July 23, 2009

7:50AM Kathmandu time

It is another cool and sunny morning here in Kathmandu.  The majority of the team, including Sofia, are still fast asleep after a fun night of partying and celebrating the orphans' collective birthday yesterday night.  For 4 of them, this has been a tradition for 3 years now, something that they use to mark their ages and also their new lives here with the Sapkota family; something that the newer orphans will appreciate increasingly as they grow older and stronger under the caring eyes of this organization and family.

Yesterday was an interesting day for me emotionally.  There is much I still need to sit and percolate on before I should say what they are, but the process did bring me back to a fundamental truth that I hold for my own life.  It's all about who you know.

Ever since I became involved with the HOPE project, I've kept this reality in the back of my mind.  My relationship to the Sapkota family is in direct relationship with Mike Chen.  I was introduced to them through him and their tender treatment of me as a friend is because of their trusting relationship with Mike.  If it wasn't for Mike, I would have never met them, nor would I have any sort of relationship with them.  Even if I gave money to their cause; sent clothes, toys, school supplies for the orphans; became a fan of their cause on Facebook; it doesn't mean I have a relationship with them, a real interpersonal relationship with them.  The reason why I am connected to them and their organization is because of Mike Chen.  My relationship with him thus is the conduit that connected me to this family and what will always link me to them and be told in our history together.

So it is with my relationship to the Father.  It was only through my Lord & Savior that I could ever approach the Father.  It was only because of what Jesus had done that made the relationship with the Father, the adoption and taking me in as a real son of His, a reality.  It is only because of the grace that the Son has extended to me, the invitation from Jesus, that made the connection to the Father possible.  As Jesus put it Himself, I can only come to the Father through Him, because He is MY WAY.

My connection with the Father will forever be linked to my relationship through His Son.  The most amazing thing about this, is after all these years, the Son still accepts me despite my many character flaws, failures, hurts that I've inflicted on those that He loved and accepted.  In the face of the many slaps, spits, pushes that I've given Him through my years as a screaming follower, He still forgives.  He still welcomes;  He's still here, within me.  How can one not love Him?  How can one not be in awe of such grace?

Relationship and trust; things that the human soul needs; things that the Son gives to all who accepts;  things He longs for us to emulate with others too;

July 21, 2009
9:34AM Kathmandu time

*This is a spur of the moment weblog, so please excuse the randomness if it comes off that way.

We came back from Pokhara yesterday night after a very long and exhausting micro-bus ride back to the capital.  Mike, and most of the students went water rafting yesterday and though it looked fun, I can't say I was completely jealous.  Glad that they had a great time and that we all could head back home together.

This year's trip has felt very rushed for me personally.  Today will be my first full day in Kathmandu where I can go ahead with a slower pace.  It was also the first day I got to take the orphans to their private school, something I had been waiting to do for 2 years.  Plus, today is probably the sunniest day we've had here during the last 1.5 weeks I've been here, so it's nice to be back, despite the noise and air pollution.

Today, Sofia & I probably will be visiting one of the local city hospitals and hopefully will gleam off some information about how the city level hopsitals conduct their affairs verses what we saw in Besishahar.  Besides that, today will be a slower day and more prep for tomorrow when we celebrate the orphans' collective birthdays.  Some of the female students will be flying back to Boston starting on Thursday and the rest of us will be flying out Friday night and be back in Boston by Sat. afternoon.

Though there's only a few days left, I know that there will be much to percolate and chew on the coming weeks after we get back.  Personally, the questions of how to allow Christ, who lives in me and I in Him, be incarnationally present amongst the people I interact with.  It's not about pure preaching or evangelism in what most people think of, but what does it mean to allow the living Savior be who is seen through me?  How do I become more of a mask for Jesus, a cover for Him, decrease myself as much as possible that it is He who is seen and heard than just the idiotic geeky guy that people typically see?

2 years ago, our team said that Christ is the hope for Nepal.  That is still true, but how do we carry that ideal into our own lives in the USA when we return?  How do we merge what we long for Nepal into wherever we are and not lose sight of those goals?  *sigh* Like I said, random thoughts and many more to ponder when we return.