Blessed. So very blessed..

Friday morning Me, Anna, Tanner and Barret loaded on our bus at 6am for Pokhara. About an hour and a half into our trip we were stopped in traffic for about 1.5 hours because there was a landslide that needed to be cleared. Never thought I would say that. We arrived here around 4pm and got checked into our hotel. Before we headed to our first homes we rented motorcycles for the weekend to get around everywhere for a little cheaper and with a little more fun! Friday night Tanner and Anna went to Holy home while Barret and I headed to Paradise home. We did this trip to serve the parents and watch the kids while they went out for a date night. I never thought I would have been so blessed by a group of kids. We took lots of pictures (that will be posted when I get back to Thamel), laughed a lot, and I was taught a few new words in Nepali! Around 7:30pm we all gathered inside for fellowship. We sang worship songs together, mostly in Nepali so Barret and I just got to soak it in. As I looked around the room with about 12 kids singing at the top of their lungs and some closing their eyes in worship it was hard to keep it together. Jesus has revealed himself SO clearly to these kids. No matter what situation they have come from, they know Him & trust him. After worship, Barret talked about Matthew 5 and being a light to the world. The kids talked about how a lot of their friends at school are Hindu and Buddist and they can be a light to them.

There is one little girl that has totally stolen my heart. Her name is Alpha and she is 12 years old. She has been at the home for 5 years now. I don’t know her story but I don’t need to know it because Jesus does. She is INSANELY smart! She was teaching me Nepali and “quizzing” me on it as well. Her laugh when I pronounced something wrong was so sweet.

Habil, the oldest son in the house, brought Barret and I into the kitchen after fellowship to serve us a traditional Nepali dish, Dhal Bhat. It was the first homemade meal we have had since we have been here. It was delicious to say the least. Along with our dhal bhat we had FRESH mangos that we just ate with a spoon out of the skin. It was SO good!

When the parents came back, Barret and I got to sit and talk with the dad for a little while. It was a sweet time that I was richly blessed by. At around 8:30pm it was time for goodbyes. All the kids came running to us an giving us hugs. I don’t know if I have ever felt that much love in my life. We got on Barret’s bike to head back to the hotel. We may have gotten a little lost at first and it may have been pouring rain, but it was definitely a ride I will never forget. We walked into mine and anna’s room and the four of us just started laughing because Barret and I were soaked. Moments like these I will miss dearly.

In the afternoon we all then headed to Paradise home. Barret and Tanner played futbol with the boys and Anna & I did crafts with the girls. The craft we did was about dreaming and commiting your dreams to the Lord. We had some girls say they wanted to be nurses and teachers. Alpha (12) said she wanted to be a pastor and open a home like Paradise home one day. This melted my heart to say the least. We then had them write down a prayer for their dreams. Most of them included “Jesus, please listen to my dream.” These kids are yearning after Jesus more than I have seen some teenagers do so.

After saying goodbye to Paradise home we went to babysit at Bethany home. Bethany home has only been opened for 3 months. The parents were telling us that it has been very difficult to find time to be alone because they already have 12 kids. The kids of Bethany home are really little. Most of them are under the age of 5. There was a little boy, Samuel, who must have been 3 years old who stole my heart. Surprise, surprise. My favorite was when we were outside playing and he would run around then run straight for me and put his hands up for me to catch him. He melted my heart.

This afternoon we are headed to our last home, Beloved home, to spend time with the kids so the parents can go out. We are all having a blast with these kids and Jesus just continues to reveal to me how he wants me to be. Act with child like faith and enjoy Him in every moment. Who knew he would teach me so much through these children.

We are down to our final week here in Nepal. Satuday and Sunday we will be in debrief and Monday we will fly out. Just typing this makes me tear up. I have fallen in love with this country and with our team. I don’t know what I will do when I am home and don’t wake up to them every morning. Jesus has taught me so much through these people. Please pray that we will pour out all that we are during our final week and we will finish strong. Pray that Jesus will prepare our hearts to head home and try to get back into the swing of life.

Ma timilai maya gar chu. (I love you in Nepali)

-Emilee