leaving dharan...

i can't even believe how weird time is around here. things take FOREVER, but time FLIES like mad. we're already leaving for kathmandu again tomorrow morning. 4am. eew. and i'm in for a 17 hour bus ride. oie.

but i hafta say...i am kinda sad to be leaving here...i was just starting to get into a groove of things and settling into my room, and i hadta pack it all up again today. oh well...i'll be back in maui in 3 weeks! i'm pretty excited about that. this has been an incredible experience so far, and i know that there is still so much that is gonna happen before i leave, but i feel like i'm ready to come home... :)

i definitly want to come back though...and i've already started to plan how that would be possible...and if and when i come i'll be staying in dharan. i've met some really awesome people here. our contacts are amazing fun, and this town is my favourite, so yeah. maybe india and nepal? who knows...we'll see what God says :)

so yeah...the last couple weeks have been FULL of ministry...lotsa open airs, giving testimonies and dramas. we've prayed for LOTSA people, and seen LOTS give their lives to Jesus...which is still my most absolute favourite thing in the whole wide world to be a part of...

one of our contacts is from Tibet, and he's been living in Nepal for quite a few years now...missin his family and stuff...and just this week his family came to dharan for a couple days! apparently the tibetan people come down from the mountains in the winter because it's REALLY cold up there, and they bring a tonn of herbal medicine, and cool stuff to sell in the towns...and they walk from place to place with giant baskets on their backs. they all camped out in this big field right by our church, and new people have come through every two days or so, so we've been able to do a few open airs with them. it was amazing to meet these people. they are absolutely beautiful. very quiet and shy, but they have incredible smiles, and they are so colourful and unique...it was a lot of fun just hanging out with them, and playing with the kids and stuff...

ummm...other than that. not much outside of ministry. been doing lots of reading. i'm trying to get through the entire bible by the end of outreach...i've finished the new testament, and i'm at 2 kings right now. so we'll see...i am LOVING the old testament though...never thought i would, but i almost can't put my bible down sometimes...it's good :)

God's been pretty awesome lately too. well He's always awesome, but sometimes i forget...
i had kind of a tough couple days last week, where i felt like i just hit a wall, and lost all desire for anything (including the Lord) except going home...it was kinda bad, but of course Jesus turned it all around, and taught me a much needed lesson. He reminded me that i have vowed my life to Him, and exactly what that means...our team spent some time during morning worship and intercession just getting vulnerable, and really opening our hearts before the Lord. it was a pretty difficult time, and a lot of my time was spent in repentence, especially after the week i'd had, but God is so faithful...He taught me even more, and really refreshed and renewed my spirit through it all.

i'm just so thankful. man. i have SO much. i have such an awesome God. i love Him, i love Him! and i'm just so thankful for the people i have in my life...my family, the best EVER! and my absolutely amazing friends...both here, and at home...i love you guys so much. thanks for just being there for me, and the amazing support you give me ;)

oooooh. prayer request. kathmandu, and actually all of nepal is in a little bit of a mess right now. there is an election coming up. it's been set up by the king, but NO ONE wants it to happen...and there is a whole lotta point the finger, shift the power and the blame around kinda going on. there have been a LOT of protests and some riots...there are curfews in place, and armoured police on the sides of the street everywhere (so weird to see that...i gotta keep reminding mself they are here for my protection :)) but yeah. things are pretty NUTS around here..we're safe, and obviously taking BIG precautions...but just keep the government and nepal in your prayers over the next little while. election day is on the 8th...and there is a nation wide strike all of next week...so who knows what will happen. i really feel like the Lord will use this time to shake the shakeables in nepal, and bring His purposes into play...there is SO much going on in nepal, and i KNOW the Lord has HUGE plans turn this nation around...little nepal - the only hindu nation, the poorest nation in the world, and it's located right smack dab in the middle of asia....hmmmm...i'd say it's a good place to start a revival huh?? :) :) so keep prayin!

i'm not sure what the situation will be like and how much internet access i'll have in kathmandu over the next week or so, but i'll keep ya'll posted as much as i can...

k. so i gotta get going...we have our last open air this afternoon...

lovenhugsnkisses to all ya'll!

jes~