Hello from Chitwan, Nepal!
We started the day with a wonderful breakfast buffet at our hotel called Jungle Wildlife Camp. At around 8:30/9 am we went out to teach the Good News of Jesus to different villages. We were escorted in these little three-wheeled vehicles called tuk-tuks that I think are the Nepali equivalent to golf carts. Today some of us were going to hike while some weren't, so we switched up the groups a little. My group (Josh, Lauren, Ethan, Riley, and myself) took a 30-45 minute hike up the top a "hill" to a village that was at the top (the hills in Nepal are mountains to us). We were driven in the tuk-tuks quite a ways before we had to hike as they have paved a lot of make-shift roads in the last couple of years. We were quite grateful for that. We were also very grateful for no rain and lots of clouds to shield us from the sun. Our hike was on a nice trail, but was very uphill. We were all dripping in sweat when we finally reached the top.
But it was all worth it! We were welcomed with happy faces and a beautiful short worship service by their pastor. They sang Nepali worship songs which were incredibly cool to hear. I think that God is so amazing to make singing praises intrinsic to human beings no matter what part of the world they are in. After teaching with an amazing translator, we were given a meal of chicken, rice, and broth. They sent us off with lots of smiles and waves. The pastor and his family walked back down the hill with us which was way more enjoyable and way less sweaty.
We took tuk-tuks back to our hotel and saw some elephants on the way back. They are pretty domestic here. Then after a little bit of relaxing we finished up the day at a very nice multi-cuisine restaurant.
Praise the Lord for the amazing opportunities that we are given to be able to preach His saving words to souls across the world! Romans 11:14-15 stays in my mind as I travel on these trips: "How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!'"
And praise God also for His incredible and breathtaking creation. Even after sin tainted the world, His masterpiece of creation still drops my jaw at its beauty. I'm very excited for all the days to come.
Jai Masih! (Praise Messiah!)
- Erica Oster 6/30/23