Half way through outreach!

By the end of this week we will be half way done outreach! Looking back it feels like we've been here forever, but looking forward to what we have planned it feels like it's going to fly by. The past two weeks we've all been doing some different ministry things around the Kathmandu valley. A couple of us girls have gotten involved with a local business ministry called Higher Grounds, a cafe, bakery, crafts and jewelry making for women out of the sex trafficking trade or high risk women. It's been really fun helping out in the crafts and jewelry making, getting to know the girls working there, tons of open doors for friendship ministry and discipleship. I help out there twice a week usually. They took us to their church on Saturday and we spent the day with them just hanging out and getting to know each other better. The other days as a team we've visited other temples to pray and worship, and spent a morning learning about the sex trade and trafficking industry here and how we can be involved as a short term team. We're hoping to go into some dance bars to minister to some of the girls working and potentially share the love of Christ and offer them another way than dancing. I'm excited to see how the lord will lead us in that and who he'll lead us too!! 
I'm definitely feeling more settled here and into the outreach swing. Every day I feel the lord teaching me and opening my heart more and planting new dreams into my heart. I have been leading most of the worship times for our team and have learned so much about worship leading and grown in confidence so much. The Holy Spirit has truly been my teacher in all of it and because of that I have fallen in love with him more! The intimacy and closeness i've felt with the Lord had been so sweet and refreshing. I've even had the chance and encouragement to start writing a few songs as well. :) This weekend I'm helping lead worship with a team from the international church for their service. 
That's really all to report for now! We're super expectant to see what the second half of outreach is going to be like and what the Lord is going to do. We're pressing in for the fullness of our time here, everything he has for us. Please continue to pray for us! We head out on another trek to the same village and then to a few surrounding ones on the 31st for a week. Definitely pray for us then! Especially for health, I really don't want to get sick again! Also of course for the Lord to lead us and move through us as we preach the gospel and serve the people!

Fun facts about Nepal - to help paint a bit of a picture of what it's like here for you all! 
1. There is always room on the bus for one more! Even when there seems no humanly possible way, there always is! They are not afraid for people to hang off the side either! 
2. Socks with sandals is culturally appropriate 
3. The honking of horns are continual and are the cars communication to each other, meaning many different things! Including: "hello" "hi" "hows it going?" "I'm here!" "I'm happy" "I'm sad" "I'm angry!" "I'm turning" "I'm passing you" "I'm not passing you" "you're in my way" "go faster" "go slower" "it's my birthday!" "I'm leaving" "bye" "see ya later" ... You get the idea! :) 
4. Grocery bags are used for groceries and lawn ornaments
5. The bus boys sound like auctioneers yelling the names of the towns out the side of the bus. As well as whistling and hitting the side of the bus! 
6. Food is ridiculously cheap! I can get a good full meal for around $3. And a decent latte for just over a $1
7. Snickers has become my favorite treat here! :)

That's all for now! As I think of more I'll add them! 
Blessings!

Three Weeks In!

We have just finished our third full week here in Kathmandu. In most ways it feels like we've been here so much longer yet it's crazy to think we're heading in to our forth week. After our first week of really praying into what the Lord has for us here and getting to know the city, our town, the contacts and settling in we started to go after some of the words the Lord gave us. Week two we went to a few different temples to pray for people and pray and worship in and around the temple. Giving the one true God the honor and praise due his name! On our way to the first temple we stopped for this older couple sitting on the side of the path, half in a puddle of water with just a thin blanket. They talked through our translators and found out she had been blind for the last 10 months. We all gathered around them and prayed over her that the Lord would come meet them and heal her. Almost immediately she sat up and started saying "hallelujah" and "I believe" in Nepali. We continued to pray for a while and the Lord continued to minister to them and began healing in her eyes, she was able to see some light and shadows!! Some of our team then took them to get some food and help provide for their physical needs. We continued to the temple and prayed and worshiped overlooking the entire city, declaring the Lords goodness and lordship over this land! It was so amazing to be able to play the guitar and lead my team in worship in the middle of the Hindu temple. The next day we went to a lake that one of the girls on my team had heard of in prayer, and met a Nepali believer who had a business there and was able to pray and encourage her. She also was blind in one eye and as the lord ministered to her heart, he also started to heal her eye as well. She was able to see more light by the time we left! Praise! But more incredibly the Lord specifically lead us to her to be the body of Christ and encourage our sister and she said her hope had been restored! I've been learning tons about how the lord cares about everything, but He mostly cares and desires our hearts to come and be restored and find our rest in him. Our spiritual health he loves to meet us in and bring full healing every time! That were we also visited a mother Teresa home and helped out with practical duties - washing clothed and dishes. We also broke into two groups and together walked the road that encircles the main part of the city and prayed for it the entire time. It has been a journey of listening to the lord and seeing what he wants us to do daily. Which, honestly, can be exciting and somewhat frustrating as well! The lord is working and challenging me in so many ways, but He is so good. We finished that week with a 24 hour burn with everyone around the world from our DTS! Its 24 straight hours of prayer and worship. It was amazing!! Too much to tell!! :) but to some up my heart was drawn closer to the lord and my passion set more on fire for the place of intimacy and ministering to His heart! Week three we trekked up to a village called Puma. We went with the purpose of helping rebuild a house and disciple recent believers. We had a 6 hour bus ride and three hour hike to this little village built up on the side of the mountain with the most beautiful view of the Himalayans! It was beautiful and the people were super welcoming. Unfortunately I got really sick and was taken out for most of the trip! :( which made it more difficult and not fun! So not the best trekking experience.. But our team as a whole worked hard and helped with the house and we ended up more disciplining by example and the village was definitely impacted. 
Please continue to pray for me and us as we head into our fourth week. Pray for health as a bunch of us have been and still are sick. Miss you all! I'll try and update again soon!! Blessings!