It is not too hard for folks to imagine what we do in the medical ministry. We set up tables. We sort out our medicines. We organize the people to see the doctor in turn. What is difficult to describe is how we manage to get up a mountain to reach a people who have little access to any kind of health care. We were a group of 18 people and a mountain of supplies in three trucks. I was the only American in what was most definitely a Nepali project. Two of our trucks were four wheel drive, but still became stuck in some of the deep muddy ditches. The other truck was a two wheel drive and got stuck in EVERY ditch. There is no way to get a tow truck up in this mountain. We had to rely on man power to keep progress moving. Fortunately, we had a good group of young men with us. I slept in a store (storage) building literally hanging on the side of a mountain with six other women with me.The men slept in the church, which was closer to the toilets. Twas necessary to scale a rock face to get first to the store building and then on up to the church where we held the clinics. During the day, people sat on the rock as they waited their turn to see the doctor. During the night, I climbed the rock several times- in the dark--one handed (mobile phone shedding light in the other hand) and with full bladder to reach the church and then the walk way to the toilets. I love adventure.
During the day, we showed the Jesus video in Nepali, from the back of one of the trucks. The people gathered and watched it over and over. At night, the big screen was brought out and the Jesus Video was the social event of the year for a village without much ( any) technology. Now we are praying that the words they heard and the truths they learned will take root in their hearts, that they will be drawn to the Lord and to the little church in their village.
We have 6 children in our sponsorship program from this village. The children must walk for hours to get from their homes to the place to meet me for the annual Allow gathering. I always feel badly about it, but there is nothing that can be done. I need to meet every child at least once a year-- for accountability. If they come, then I know that they are getting their money. If they are still in school, then we know how the great part of their sponsorship money is being spent. I need to get a new photo and progress report each year and we also give them each a Christmas bag. This year, the bag will contain a new T-shirt, Bible, warm hat, school notebooks, a Christmas craft, toothbrush and toothpaste, soap, candy and hopefully a letter from their sponsor.
23 November 2013
Bangla Adventure
Bangladesh is always an adventure. I needed to visit two children's homes and one village where we have a sponsorship program and a meeting with children of pastors/evangelists from many areas of the country who are under our sponsorship. Children in the photo are in the tribal "hill tracts" area. It is high in altitude, far to travel, far from city and civilization. No American would question the term if I called it "remote mountains," but Asians call them "hills" if there are no snow caps. Each of these children is from a difficult life situation with extreme poverty as only one aspect of it. It is doubtful that any one of them even heard the name of Jesus before coming to the home. Missionary work of any kind is strictly prohibited. There is a difficult permit process even for me to make the visit. But we can support and encourage Bangla believers as they work with these people. One little children's home is there, with 30+ children learning of the Savior and preparing to return as witnesses to their own people. The ministry of a children's home is so much more than just feeding and caring for the orphan. I must drive for hours over some of the roughest road conditions that there is to reach this home. Then walking for a while, crossing the Sangu River... things were dry going in, but the rain poured on the way out. We must pass several check points before a certain time on the way out, so it was not possible to wait for the rain to stop. The slick mud underfoot was just as difficult as what was coming from the sky. There was no choice but to sit and slide down the mud embankment, which was at least 30 feet. When I stepped into the river to rinse off the mud, the current was stronger than it looked. It "took" me and I was on my way down river, making my way slowly across without the boat-- and with the rain still beating down. I was already soaked anyway. If you are a sponsor of an LFH child, know that your new photo and progress report is hard won.
Oct 2013 Building Project
Maranatha Children's Home is not just a place to house and feed children. It is a training center for those who will go out and witness among the unreached people of this area. We have 25 children who are preparing to return to their villages-- able to read and write and with a solid Bible foundation. Each one has led praise and worship. Each one is fluent in the language and culture and ready to make an impact for the Lord in whatever walk of life He leads them.
The building team made the trip to Nepal to begin the next phase of the Maranatha Project. The second floor of the children's home is started. When it is complete, we can double the number of children and we can separate boys and girls on different floors. This ministry is growing. The next building team trip will be in May 2014.
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