So you want to be a missionary, huh? The glory, oh the glory, but what about the underwear, or the lack there of when you forget all of yours back at home, and that’s half way around the world, and you’re a man who is twice the size of any man here in Nepal? In walks my friend frank and his wife Kathy. Yes, small town Nepal, no one has any secrets here, and the two new white people were known for one thing. The tall man needs underwear, but nepal has no sizes to accomadate him. Sure, he’s the only white man for miles and miles, hes a christian, and hes tall, but he is not recognized for such attributes….no He is the man who needs underwear.We went to every shop in town, but to no avail.
But what they dont know is that he accidently flushed his wifes good pair of underwear down the toilet the other day, after she forgot them in the bottom of the bucket of the dirty laundry water. Where did they go? Down that toilet, the one that has a mind of its own. No option of flushing when you pour in the water, just down, into the same abyss that socks go when they get lost in the drier I suppose.Yes, the toilet was hungry, and burgandy underwear were on the menu.Write that down in the missionary books. Or what about the time that we had the hostess of the house church we were worshiping at pass away. Yes, that was a new one for me. Its gives a whole new meaning to being caught up in the glory. What a way to go!! bBt on more a serious note, it wasnt a fun experience.
The day that this happened, we were going to hike to share and encourage the new believers, but we werent sure yet where, or when to go. We had been putting off leaving the house all day, and finally as the sun was about to set, we headed out by motorbike. At the bottom of the mountain we debated, sleep here and hike up tomorrow to minister, or hike an hour to do a service at the remote church of the first believers in that village. We decided to stay down, but last minute Bigyan suggested that it would be easier to gather a crowd that night rather then in the morning. So we hiked, and we arrived as darkness fell. A man met us and greeted us warmly, and his wife was inside, having a sever asthma attack. She had an inhaler, but it only helped a little.I had prayed for her the other day, but something about the way she was breathing tonight was different then last time. We prayed for her and she felt better, and we went in and did a church service for the local believers. About 10pm I was ready to sleep, but our dear sister was going down hill fast. We tried to procure a vehicle to get her to the hospital, but as we waited her lungs began to gurgle, rattle, and I remembered the time my grandpa died. The death rattle. I had never heard it, but something deep within told me that was what this was. It was a shock. No one realized that it was that bad. I had never seen someone die at the moment that they passed, it was so subtle, so simple, so real.
“Bigyan, please come inside” I called to him out the door. He was standing under the stars with his cell phone in hand, waiting to hear back about the vehicle. There was no need any more.Then and the wailing came. I thought it was her, afraid to die, but she was already gone, it was her husband, crying, wailing, rocking her in his arms. Chaos ensued, crying, screaming, neighbors pouring in. We tried CPR, Bigyan did compressions, I did mouth to mouth. Ive never done that on a real person before, but I remembered how. Breath in, breath out. She was dead. My breathes turned to prayers, cries of desperation, please God! But she was already gone. Mouth open, pupils dialated, body still warm, there was no hope beyond a miracle. she was home, and she didnt come back. A seed in the ground dies first before it can grow and bear fruit.
Up all night, sitting with the corpse, going from person to person, arms around them, crying with them. This was life, real, raw. There was nothing but reality here. We were one, the human race, trying to understand, trying to grasp what just happened. The hindu grandchildren came, and an argument ensued. I was tired but wide awake. I couldnt understand a word, so I asked. They wanted to do a hindu burial, but she was a Christian, the first Christian of that village of now 35 believers. It was a long night, the funeral was the next day, a wooden box, a steep hill, lots of coke, cookies, and digging of dirt. We did a christian service after all, her husband wanted it. We piled into trucks and drove to the cemetary, the hindus cremated so this was new, only two other graves were in that little hollow, a little plot of earth by the river, in the jungle. It was a peaceful resting place full of butterflies, and flowers.I remembered my own grandmother.
I sat there, staring into the green tangled brush. Life, death, life death life death.Thank God that she knew you. The first of her family to believe.Something more was going on that day then just a funeral. The Hindu family saw the love, saw the compassion, their hearts are begining to open. Wow. What a legacy, and shes in glory.We leave in two days for a pastors conference and then up north. Please pray for me and Kathy, frank, david as we go. Bigyan went with a professor to do ministry on the indian boarder, and I am not sure that I will see him again before I leave Nepal. Hes my dearest brother, were like a pair of old shoes.Its strange to part ways with someone youve shared such deep aspects of life with. Culture shock, but Im family. His father cried today when I said goodbye. “Come back soon my daughter.”He and his wife said I was now one of their own. Family all around the world. My heart loves each one of them!
I am going home for Christmas to see my family, I wish everyone could be in one place at the same time. Im praying about returning to join the YWAM team long term sometime early next year here in Nepal.I was hoping to have a long term idea of where I will invest by the end of my time here. It would be a 3 year commitment with a focus on reaching a country just north of Nepal. 🙂
3 Years goes by quickly when youre in the middle of Gods will, but 3 years can seem like 30 if its not Gods will. Bigyan told me the other day. Its true, but I am ready to settle down.
Thank you!
Love you all!
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*(Picture is not of woman mentioned in story)
