My Needle Phobia

When I was 15 years old I sat on my mother’s lap in the doctor’s office while I was being stuck with needles. You might think I’d be rather embarrassed to admit that, but I do so to demonstrate the power of God. You see, I noticed that two posts ago I forgot to let you all know how the immunization day went at the orphanage. Well, immunization day at the orphanage began by example…my example.

I was due for typhoid, as were Joel and Sue, and considering I had my good friend Sally to shoot me up…I couldn’t say no to the opportunity of renewing my typhoid for seven dollars. So the three of us got to model “How easy a shot is” for the children. I was slightly nervous, but with prayer and God’s help I was able to smile through the whole “I’m being stuck with a needle” procedure. And then…something even more amazing to me…I was able to help Sally while she poked child after child with Hepatitis B. I even saw the needles going into some of the kids. Accidentally. Since I was trying not to look. But it was all okay. The kids were super brave!

Brave Little Kiddos

After the shots they were rewarded with stickers and a rad skit Sally and I put on about washing your hands. Check out the sweet germs we colored as part of our skit:

Sweet Germs

Kiddos Enjoying the Skit

Washing Hands

All in all it was a fun day! And then next day we headed to Dolakha, from whence we just returned…

Crazy Eddie’s Grandmother

Last night as we were washing our feet off before bed, Isaac told me I reminded him of Crazy Eddie’s grandmother. Sally thought the cold water was “refreshing”. I thought it was just cold. Apparently, Crazy Eddie’s grandmother thought everything was ice cold. If you’ve read Patrick McManus you might know Crazy Eddie. I chose to take it as a compliment.

We’re about to eat lunch and then we’re heading up to Dolaka, three hours into the mountains from Kathmandu. There is a training session for some pastors who have churches in that area. Pastor Samuel and the Garrisons (Joel, Sue, Isaac and Elliot) are joining Sally and I on the journey. I don’t know what to expect, but I’m curious to see how the roads are here. How do they compare with Cambodia? We’ll find out…

For the next three days I won’t be on the computer. So when I get back, I’ll update with pictures and stories!

Dog Worship

Yesterday was Tihar here in Nepal. It’s a day when people worship their dogs for the safety they provide by guarding the houses. People cook large feasts for their dogs, adorn them with wreaths of marigolds and put “tikkas” -red chalk marks – on their foreheads. We were wondering if we would see any tikka-marked marigold-clad dogs on the streets yesterday…and indeed we did!

Glorified Street Dog

Now, while at first I was thinking how strange this was…Sally pointed out that it’s no different in Seattle. Back in the US people worship their pets as well. We don’t put flower wreaths on them, but we do have doggy daycare, and doggy spas and such. In Seattle there are more dogs than children. And some dogs are treated better than some children. It’s all the same.

We also went to the Monkey Temple yesterday and saw tons of monkeys. Ever since I had a horde of hissing angry monkeys surrounding me the first time I went to India…I’ve been a little skittish around monkeys. There was one monkey this day that chased a little boy up a couple steps. But thankfully no angry monkeys attacked us!

The Monkey Temple

Monkeys at the Temple

After the monkey temple we went shopping for a bit. The streets here put you on sensory overload in a quarter second. They are so narrow, yet that doesn’t seem to stop motorists from flying down them!

Oops…Gotta go! We’re doing a skit on germs today and giving Hep B shots to the kiddos! More to come…

Kathmandu

Ah…Sally and I just pried our eyes open and forced our bodies out of bed. It’s 3:30 in the afternoon here in Kathmandu. We arrived yesterday. If we let ourselves sleep now, we’ll never sleep through the night.

Yesterday we walked with Joel and his son Elliot to the Mercy Missions Home for Children. This is the new Children’s Home that Vision Nationals started a few months ago. Sally brought her stethoscope to check out one of the little ones who is rather sickly. On Tuesdays we’re going to give them immunizations. Rather, Sally is. Here’s a pic of all the LOVELY children!

Mercy Mission Children

Kathmandu is a beautiful city. There are huge hills surrounding us here, and this morning while walking to a nearby bakery we saw the snowcapped peaks of the Himalayas in the distance! The roads are insane. Even more so than India, because there are brick walls on either side of the streets and so when the cars and motorbikes and bicycles come careening down the narrow streets there is only so far you can squeeze over to get out of their way before you are met with a brick barrier. It is quite the rush.

Well…I shall write more later. But please keep us in your prayers. Especially for our health. Sally was fighting a cold when we left Seattle and is still a bit congested. And I have been having a few chills and aches today. I think I might be fighting a little fever or something. Thanks!

Philly

My head is blur of airport codes. SEA, MCO, DFW, MSP, SEA, IAD (where I am now), PHL, SEA.

In the next few weeks I’ll see TKO, BKK, KTM, CNX, HYD, VTZ…

Touching down in Washing Dulles just now (IAD) I was looking out the window at acres of trees just starting to turn color. Columned houses reminiscent of George Washington would appear in the midst of these woods, and even from the air they looked huge. Always a sea of lawn surrounded them and I imagine it takes the gardner a day and a half and a riding mower to manicure the thing. The lines are stunningly straight.

The documentary on the plane was about the horseless carriage. Before the automobile the average person only traveled as far away from home as a horse could take them in a day. Twelve miles.

Right before we touched down a huge smile came across my face. I just came a thousand miles in a few hours. What a great time of life. I am blessed.

Reflection on the Past Month

In reflecting on the past month of travel and meetings, what sticks out to me the most is the way God’s hand always went before us. Everyone we met with had heard great things about the ministry and Arjuna. Many times during the month Arjuna and I would just shake our heads in unbelief and say “Where are we?!”

We had the opportunity to meet with Matt Chandler and spent time with his missions board. We met with the missions director of a very large church, Northland Church, in Orlando. Mark Driscoll introduced us to John Piper at the Desiring God conference where we met with the International Outreach director for Desiring God. With their help, we will start some translation projects to get Piper books in the Telugu language! Theology for the masses! Hooray!

But seriously, the way God is moving Vision Nationals forward really blows my mind! I am blessed to be part of it!

Who’s Your Daddy

While in Dallas, Texas (before I got a citation for disregarding a traffic sign I did not see) I took a morning to drive to the Denton campus of The Village Church. I listen to Matt Chandler on my ipod while I clean houses, so I’ve heard about the Denton campus. I thought since I was close by I’d stop in and check it out.

I enter the front door of the church to find an older gentleman reclining at the receptionist’s desk. He’s got boots, the plaid button-up shirt, the “john deere” style hat on his head and a very impressive set of keys on a ring tethered to his waist. Not wanting to assume anything I sweetly ask,

“Are you the receptionist?” He obviously finds this question amusing and his mouth hints at a smile…

“I’m the Janitor. My wife is the receptionist, but since she is out today I’m covering for her. *sigh* And so I have to spend the whole day sitting in this chair.”

I proceed to ask him questions about the church, explain that I met with the missions board at The Village about the ministry I work with, that’s why I’m in Dallas, but I listen to Matt online and thought I’d come see the church…After a bit of conversation Mr. Janitor says

“Actually, I’m Matt’s dad, you know. You wanna tour of the church?”

And so it came to pass that Matt Chandler’s father and I had a nice chat while he showed me the current sanctuary and the small side chapel that used to be the main sanctuary when the church was built in the 1930s. And to top it all off, I saw a Piggly Wiggly on my way back to Kate and Matt’s house from the church. My first Piggly Wiggly ever!!! What a grand day!