Freedom of prayer - July 14, 2008

Today was another street ministry day meaning we drove into a village far from Kathmandu and shared Jesus with the people. Something about sharing what I believe exhausts me more than anything else I know. I think it is because I care so much for these people. I want them to see the passion in my eyes, be convinced by my story, and accept the peace that I get to experience everyday. The village today was much more rural than some have been and the crowd was tiny. We went through our program of dance and puppets and drama and then spread out to share with the few we could. Nothing really seemed to come of it but it was still an opportunity to talk with the Nepali people. After a couple of hours we decided to try again in another part of the village instead of just leaving. We did a shortened version of the program near the entrance of the village gates. Just enough to attract their attention. Then we once again reached out to the villagers. My group was blessed with one of the three translators. We ended up finding a Christian woman and we were invited to her house for tea. With permission of the team leaders and the company of the translator we walked the short distance to her home. It was tiny. Literally. I couldn't stand up in it. We drank water and even ate the food she placed in front of us. We are now all praying that we don't get sick, but even if I do, it was worth it. To spend 20 minutes in her life. Before we left we asked if we could pray for her and her family. She got very quiet, looked around her small business ( a two table restaraunt) and ushered us into the back room. We sat at one table and prayed in English and them at another in Nepali. Normally we would have prayed together and with the translator. But afterwards she explained to us that if her neighbors knew she was Christian she would lose all of her customers. It suprised me. The sacrifice that Christianity means to those living in a Hindu nation. I'll be praying for her and her village. God is starting to do amazing things in Nepal. But the Nepali people have an extra dose of faith I hope to learn from in the next two weeks.