BRANCHING OUT A BIT

DAY 5: October 4^nd, 2011

“The House” 5:15 PM

I don't think I have ever felt as filthy as I did today. Kathmandu is sooooooooo dirty. Luckily, just now I got to shave and shower. I feel fresh and clean. Back home I don't like to shave, but right now I sure enjoy my clean smooth face!

Today I got a chance to ride on a van taxi across the city to a seminar in what I believe is a northwest extension of KTM. On the ride back, the van had close to 30 people inside while it had only maybe 13 or 14 seats. We traveled to a poor village outside of the Ring Road. This Ring Road is the road that surrounds the city. I believe the city is set up with the Dhalits (the lowest caste of people) pushed to the outskirts where the Ring Road is. The wealthier castes are located towards the center of the city, but it's hard for me to tell. Everywhere I have been has been covered in mud, dust and exhaust, with trash scattered about for decoration. This caste system is unfortunate and unjust. “The House” where I am staying is right near the Ring Road.

Over the last two days we have been traveling to different training seminars set up by Brian. Yesterday we attended one where two pastors from the UK, both named Peter, spoke on the wonder of serving God. Brian also spoke on the Hebrew translation of the word YHWH (Yahweh) and how it relates to both male and female, and the importance of both genders. At some points I was a skeptic, but overall it was a good presentation. The whole point of this seminar was a training on the importance of trafficking prevention, with both males and females playing unique and important parts. I met Glenda, an American who grew up in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, maybe 2 hours from my hometown of Reading! She is working to combat human trafficking in the provinces outside of KTM, where the trafficking starts. She is hoping to work in community development to build jobs for those in these poor rural villages so trafficking girls won't be an option. I am excited to continue this conversation with her, and perhaps I will get to work with her in those villages.

Today we had a seminar at this village outside of KTM. I think it was more of a church service, and there was no translator, so it was hard for me to

[INTERMISSION: I had to break here immediately to go with my friend Roshun to get a canister of gas. Just FYI, Roshun and I seem to have become friends; although his English is not the best, it is a lot better than my Nepali! He is constantly making sure I am being helped out. Brian suggested that Roshun be my trekking partner, as I plan to go trekking hopefully to Everest Base Camp in a few weeks. Shall I call Roshun my Porter or Sherpa?!]

Continuing at 7:00 PM... understand most of it. It was on the importance of tithing but I cannot say much more because I would only be guessing! I was happy to hear the songs of praise of those in the church and I must say, probably 80 – 85 % of those in attendance today were under the age of thirty. It seems the Nepali church is very young – at least from what I have seen. There were encouraging stories of miracles too. There was a girl who was told she only had a day to live. The pastor of this church took her in and prayed with her; there was nothing else that could be done. The girl came to know Jesus, and was healed within a few days. Though I like to play the Western skeptic, these stories truly encourage me. I do believe them. It is sad for me to say that this kind of thing doesn't seem to happens in the West. Although our “advanced” medicine is a miracle too!

Anyway, my friends back home are missing out (no offense friends...and you're not really missing out, if you're reading my blogs!). I do think that if they were here, they all would be benefiting greatly from this experience, as I am!