We ALL need Him

Children are children. The testing of the limits, the need for attention, the silliness,  children. 

This is true for students all across the globe! Today in our church service the pastor was emphasizing that we all have the same color blood- and, of course our sins are washed away with the blood of the lamb. Her message was about not worrying about which tribe you come from- we are all believers. 

I thought hard about the message. I thought about my grade 7 students that I am teaching English to. One of them is a class clown. He is always making jokes and being silly. Everyday he looks at me when my class time is over and says, "Please stay." How can I leave?

Another one is very shy, it is clear she wants to speak out, but fear tends to get the best of her most of the time. Another one is like a teachers pet. She tries so hard to say everything perfect and always wants to say the right answer. 

Then of course, the one I cannot quite figure out. A mystery. Different students with the same need for Jesus, and the same color of blood. 

When I go to slums I see children who are, well, children. They are silly and funny and love attention. The thing that eats at me the most is something I noticed at the slums. The children will intentionally hit each other (HARD!) A boy will come to a small girl and back hand her as hard as he can and then walk away triumphantly when she cries. 

Seeing this made me so angry. I couldn't reprimand him with my limited amount of Nepali, so I called a friend of mine and asked him to ask him why he did that. The boy looked afraid. He didn't want to be hit for his actions. We were not going to harm him; however, the Lord gave me insight from this situation. This is all they know. How can I expect him to know any different if he is constantly seeing hitting or being hit at home. My heart immediately broke for the little boy. We sat there silently for a moment, the little girl had her face in my stomach while she wailed- my shirt getting wet with her tears. The boy stood a small distance away looking on at the scene. My eyes teared up. 

I hate injustice. I hate that kids have to go through things that no one should ever have to go through. I also hate that I am so limited with the amount of help I can offer. This morning I cried out to the Lord and He reminded me that I am, in fact very limited. But HE is UNLIMITED and His love is unfailing, unconditional, and perfect. I felt like that little girl wailing on my stomach from the slums as I felt God's perfect love wrap around me. I need Him. The children need Him. We ALL need Him. 

I have been in Nepal for slightly over one week now. My Nepali language development is growing, but growing slowly. I try to practice speaking it, but I fear my Texas roots are my enemy when it comes to pronouncing the Nepali words. :) I must say, in this past week I have learned more than I ever have in my entire life. I am seeing and living an entirely new way of life and it is beautiful. 

The world is big. Not everything is always "black and white./ right and wrong" There is "differences" and the culture here is perfectly different from my own. I love embracing it. I get laughed at sometimes. For example, when I am eating rice with my right hand (Nepali style), I have trouble taking big bites. We laugh together, and with some rice on my shirt, I try again. 

I am so grateful the Lord has given me this opportunity to be here. I pray that He will allow me to stay for as long as possible. I also pray that I do not waste His time here and the I stay sensitive to His spirit always. 

Please continue praying for me as I REALLY need to learn the Nepali language and I am working on visa situations now too.

Thank you, and I pray blessings to you all!

Thus, it begins!

I am here! I am in Nepal. Praise God He showed so much provision to me upon my journey here. Thank you so much for all your prayers. Beginning with my flights to arrival. Yes, I said flights because I had three different flights including a change in airlines. 

My first flight was a gift from God. I flew from Switzerland to Dubai and was blessed to have a seat next to me empty! I was so comfortable! The young man who sat two seats from me was also a blessing. He was flying to Thailand to meet his girlfriend. We became acquainted quickly, and he stayed with me during my layover in Dubai. This was very nice because I was a little afraid of falling asleep and missing my flight to New Dehli as it was scheduled to leave at 4:30am! 

The next flight I slept, ate, and then slept again. The man next to me on this flight was sweet, but he spoke hardly any english. Upon arrival to India, I had such a strange experience. A man who worked for Air India came to me and said, "Are you Karina Barger, flying to Kathmandu?" "Um. Yes." "Ok, you must come with me now then." 

My heart beat so fast I could barely breath. Was this it? Could I have gone through all this trouble just to be told I cant fly through India?

He took me and another young girl who was clearly a foreigner like me to a small desk with a woman behind it. I silently prayed, "Lord if it be Your will- please let there be no trouble." Over and over again I prayed this as they told the other girl she could not continue without a visa. 

I didnt have a visa. My silent prayers continued. As the man haggled with the other young lady the woman looked at me. "Passport and visa." I silently handed her my passport with no visa. 

She looked at my name and laughed. "Karina? Like Karina Kapoor?"

Kareena or Karina Kapoor is a very famous Indian actress. And her name just saved me from so much trouble. I giggled with the woman and told her I know her. She gave me my boarding pass and wished me a great time in Nepal. Phew! 

God is so good!  My last flight I sat next to an American young man who was also doing volunteer teaching in Nepal. He gave me some healthy pointers and his email and then I was in Kathmandu.

I rode to my new home on the back of a motor bike. Carrying one of my backpacks and laughing in my head. I love this place! 

My host family is clearly a gift from God. They have a love for Christ and are so sweet to me. I have my own room on the upstairs of the home where I overlook the mountains. 

I don't deserve any of this, yet He continues to bless me. 

Now it is time to begin a challenging season of teaching English to beautiful Nepali children. 

Right now I am diligently searching the internet and picking my own brain for ideas to create lesson plans. This is unbelievably exciting to me! I feel nervous. I also feel a bit in over-my-head. 

As, today I met my future students, got a glimpse of my school, and had a brief conversation with the principal. She speaks hardly any English at all, as well as my students. I can foresee some clear difficulties. 

However, Mark 10:27 says: Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."

It is impossible for me. But nothing is impossible for our wonderful creator. Please pray for me as I begin this journey on Wednesday. Tomorrow I will buy more culturally appropriate clothes to be ready! 

In closing, I will say how grateful I am for every ones prayers and for all the support I have so lovingly received. 

I kindly ask you to continue praying for me, if you can.

Some requests:

To teach these children with love and compassion/ remain dependent on His grace.

For a strong stomach/ no illnesses

To be able to learn Nepali!

Ephesians 6:10

Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

God is so good. Some days are harder than others but I know this is where I am suppose to be. The only thing there is to do is trust and be strong in the Lord. :)

Reaching the unreached! 10/40

In so soon, I will be arriving back at the destination that stole my heart last time I was there. I cannot fully describe how I am feeling right now. Since I have been away, in the US, I have felt this inner cry and longing. I have known I needed to go back and so I am overcome with joy that God provided me a way to teach the Nepalese!

But, that is not all He provided! Two months after I arrive (the students will be on a short be on a short break from school due to cultural festivals), I will be partnering with a ministry called climbing for christ on a trip to reach the unreached sherpas in mountainous regions. 

When I first found C4C, I was pulled by their vision statement. 

"TAKING THE GOSPEL TO MOUNTAINOUS AREAS OF THE WORLD WHERE OTHER MISSIONARIES CANNOT OR WILL NOT GO"

My first question to God, "Can I do that, God? I am so incredibly excited about the work you will be doing through me in Kathmandu, but Lord, I feel like there is more work to be done that just that."

He didn't answer me right away. But I could not stop thinking about reaching the people of Nepal in the most hard to reach areas. Finally, I got an urge to do even more research on the organization. This led me to find the trip they have in Nepal just two months after my arrival. I quivered. This has to be God! So I prayed. He said to lower my pride and wait. 

Later, I spoke with a woman who is a well known mission advisor. I did not bring up C4C to her. We talked about Nepal and what I should expect, moving there without an organization. 

But she said one thing that rung in my head, even hours after our conversation. She said, "Karina, don't limit God to one area. God has gifted you in many areas and who are you to only let Him shine through 10 percent?" 

Right away I felt this sting in my heart, and Climbing for Christ came shooting back up to my head so fast it almost hurt. 

Immediately, I got on my knees and started praying. The Lord finally (after a few days of praying) gave me peace to apply, and a week later I received and email that told me I would be a part of a team to reach the unreached in Nepal.

PRAISE GOD! For those of you who do not know, I love climbing and the outdoors. One of my favorite things to do is to recite Romans 1:20, while admiring God's marvelous creation. 

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Romans 1:20)

It is so exciting that God will be using me, teaching in Kathmandu AND to go to reach the most unreached people in Nepal, the Sherpas! 

Please be praying for me, friends! 

Also, I do need to raise around $2,000 in order to make all this happen. God is my provider, and so I just ask that you pray and see if He puts it on your heart to be a supporter. Ask God if you should be a one time or monthly supporter. And ask HIM to give you a number of how much to give. 

To donate you can either pay with your card using: 

www.gofundme.com/nepal 

or pay by check 

http://www.climbingforchrist.org/Expeditions/SponsorAClimber.aspx 

Thank you so much, this would not be possible without givers! 

Matthew 28:19 
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.