Communion

Well, it's my last week in Nepal! I'm very torn about leaving. When I think of going back to China and seeing Em and Steve I get really really excited for the week that is ahead of me. But when I think of leaving Nepal and saying goodbye to this amazing place and these amazing people, I get really sad! So, pray for me on Sunday, because I can almost guarantee I'll be an emotional wreck.

But while this is my last week in Nepal, I think it's safe to say that it has also been my very favorite week! I've been able to spend so much time with the kids at the children's home, and I was even blessed with the opportunity to teach them a Bible lesson during their morning worship! I really loved that. I finally felt like I was able to do something that was both helpful AND I was already good at.

Teaching with Nelson as Translator. Don't mind my confused-looking posture, I knew what I was talking about. 

The week started off pretty great, as we took communion at the international church that the DeBortolis go to. So on Sunday I took communion with people from England, Thailand, Korea, Africa, Brazil, France, Holland, Canada, Ireland, Australia, and I'm sure others that I don't even know about! You might have noticed, but that means that I took communion with someone from every continent except Antartica (which doesn't even count in my mind because I don't feel the need to take communion with a penguin).

How cool is that? I'll answer for you: it's VERY cool. To be able to partake in remembering the body of Christ with such a wide demonstration of how far it goes was incredible. People from so many different cultures, languages, and places in general were all claiming to be part of the same body, with the same purpose. Too cool for words.

What really brings this home for me are all the specific people that I've met on this trip from around the world. Let's start with the Nepali brothers and sisters: Ganga, Dinesh, Nelson, Sita, and and Nira. These men and women have such an incredible heart for the Lord, they work so hard day in and day out not only to make sure the kids at the children's home are doing well, but that people like Kirsten and I are safe and okay.

During times when either Kirsten and I would be sick, these men and women would be so compassionate and do everything in their power to make us feel better. The three men all spoke English, so we also go to know them pretty well too. They are so humble, so kind, and just so loving! At one point, Ganga told Kirsten and I that we could call him at any time ever and he would come rescue us. Sound like anyone you know? I'll give you a hint: his name starts with a J and he died for your sins.

Next I'll talk about Marshal and Lily. Again, these are NOT their real names, but since they are called to places who don't know how much they want Jesus yet, I have to keep them on the down-low. Anyway, Lily is from the Philippines, and I'm sure I would have never met her if she not only had married Marshal (who's American) and they had come to Nepal. But I am SO grateful for the brief time that I was able to get to know her!

Another surprise little treat at the end was meeting Katy, an English girl a couple years older than Kirsten and I who came basically with the same purpose as us: to see what's going on in Nepal and try and help in any way possible. We had a lot of really great conversations and some pretty hilarious memories with her. And again, there's probably zero chance of me ever meeting her if we had not both said "yes!" both to Jesus and to him telling us to come to Nepal.

And of course there's Kyle and Annie, a young missionary couple from Canada that we spent a lot of time with. They're so great! They've been here since April and just have such a great heart for the kids at the children's home and the ministry that Iris is doing here.

THIS is the body of Christ. All of these people that I've just described have come from so many different places, but our love of the Lord and our desire to serve him has brought us all together with one purpose. We have a lot of fun making fun of different accents and comparing cultures, but honestly how amazing is it that we can all come from such different places and have the same heart? The children at the home don't think of Kirsten and I as different from Katy or Annie or any of the other women from all over the world who come, they simply call us all "Auntie." Because we are all part of the same family. And when people in the villages remember the groups that come and tell them new and crazy things, they don't think "that group of people from all over the world," they think "those Christians."

My mind is blown by how awesome this is. I hope yours is too.