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