Transformation

This is Pabitra. She's five years old and one of the newest additions to the Iris Nepal Children's Home. What we know of her story is similar to so many children in Nepal. Her father died and then her mother remarried, however, her mothers new husband didn't want any reminder of his wife's old marriage, so Pabitra's mother abandoned her.

When Pabitra first came to Iris you could see rejection hovering over her. Like many new orphans she would eat huge quantities of food because she was probably uncertain if any more food would come. While the other kids would run around and play on the rooftop terrace of the home she would stand motionless and stare out at the mountains. She would let you pick her up but she would sit lifeless in your arms. Everyone at Iris would just hold her and pray for her, pour as much love into her as we could. Most kids take a few hours to realize that they are in an environment of unconditional love and acceptance, Pabitra took days.

One day we went to the kids home to spend time with them after school and Pabitra was the first child I saw that day. She was a totally different person. She met me with a huge smile, arms flung wide, wanting to be picked up. She now is full of joy, giggling, running around with the other kids. She eats normal portions of food, and sings while she does her homework.

This is the transforming power of the Fathers Love. It demolished the spirit of rejection and poured out acceptance and love, and made a broken little girl into a new creation.

Glory

-kyle

The Narrow Gate

"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."
Matthew 7:12-14

This verse kicked me in the pants the other day. "...the way is HARD that leads to life." Wow, that really speaks against a lot of what the Western Church teaches. Following Jesus is the best, most amazing thing one could ever do, but it's so hard as well. I've been having a difficult time adjusting to life here sometimes, but it ok. Doing what Jesus has called you to do is often difficult, it involves suffering, it involves the desires and wants of our flesh (body) to be killed, so that our life in Jesus can grow and blossom. My character is being built and issues that I thought I've dealt with have all been challenged since I've been here. The enemy has also been trying to discourage me and tell me lies, so it's been double the hurt (pruning) and pain sometimes. BUT, Jesus is so so good. He's changed my life! He's making me more like Himself until one day I am face to face with my Saviour - perfected by His glory.

Father, may my life be a sacrifice and offering to You. Thank You that You give me the strength to do this.

- Annie

I met my cousin tn Kathmandu!

That almost sounds like a country song.  After we got back from our outreach my Mum, Aunt AND Uncle all e-mail me and tell me that my cousin Amy, who I've never met, is in Kathmandu doing a DTS with YWAM.  She's an MK and has lived all over the world and I've never had the chance to meet her.  After connecting by e-mail we arranged to meet for lunch.  It was so good to connect and share about what's going on in in our lives.  It was surreal and yet completely comfortable, I mean we have the same grandmother, same cousins and we even have the same space between our toes!  I miss her already.  LOVE YOU AMY!!!

Village Outreach recap

Panwhalla in Janakpur

 Its been a few weeks since we returned from our village outreach in Janakpur and Pokhara. It was great to get out of the Kathmandu Valley and into other parts Nepal. Janakpur feels almost exactly like North India, the heat, the food, the people, the way the city is laid out, all of it. It made us miss our time in India a little.

In the three days we were there we ministered in one church and three small Dalit villages, one of which had never heard the name of Jesus before. We would gather and worship for a while to welcome the presence of God, this also tends to gather most of the village around us. One of the Nepali's on our team would then preach, and then we would pray for the sick. Because of the rigorous farming work in the rural areas almost everyone had some sort of body pain amongst other ailments. At lease 5-10 deaf people were totally healed, some heard their children's voice for the first time. Overall the vast majority of people prayed for were healed, many also accepted Jesus into their hearts, and received the love of the Father.


We had to pray for a few hours just to get through all the people. It gave me a better understanding how Jesus got tired at the end of a day praying for people. I kept getting to a place of feeling totally empty yet there are still people waiting in line, or bypassing it all together to receive prayer. I often had to pray as an act of will rather than a place of faith, but that didn't matter much, when we are faithless Jesus is faithful. The people were so hungry, hopeful and full of faith. They often had more determination than we did. If they weren't healed they wouldn't get discouraged, they would just receive more prayer until they were.

In spite of all that the Holy Spirit was doing I don't believe that was the primary purpose for us going on this outreach. It was a very trying and challenging time for both of us. The Lord was testing our hunger for Him and His Kingdom, testing our reliance on His grace and presence. Can we faithfully lay hold of His promises when our hearts or circumstances seem contrary? Though difficult these things were actually answers to things we have been praying about for some months now.


After Janakpur we headed over to beautiful Pokhara, had a day of rest, then hiked up into the surrounding mountains to some more villages. Because of an encroaching storm, and a navigational blunder that turned a two hour hike into a seven hour one, we never got a chance to do any direct ministry in the villages around there. Instead we all enjoyed the spectacular views and had an intense time of prayer for the area and the Nation.

-kyle