Nepal Beckons Trekkers But We Came for the Children

I’ve been searching for words to describe Nepal.  Imagine ten people blind-folded and standing around an elephant.  They are asked to reach out and touch the object.  Then each person is asked to describe what they are felt. 

That is Nepal.

Many people on our flight to Nepal were coming home because of the Hindu Festival of Lights.  Men coming home were looking forward to being blessed by their older sisters.  Families coming home looked forward to adorning their homes and businesses with orange garlands of flower and painting a path from the front door to show the Goddess of Wealth the way to their place.  These are the visions of the Hindu people.

There were trekkers with visions of climbing Mt. Everest or some version of it. 

There were Christians on board with a mission to accomplish, sharing the gospel with those who would listen. 

And then there was Kathy and me on our own mission to get acquainted with our sponsored children, their parents and the Church of God members at Kathmandu. 

I don’t know what I expected but my senses went on overload.  We immediately saw Amos Moore, our host along with his wife Semper.  He lead us through a mass of people; it seemed that everyone on the planet was at the airport!  We arrived at our taxi…oh, my.  All the taxis are tiny hatchback cars.  Two suitcases went on top of the car, one went in the hatchback and our carry-on luggage sat on our laps.  Our instinct was to roll down the windows, which we did, but as we traveled the crowded roads we realized that the pollution was overpowering.  Don and Caroline Armstrong had educated us about this.

We were actually in Kathmandu.  I expected a modern city.  Imagine a scene out of Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark only set further east.  Incense filled the air.  Garbage was starting to collect as the garbage collectors were on holiday as well.  Signs bore the distinct script of the Nepalese language.  Suffice it to say, everything about this excursion was different than the good, old USA.  Except, the believers we worshipped with and the children we interviewed.  In the economy of God, we are all the same.

On Friday, November 5, we were greeted by Semper Moore at our hotel for the short taxi ride to the church.  That was quite a trip.  Lines painted on the streets were merely suggestions.  The experience is more like bumper cars with each vehicle – whether a motorbike, car or truck – edge others out of the way so they could arrive at their destination as quickly as possible.  Once we reached the foot path, we shed the carcass of the car and proceeded down a walkway about 30 inches wide with red brick walls on each side of the path.  Then we emerged on the other side and walked through an iron gate into the sanctuary of the Kathmandu Church of God.  “Namaste” is the traditional cultural greeting, but the Nepali church members greeted us with the traditional Christian greeting, “Jayamasi!” (pronounced jay-mah-cee).

The outdoor, concrete area was the gathering place.  Fellowship, shared meals, bake sales, children’s parties among other events took place there.  On Friday, November 5, about 10 women had been cooking traditional Nepali food our lunch with the children and their families. 



Rice, lentils, soybeans, wheat flour,

and dry milk were given to each family.

In the national church headquarter office, monthly food supplies were being packaged for the children to take home.  Finally, we went upstairs to the church’s sanctuary, removing our shoes at the door before entering. The marble floors were covered with authentic woven rugs made in Nepal by some members of the church.  Everyone sits on the rug cross-legged…except guests, usually guests sit on wooden chairs.

  

Like most countries we visit, the children were initially shy but it was difficult for these kids to resist hamming it up for the camera.  That is always a fun way to break the ice so Kathy and I began taking pictures.  They would run when you took their picture but quickly return when you showed them their picture.  There are 20 individually sponsored children in Kathmandu.

As we visited with these children it was apparent that these children had received significant spiritual nurturing.  I attributed that to the fact that every member of the Church of God in Kathmandu was a true convert to the Christian faith and not a transplant from another Christian church.  Rev. Amos Moore, director of Children of Promise in Nepal, told us about the discipleship classes that he conducts for adults and children.  It was evident that these children experienced their life through a Christian perspective.

In the outer regions of the country, among the 13 other Churches of God, there are 43 more children who receive educational funds.  Amos and Semper Moore had walked 13 hours one-way to visit a church in a remote village just the previous weekend.  We simply did not have the time to accomplish that type of trek on this trip; their villages were simply too remote for us to visit.  These 43 children must walk several kilometers to school, stay in a youth hostel for the week, and return home on the weekends.



Children and their families are in good hands in Nepal.  Their spiritual and educational development are strong, and their nuturitional health is good.  Nepal's children are precious.  Their families are dedicated to giving them Christian nurture and every opportunity they can to help them establish a firm foundation for live.



Rev. Amos Moore, director

of Children of Promise in

Nepal, with incoming director

Bimal Rai.



 Rev. Amos and Semper Moore will be returning to India after their 27 year ministry in Nepal.  Bimal Rai, an English teacher and member of the Kathmandu Church of God, will begin training for the position of Children of Promise director. 

It is 6:21 am Tuesday, Nov. 9, in the  U. S.  It is 6:21 pm Tuesday, Nov. 9, in Bangkok, where we have returned for the night.  Our flight back to the U. S. at 5:40 am...yippee!  We will add a few more frequent flyer miles to our portfolios.  But we have already added a million memories from our trek to Asia.  While we hate to leave, there is always a time to come home.  We will.  And we will pray that our comfortable lives in America will not lure us into forgetting the conditions that our children in the Philippines, Thailand and Nepal live in.  Lord Jesus, continue to fill our hearts with compassion for the children you have placed in our lives.  

Blessings,

Linda Mason     



Thailand's Treasures, Their Children

We flew from Bangkok to Nepal today with memories of Thailand's greatest treasures, the children, fresh in our memories.  Children are the same the world over.  They give love so freely and for most a smile will draw that love to the surface.  And, more often than we care to remember, we see the hurt on their faces also.  In some cases, they are just not quite sure they can trust you.  Fortunately, most of the time, they are quite resilient.

A child's perception of his or her world may determine their dreams.  Frankly, I was surprised a few times in Hanka, Nang Rong and Ban Dan to hear the child I was interviewing say that he or she wanted to grow up and be a laborer...possibly the hardest kind of work in their villages.  Our hopes and dreams for them would be that they become the most educated, emotionally stable, devoted Christians, and responsible citizens as possible.  Besides their parents, the Children of Promise country coordinators and volunteers are those who influence our sponsored children the most.  You do your part in sponsoring a child.  The leaders, volunteers and parents do their part in rearing each child.  But it is God's touch that transforms their lives.

    

We drove many miles to visit children and their families in Thailand.  We were happy to talk with healthy, happy children.  We were concerned for several children who exhibited malnutrition, even with the help they have been receiving from us.  For those children, we will supplement their diets in order for them to grow healthy and strong.  One telling story of children in Thailand is told by their teeth.  Many, many children are smaller than average size children you would see in the U.S.  Their teeth are usually too crowded for their small mouths.  Alignment of their teeth is also a problem.  There is more to be done to give them a solid foundation for a healthy future. 



It is a profound privilege to work with you serving the children in Thailand and our 22 other countries.  Bless you for caring.  - Linda Mason



Our co-pilot, Jan, good work friend!



A moment to relax on the 5, 4, 3 and 2-hour drives
back to Bangkok.



The Thai People Welcome Us With Open Hearts

This journey, more than any other I have taken, has produced more travel challenges than anyone should have to deal with in a three-week period.  First, we received an email from Bob Weeks to say that he had arrived home in spite of the fact that his plane showed up in Detroit but the pilot did not.  After a delay, he was able to head home to Wisconsin.  Then we received an email from Brenda Berry saying that her flight from Detroit to Indianapolis was canceled due to mechanical failure.  She was able to get on a flight from Detroit to Evansville, Indiana; however, her husband, Jeff, had driven from Kentucky to Indianapolis to collect her.  Eventually they connected in Evansville.

While all of this was going on, Kathy and I made our way to the airport in the Philippines.  We were looking forward to our journey in Thailand.  The trouble began as we checked in with Philippine Airways.  They only allowed 50 pounds per bag, not the 70 pounds that Delta had allowed us.  My excess baggage weight charge was $179 and Kathy's was $207.  We paid the bill and hopped on our plane. 



Don & Caroline Armstrong, Kathy Knox,
and Jan Kanjanamukda



Jan Kanjanamukda, director of Young Friends (Children of Promise) in Thailand, was a welcome sight in the Bangkok airport.  She was as happy to see us as we were to see her.  Fortunately, our flight to Chiang Mai was uneventful.  Don Armstrong, Church of God Global Mission's Regional Coordinator for Asia, along with his wife Caroline, met us with a big smile!  Before we knew it we were gathered around the table at Don and Caroline's house sharing one story after another.  We had the disctinct privilege of being their first house guests in Thailand.



Elephant Painting Flowers in Pot



Friday was a day of rest, so to speak.  After the morning rains moved out of Chiang Mai and we had washed some clothes, we climbed into the car and headed for the Maesa Elephant Camp.  We had a blast!  Each elephant is coupled with a trainer...for life.  These elephants, small in stature to the African elephants, performed all kinds of tricks.  They played soccer, painted pictures with a small paint brush (and were really good), worked as a team at stacking logs, and bowed to the audience after each display of intelligence.  At the end of the show, all the elephants with their trainers come close to the stands so the audience can feed the elephants bananas and sugar cane. 



After a few giant slobbers from their trunks, Kathy and I had been embraced by two elephants at once, been given a hat by an elephant and had it placed on our heads!  It was the best and cheapiest entertainment ($3 each) we had had in awhile.

Have you ever been the main squeeze of two elephants?  It's quite an experience.

On Saturday, October 30, our van and driver arrived at 7:00 am for the five-hour journey to the Thai village of Khun Yuam near the Myanmar (Burma) border.  The drive was beautiful.  We saw many rice paddies.  The workers were harvesting the crop.  The scene was idyllic; some workers wore the traditional round hat that comes to a point at the crown of the head.  The work was far from idyllic though; the days were long and the work was back-breaking.  We would learn later that people are thankful for the work they could find.  Employment for those living in poverty is a blessing and not something to be dreaded.

Jan interprets while Kathy interviews

little Thanchanok 

When we arrived in Khun Yuam, there were only a few children present but within 15 - 20 minutes they suddenly appeared.  Even in Khun Yuam it is not hard to find a cell phone and a motor scooter.  Was I in for a surprise!  This church, like many in America, had struggled over the last two years when the former pastor left the congregation.  In this case, the new pastor had just arrived on the scene when I visited in 2008.  I was overjoyed to see that the church had grown spiritually and much stronger at the same time.  The sponsored children looked healthy and happy.  The children sang a few songs for us at Jan's prompting.  One teen girl displayed the most courage when she stepped forward with the leader to sing.  Then all the "shy" children stepped forward and joined in the singing.  They sounded wonderful as they sang songs in the Thai language.  We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. 



Teens from Khun Yuam sing a capella.

 As we began to interview the children, we soon discovered that although the children seemed healthy there were a few children that required some immediate medical attention.  In addition, almost every child there needed to have dental work done.  Children in Thailand, Myanmar, the Philippines, India and Nepal, are much more petite than their American counterparts. The Thai children have teeth that are crowded in their smaller mouths, to the point that they often twist and turn.  These children would benefit from a group of Christian dentists making a medical mission trip here.  

Some children reported that their fathers were alcoholic.  This seemed to be a new phenomenon.  Unfortunately this would be a sad tale that we would hear repeated several times the next day.

On Sunday, October 31, we worshiped at the Mae Kong Pae Church of God.  The minute Jan stepped out of the van children were there to hug her and tell her they loved here.  She was a bit overwhelmed but what a joyful scene it was for us to witness!  Members of the Mae Kong Pae Church of God are predominantly Burmese refugees from the Karen tribe.  Everyone participated in leading the church in worship that day.  Little children sang and danced, the pre-adolescent sang and danced a traditional dance using bamboo poles.  The older teenagers led in worship as did the women in the congregation.  This is a foreign concept to the western Church where only a small portion of people, usually hand selected, are given the opportunity to lead worship.  Asia is much different in this regard.  The Karen tribe wore their traditional clothing which they weave themselves.  It was delightful to see.  I especialy loved the a capella singing.  The singing was in their Thai dialect.  Even though we could not understand the words, their joy and enthusiasm told us how much they love to worship the Lord.

Linda interviews and visits with her sponsored

child, Mutita

I was excited to interview the children in Mae Kong Pae because my sponsored child, Mutita, was in this group of children.  Mutita is 14 years old and in the 9th grade of school.  Prior to our visit, Jan shared with me that Mutita's school does not have a 9th grade math teacher and that Mutita was concerned she would not be ready for math the following year.  This is important to her because she wants to become a veterinarian.  Thanks to the Armstrongs and Jan I was especially pleased to be able to purchase the 9th grade math textbooks in Chiang Mai.  Mutita was grateful for the books and other gifts I brought her.  She promptly showed the books to her friends.  More than anything, I was pleased to see a spiritual transformation in Mutita.  In every picture I had seen of Mutita, she was frowning.  Now she smiles.  She smiles because a loving Young Friends' director named Jan took her under her wings and led her into a deeper spiritual walk.  I am so thankful for that.


Sponsored children eat rice following

morning services and before inter-

viewing began.


When we visit children, we often hope and imagine that their lives are made easier because of our sponsorship support.  And their lives are enriched through spiritual nurture, education, nutritional assistance, and medical aid.  But the realities of the conditions they live in often break our hearts.  On this particular journey, twenty-four percent of the children in these first two sites have reported that their fathers or father and mother are drinking which leads to fighting.  They are shamed by this fact.  But this also frightens them.   I am glad that they found the courage to express their fear to us.  I believe they told us because they know that Jan cares for them and will help them.  I know this: the children's sponsors care for them and would want to do anything to help them feel safe in their own homes. 

Please pray for Jan as she works with the pastors, parents, and Children of Promise volunteers to make a real difference in these children's lives.  God is calling us to make a difference, one child at a time.  His words are clear:

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengenance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion -- to bestow upon them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.  They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.  Isaiah 61:1-3 NIV

- Linda Mason

Heart-Rending First Visits for Sponsors

Nine-year old Caren recognized Brenda in an instant when we pulled up to the Church of God community room in Valenzuela in metro Manila.  The children filled the room, not only with their presence but with a joyful spirit.  They held small flags with each of our names on them.  When we stepped out of the van, they chanted their greeting.  What a reception!

Brenda Berry, a pastor from Owensboro, Kentucky, had waited with great anticipation for this moment.  Their eyes locked and it was all over for Brenda.  As soon as the children sang a few songs for us, Brenda, Caren and Caren's mother, traveled to Caren's home with Marlene Viray, staff member of Grace Family Helper Project (Children of Promise).  Nothing could have prepared Brenda for what came next.

Immediately upon arriving in the community, your eyes, ears and nose were assaulted with urban poverty that took your breath away.  Caren lived in an area that floods every day at high tide.  The water that floods the neighborhood wasn't nice clean clorinated water.  It was filthy and it smelled unpleasant.  Each step Brenda took on the path to Caren's house confirmed her worst nightmares.  Her sponsored child had to carefully walk over several boards, laying end-to-end, that were suspended over murky waters below.  Her house was hidden behind another house (house on the right), the walk to her home was even more treacherous than we thought at first glance.

From another walkway we could see Caren's house.  Her siblings and cousins peeked out to see if we were still there.  A little while later, Brenda emerged from her visit.  We had no sooner gotten into the church van than Brenda began to sob.  She had confronted the reality of poverty but this time she had left a part of her heart with Caren and her family.  Later Brenda committed two things:  she would sponsor Caren's brother and she and her husband, Jeff, would be coming back together.

For Bob Weeks, his encounter with two of his and his wife Wendy's sponsored children transformed him in a way he did not expect.  He and Wendy sponsor several children around the world and he has even visited some in Uganda.  Nothing, though, prepared him for what happened in The Philippines.  His first home visit was to meet Mary Angelique.  Wendy had sent him with gifts for the entire family which was good especially since Mary Angelique had a twin sister, Mary Angeline.  As they visited with Mary Angelique reading a letter to him aloud, it was all he could do to "hold it together".  When he entered the van, he sat quietly...unable to speak.  Overwhelmed, the tears began to flow.  He never expected to feel what he was feeling...he felt like a father.  This was a new feeling for him, having never been a father.

Later in the day Bob met another child that he and Wendy sponsor, Wanda.  Wanda and her older sister Wella live with their mother who works very hard for them.  (Another sponsor who had visited The Philippines after typhoon Ondoy last year toured Wanda and Wella's "house".  This sponsor gave money for Wanda's family to have "their home" reconstructed into a safer and sturdy home.)  It was during his visit with Wanda that she called him "Dad" and gave him a kiss on the cheek.  His father's heart swelled in him once more.  He wasn't sure how he would make it.  Later, Bob told us that "his heart was for The Philippines."



Mary Angelique, her twin sister and Wanda



That evening Rev. Eddie Viray of the Manugit Church of God assisted in a celebration service for Grace Family Helper Project and the Children of Promise team who would leave the next day.  We were all asked to share from our hearts.  When Bob's turn came, he was able to verbalize his gratitude for the experiences he had with his sponsor children.  At the end of the service, he gave the closing prayer but not before his sponsored children came up on stage with him.

Kathy Knox was so excited to see her sponsored child, Leonito.  He and his parents had made the long trip to the Grace Family Helper Project just to see her.  They took the train and then a Jeepney (an elongated Jeep carrying up to 20 or so people) to reach the office.  Then they waited for us to return from  the village.  Leonito was very quite and reservedwhen we arrived but Kathy was excited.

As Kathy began giving him some gifts she had brought, it was had to tell what was going through his mind.  But the faces of his parents showed it all.  They were loving and gracious people, who would do anything for their child.  The expressed their great love for Kathy and what the Grace Family Helper Project was doing for Leonito. 

And then the moment came, Leonito lit up like a Christmas tree when he started to play with the Etch-a-Sketch.  Those of us who enjoyed playing with the Etch-a-Sketch as a child could understand his joy right away.  It was fun for all of us to see Leonito be taken by such a simple gift. 

As a sponsor, you sometimes wonder what effect you may be having on the life a child who you may never meet.  But this sponsor trip confirms in my heart that even a letter or card sent occasionally may have a profound effect, one you may not realize until you meet your sponsored child in heaven.  Afterall, seeing our children come to a saving knowledge of Christ is our most desired outcome.  Only that brings true freedom from the chains that bind our children in poverty.  It really takes such a small effort on our part to change the life of a child.  I just wish everyone in the Church of God especially would catch a vision of what could be accomplished in this world if we are open to it.  But that is God's work.  Our's is to tell the stories.

We left The Philippines on Thursday morning (U.S.'s Thursday evening).  We will bring you our next installment from Thailand. - Linda Mason

The Reality of Numbers on this Journey

Journeys often take unexpected turns.  Our journey was interrupted when we boarded our plane in Toyko for Manila last Thursday.  We had traveled 16 hours by plane, plus our layover times and drives to the airport initially.  We boarded our plane in Toyko which would take us on our final 5 hour journey to the Philippines.

We pulled away from the jetway and stopped.  Mechanical problems had us stopped in our tracks.  We sat on our plane for 4 1/2 hours before Delta cancelled our flight.  That was disappointing but what came next surprised even us.  The Narita airport, an international airport, closed every evening around 10 pm...that meant we were spending the night at the aiport (we couldn't leave the premises) with 800 others from our plane and another 800 from another plane that was grounded.  Suffice it to say that waiting for our new plane to take off didn't happen until 1:00 pm the next day.  We arrived in the Philippines exactly 48 hours after we left the States!

Five...that is the number of our Philippine friends who greeted us after they had waited about 4 hours at the Philippine airport!

Four...that is the number of hours we traveled by car to Nueva Ecjia.  Wow, was it worth it!  We visited 3 churches in 2 days, interviewing 168 children.  What a privilege and a blessing it was to be with them.  The Church of God has really grown in Nueva Ecjia!  The service at Umuguam Church of God was high energy with lots of singing and praising God.  We even took up 3 offerings!  Our own Pastor Brenda Berry preached the morning service, sharing from her heart how good God is to us even in the face of tragedy.  We enjoyed a great meal of Philippine food.

Three...that is the number of sponsors who are traveling with me.  Two of them have never been to the Philippines.  Even in the rural country side, the poverty our COP families live in can be disturbing to see.  The fact that the children always appear to be happy makes witnessing this poverty bearable.

Eighty-five and 99...that is the temperature and the humidity level.  I confess that I have not dealt with this type of heat in quite some time.  Each day we have dragged back to our hotels.  Even though we have been tired, our satisfaction is 100%.  How can you top that? 

One thousand children sponsored...that is the dream of Ofelia "Fely" Viray, director of Grace Family Helper Project (COP in the Philippines).  My prayer is that we will have churches in the Church of God movement who will champion the COP efforts in the Philippines.  We currently have over 100 children from the Philippines waiting to be sponsored.  Just think, you only have to give up 5 McDonald's quarter pounder meals each month to give a child hope of a future where his or her life is transformed and they, in turn, can change their world.  Already some of the sponsored children have graduated from the program and have earned scholarships to college.  They are making a difference in their home churches and reaching out to children coming from the same circumstances they did.

Our journey continues tomorrow.  Likely this will happen in the midst of a tropical storm that is making its way here.  No problem.  The resilient Philippine children and staff of Grace Family Helper Project are devoted to one another.  What a pleasure it is to work with such incredible servants of God!  Our time together is filled with laughter and joy.  Their commitment to meeting the needs of the children is amazing.  Their love is deep.  Their compassion is inspiring.

Hundreds...that is the number of people it takes to assist the sponsored children in the Philippines.  Pastors, committee volunteers, the national coordinators of COP, every parent or guardian, our great sponsors, and the staff in Anderson make this ministry possible.  I hope you will continue to follow our journey.  Pray for God's blessing on this troup of people.  We hope to post pictures tomorrow.  Wait 'til you see the beautiful faces of our kids. - Linda Mason

Typhoon Megi Slams The Philippines as Team Prepares to Fly Out

Once again, the Philippines are battling the deafening power of a super typhoon - category 5, as high as you can get.  While the U.S. team makes final preparations for our site visit with the children, Dr. Ofelia Viray or "Fely" emailed to inform us of their situation.  We are praying for a return to "normal" for our friends in the Philippines.  Just last year, this same area was hit hard after not one but four storms.

Please join us in praying for the Church of God in the Philippines as Rev. Eddie Viray, chair of the general assembly in the Philippines, and other pastors reach out to the believers in this area - especially all the sponsored children in Grace Family Helper Project (Children of Promise).  Also pray for northern Thailand as they are experiencing flash flooding.  We have not yet heard from anyone there.  We'll keep you posted as Linda Mason and Kathy Knox plan to travel on to Thailand and Nepal following the Philippines visit.  Thanks for your prayers.  - Linda Mason

Six Days Until Asian Safari Lift Off

Safari.  Sounds exotic, doesn't it?  You may even think that "safari" only applies to Africa and a search for the wild, beastly animals that lumber and dash over the Serengeti.  A safari is "a journey or hunting expedition."  In six days we will set off on a journey to The Philippines, Thailand and Nepal; it will take us 19 hours and 3 minutes to fly there as we cross the international date line.  Our journey will be a journey of the heart, and our expedition will take us into cities like Manila, Bangkok and Kathmandu to meet our sponsored children.

How do you prepare for a safari like this?  You can read about the lands and the people, and we do that.  You can pray for God to give you an open mind and heart, and we are doing that.  One of the most important ways to prepare for such a journey is to go with an attitude of service.  There will always be people, things and events that delight and surprise you.  There is no way to prepare for that.  That is something you take in and enjoy.

Why don't you "pack your bags" and visit our blog from time to time?  Why don't you join our safari?  We'll share the Children of Promise sponsorship experience with you.  Who knows?  You may one day board the plane and journey with us to meet your own sponsored child.

The team - Brenda Berry (Kentucky), Kathy Knox (Indiana), Bob Weeks (Wisconsin), and Linda Mason (COP Associate Director/Indiana) - will meet in Minneapolis before bounding off to Toyko and then Manila.  We can't wait to take you there! - Linda Mason