We spent the last two weeks in two separate Nepali homes. The two families are related to each other so it was easy to go from one house to the other to visit. Here are some highlights, challenges, and other interesting things I learned.Highlights:
- Sharing lots of laughters with my family
- Talking in Nepali, watching Hindi & Nepali TV shows together, drinking lots of tea
- Reading Luke 12: 22-29 with my two sisters, as we talked about Jesus. One sister said she's not sure if there really is a God, but when she thinks about the birds in the air and how they survive, she wonders if there is a God. This led to reading the Luke passage together.
- Sharing my family's conversion story of turning from Buddhism to Jesus and challenging them that they too can call on the name of Jesus when they find themselves in need.
Challenges:
- Eating Nepali food two times a day (Nepalese only have 2 meals a day), especially when the majority of your plate is filled with rice, daal, and a small side of vegetables cooked with lots of oil.
- Sleeping on an extra hard bed--I don't remember having one good night of sleep...I was always yawning in class.
- Having to wait a week before a shower because there was no hot water and I felt bad boiling a lot of hot water for a bath. But, I did wash my hair, which makes a whole world of difference. :)
- Navigating through some cultural subtleties with limited language ability
What I learned:
Some interesting things about Hinduism & daily rituals involved in worship of their gods (fasting, washing, cleanliness & uncleanliness, etc.)
Every Sat. they prepare an array of food and small items for puja (worship) and to give to the priest.
- about the youth culture in Nepal & top Hindi stars
- a Nepali song & dance
- that saving face is important here.
- that there is no God like our God. The longer I am here, the more I am convinced that people desperately need to hear about Jesus and we must tell them.
