai while we were overseas!  So, we added a few more days to the trip and planned to attend the wedding also.  We recruited to unsuspecting guys (who didn't know quite what they were getting themselves into), and we had a trip!  I want to post about the highlights of each leg of the trip, so this post will be devoted to our time in Nepal (its gonna be long, so stay with me!)....

We left the good ole USA on June 26, after much planning and prayer, for Kathmandu, Nepal.  We flew from Dallas to Germany, Germany to Abu Dhabi (where we had a 12 hour overnight layover), and Abu Dhabi into Kathmandu.  Things I learned just while traveling: 

1.  Folks at the airport in Germany are NOT friendly (this was kinda a bummer for me)

2.  Sleeping on the floor of an airport is NOT fun (always take the extra hit with the cost and get the hotel room - I promise its worth whatever it costs) 

3.  I CAN spend the night in an airport without getting kicked out (you are welcome Jenny!)

4.  Free food is awesome, even when its airport food, because its free!

5. Almost passing out on the plane makes the flight attendants move quickly (and it makes some passengers really nervous)

Once we landed in Nepal, we were formally greeted by Jenny's friends, B and P.  They brought silk scarves and flowers.  It was really cool how excited they were that we were there.  We quickly loaded up in the truck and headed to the guest house that we would call home for the next week.  Nepal reminded me very much of India, but with less people and more dust!  Once we unloaded our luggage there, B took all of us upstairs to the rooftop to watch the sunset.  It was sooo beautiful!  There are mountains all around as Kathmandu is a valley.

After sunset, we went back downstairs and enjoyed our first homemade meal of the trip.  P is an amazing cook and we were able to enjoy homemade meals every day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!  We also had either chai or black tea every morning and every evening.  It was a bit of Heaven on earth for this girl!  B and P each shared their testimonies with all of us and then we each took a chance to share our testimony with them.  Such a sweet time of fellowship.

June 29 we woke up and were able to witness the sunrise on the rooftop while drinking chai and studying the Word.  Could life get any better?  There is definitely a part of me that would argue it cannot!  That first day we spent time at a home for some girls who have been rescued from a life in human trafficking.  So heartbreaking to sit with them and realize what they have been through.   However, to see their smiles as we interacted with them was so uplifting.  We sang songs, taught Stories, and then played some games with them.  It was fun to just sit and laugh with them as we played duck, duck, goose!

That night we went to the girl's home that B and P run and spent some time with the kids they have adopted.  They were all very talented and spent some times singing some songs for us.  B gave a short Study and P even sang a beautiful Nepali song for us.

June 30 we visited to a goat farm.  We got up that morning and drove a couple of hours to a village and then spent some time hiking down to the goat farm.  It was quite a hike down that left us all a little winded (but only because of the difference in altitude of course!).  However, the views were amazing and make it totally worth it.  Its not a goat farm like you would think of one here, but instead its just a parcel of land on the side of the mountain that they own.  There is a couple that lives there that raises the crops and cares for the goats.  They made us a traditional Nepali lunch that was one of the #bestmealsever! 

This is on the way to the farm

Jenny and I had the opportunity to hold baby goats.  I swear the one I am holding told me he wanted to go home with me, but I had to tell him that he wouldn't fit in my suitcase.  We were both devastated!  :)  After telling all the goats goodbye, we started the trek back to the car.  Man, we thought the trek down was difficult!  Even B had to stop to rest on the way up!  

The next two days were spent going out into "nearby" villages.  The first day one of B's sons came with us, so we split into two groups (the guys with B's son and Jenny and I with B).  It was a great day sharing with people who had never heard the Good News before!  Being from America, its hard to believe there are people who have never heard anything before, but these people didn't even know who the Son was!  What an amazing privilege to be able to plant that seed!  The second day it was just the four of us with B.  We went to a different village where we spent time with an 81 year old man.  This man had heard the Good News 30 something years earlier, but had never done anything with it.  So, while we sat there, B again shared with him and this time the man made the decision that what he was hearing was the True Way and gave his life to the Giver of Life!  We later asked B how often it happened that he shared and people accepted right then and there.  B said this was the first time it had ever happened for him!  AMAZING! Just look at the smile on his face!

One evening B took us to the tree that he and P go to to spend time talking to our Father.  We were able to witness a beautiful sunset again.  (On a side note: Nothing reminds me of our Father's love for me like sunrise and sunset.  Its like he paints the sky each morning and each evening just to remind me that He is still there guiding my life.  Its a reminder that I need far too often!  Thankfully, He understands and keeps on painting the sky!)

July 3 we woke up and walked with the kids to their school.   There was a big play yard where the kids played prior to school starting.  Then the teachers all came out and the students all lined up in these super straight lines and did some stretches and recitations.  It was neat to get to see them interacting with friends and teachers.

 Once the kids all went to class, we headed out to do some sight seeing around Kathmandu.  B took us to this Hindu temple.  It was different from any I had seen before, but true to form, the architecture was amazing.

Then we went to a Buddhist stupa.  These prayer flags are all over Nepal, but this was the most we saw in one place.  I'm honestly not sure of the significance of the prayer flags in the Buddhist faith, but it saddens me to think that both the Hindus and the Buddhists worship these gods made by human hand instead of the One True God who made their hands!  (Guess that's why we went on the trip!)

 The view from the stupa was amazing!  Love how you can see all the buildings in the background of this picture!

 After the stupa and a home made lunch (of course), we headed to the Kathmandu Zoo to take a ride on the back of an elephant!  I mean seriously, how often does that opportunity present itself!?

 I must say that while it was awesome to ride an elephant, and even more awesome to be able to tell people that it happened, it was not the best ride ever.  As you can tell in the picture below, the basket we rode in was very off centered and so we spent alot of the ride wondering if we were going to fall off.  However, #wesurvivedtheelephant!

 After the zoo, we were able to go to a little restaurant to meet the uncle of some student's at the school I work at.  He was so kind as to invite us to dinner at his house, a family members wedding that weekend, and to go sightseeing in another city if we are ever to return to Nepal!

Our last full day in Nepal, July 4, we started the day with the kids B and P have adopted.  We spent the morning teaching and doing some fun crafts.

 After we finished teaching and creating, we went outside for some playtime.  The girls had a blast playing duck, duck, goose...

 While the guys enjoyed a game of football (soccer).  It was fun to really see their personalities come out!

 When everyone was good and sweaty from running around, we brought out some bubbles.  I remember one of the ladies from my previous trip to India stating that bubbles were an international language.  This proved true again!  The kids all had fun taking turns blowing bubbles and popping them.  I loved seeing their smiles!

 And finally before we left to eat lunch and then do some shopping that afternoon, Jenny and Sned enjoyed a short game of carrom with the kids.  The kids were impressed with Jenny and Sned's "skillz"!  It was a great way to end our time with them.  We left the morning with full hearts, as well as a little bit of sadness knowing that tomorrow we would be leaving this beautiful country and these beautiful children.  Its funny how the kids have a way of etching themselves into your heart!

 Our last afternoon there we spent some time shopping at the market.  B was so patient with us as we wanted to look for certain things, but also just "shop around".  It was fun to be at the market and to be able to bargain.  Jenny, Lance, and I were all able to get some amazing bags at the market.  I think we all bought some traditional Nepali hats and t-shirts that said Nepal on them.

Finally, the last morning we got up, packed up, and headed out to the airport.  It was bitter sweet to leave Nepal.  I loved our time there.  B and P are amazing!  The kids are amazing!  The views are amazing!  Our Father was amazing!  There is a part of me that will forever love Nepal and the people we met there.  I pray I will have the opportunity to return there sometime soon (#NepIn2017 anyone?!).  And yet, this is the day we were heading to India today! To say I was excited was an understatement.  So, as Jenny fought back tears leaving a large piece of her heart in Kathmandu, I was a little giddy with excitement knowing we were headed back to mine.

How could I not mention our dear, sweet friend Jenny.  Above is a picture of Jenny...  HE (yes, this Jenny is a boy) is the meanest dog we have ever encountered.  Phrases like "Jenny is mean", "Jenny bites", "Don't mess with Jenny", and SOOO many more were uttered during the week.  Oh how I miss Jenny the dog!!