Quick update

Hello everyone! Wow, I got on here and see that my last blog was 2 weeks ago! Please forgive me for not being better at this! Things have been going really really well! I seemed to bring the bug that lives in my stomch with me to Nepal and I think he is gaining some new friends. Please pray that God heal me once and for all. Everything I eat seems to let me know how unhappy it is in my stomach! Thank God for a western toilet so my 15-30 minute encounters with KRAPmandu can be a bit more comfortable...enough about my poop, my mom is going to be so upset with me!
It's warming up here which is a blessing. They have house fellowship ever night so we walk to a borther or sisters house and read the word together. It's beautiful and God is always faithful to show up! I was asked to preach at one of them and I did! Yes Lisa, I actually preached!! In fact, I am preaching this Saturday for the WHOLE church!! I am stoked! God's been doing so much in me! I really don't know how to even start telling you about whats been going on spiritually and how God has been drawing me ever nearer to Him. It's beautiful!
Sony and David and all the kids have been awesome! I have gotten close to them and they call me "Sally" which is a real treat. I call Sony Didi (big sister) and David benaju(big sisters husband). I am one of the family now which is aweomse. The kids call me Kelitantee. So precious! They wake me up with a fresh cup of hot Chiyah(tea) and the patrika(newspaper). I am slowly learning the language. I am praying for more and knowledge...I seem to be a bit of a slow learner but I stopped claiming that over myself...official right now! :-)
Sony and David have taken me to some pretty heart wrentching places. One day they took me to the largest Hindu temple where they perfrom cremations 24 hours a day. Unbelievable spiritual darkness and death. I saw a baby, an old man and a young man burning....death. It was so astounding and I went home and journaled for hours. I really don't know how to explain all that happened there! We also went to a huge Buddhist temple which again was dark and heavy!
I am loving getting to know the culture. It's SO rich! I learn amazing things everday and see unbelievable things. I am literally amazed every single day!
Okay, I need to go cause they need to use the computer and the elecrticity is about to go off! I am not going to proof read this so please ignore the mishaps!
I leave for Nepalgunj on Sunday!!! I won't have internet there...I know CRAZY!! PLEASE PRAY!!! Please pray for Ben too...this is going to be really tough on us! We know God has something up His sleeve tho! I will be tehre until March 8th! After Nepalgunj, I return to Bhaktapur and will be here the rest of the time unless I meet up with someone else!! Thank you all so much for your prayers! I wake up, take a deep breath and say, "thank you Jesus for your love and for all your saints who are praying for me!" I love you all and look forward to writing you a less hurried, more detailed update! All my love and prayers to each of you!

FIRE-AHGO

Two nights ago, after having dinner with the fam and watching the children study, I ventured off to my sanctuary. My cozy room which comforts me and brings peace to my unfamiliar surroundings. I went to sleep around 9:30 and was awaken by sreaming. I layed there thinking, wow, these people are really loud! Then I heard my name. KAYLEEETA!!! I jumped from my bed and opened my door to a stairwell completely filled with smoke. I ran up to the family room where are all children were crying and talking loudly...I couldn't understand anything! All I knew was that there was a fire downstairs, directly below my room and that they didn't seem to know what to do. We ran to the top floor(the house is 4 storeys), to the entrance to the roof. The gate was locked. The kids pushed and screamed, gasping for fresh air. About a minute later, Samuel ran up with a key to open the door. I have never been in such a sufficating experience. I couldn't breath and neither could the children. I felt so helpless as I held them and tried to some how calm them down. Once the door was opened the children filed out to get fresh air. Their little eyes were full of tears. Tears from fear and from the massive amount of smoke engulfing the entire house. Pastor climbed down the side of the house and began breaking the windows to the room. The room that was on fire was one of the boys rooms. The fire started when Philemon went downstairs to collect some books which were under his bed. While there, his bedding caught on fire by the candle he was using, but he didn't even notice. Nepal goes without electricity for 16 hours or more, each day! This makes studying at night impossible without candles. The children are smart with fire and treat it respectfully. This incident could of happened to anyone! It wasn't even carelessness. After about 20 minutes, the fire was out. While on the roof we all held on tight to eachother and prayed! It was a real bonding experience which I had been praying for. The Lord works in mysterious ways! Nepal homes are built within feet of eachother and there is no way to get a fire truck through the skinny connecting roads. It's really dangerous! Luckily, the room that was on fire was one that was easily reached. Had it been any other room, I don't know how they would of put it out. Also, it was a room on the lowest level, again, I don't know how they would of put it out if it were any other room! One miracle about this whole situation is that Johnathan, the youngest boy, usually goes to sleep in that room right after dinner. For some reason he stayed up with the rest of the children. He could of been seriously injured if not killed had he been in that room. The other miracle is that silly me usually wears ear plugs to bed. Dogs barking, horn bleeping, loud music, etc keeps me from my beauty sleep. For some reason, I didn't put my ear plugs in that night! Thank God!! The pastor said he yelled for me alot and that I didn't answer. He thought I passed out because of the smoke. So glad I didn't cause I think they would of just left me there :-) I am so blessed to be alive and to still have a passport. I was thinking while the place was on fire...G, I should of grabbed my passport. No worries tho, it's safe!!
About two months ago, while praying for Nepal, I had a dream. In that dream, I was in Nepal and there was a fire in the house. I was filled with fear but I heard the Lord say, " I will spare You". I shared this dream with a few of you. The night of the fire was like dejavu for me. I had so much peace because I could hear the promises of the Lord during all the chaos. It's so beautiful how the Lord warned me and gave me peace!
Yesterday we went for an hour drive up a curvy mountain. It was so beautiful! We climbed up to the top and overlooked and prayed over all of Kathmandu, Pohkara and Bhaktapur. We also saw the mountain range. I saw the small peak of Mount Everest!!!!!! Took lots of pictures but they didn't turn out so well since it's so foggy and gloomy here.
It's been one week since I have left home! I am loving it but missing you all lots!! Please continue to pray for my safety! Also, because of the fire, there is quite a bit of need. If you would like to send money please email me and let me know. Loving you all!

Bhaktapur!

I am finally in Nepal! What a journey it was to get here! God was so faithful to me during my travels! LA was a joke in its self! I got so lost in that airport! I am not looking forward to navigating through it again in four months! On the way here, I met a beautiful Nepali woman and her 2 year old. We took turns babysitting and watching bags during our 11 hour layover in Hong Kong. She was so helpful and such an answer to my prayers! Everything is going very well. The children are unbelievable precious. They cook, clean and dress themselves. It's so interesting watching them interact and how well they take care of themselves! I attempted to help them with school homework yesterday. I was quickly humbled by chemistry! Should of taken that class in Highschool! The food here is AWESOME! Lots of variety in vegetables, not too much rice which is great! We have milk tea about 4 times a day. I love the tea! It's freezing here so the tea really helps warm me up on the inside! Yesterday we went to on a "house visit". It was so amazing! We walked for about 20 minutes and journeyed into a home of one of the sisters. In the small two room house, we sat on beds used as couches and sipped tea. Pastor began to bang on a strange looking drum and wow...those women started singing praises like I have never heard!!! Two of the ladies have been HEALED from uterine (sp) cancer!!! It's amazing to look in the faces of these beautiful ladies and see the love they have for Jesus! He healed them and they are crazy about telling people about Him!! It's AWESOME! I was again humbled as I watched them belting out praises! They are so thankful for their health and their few possesions! I am totally loving it here! It's so nice that there is a small internet cafe only a few blocks aways so I can call Ben and home. I look forward to letting you know more details as the days fly by! Don't know how to get pictures on here since the photos are on my personal computer which can't get hooked up to the internet because the phone cords are different here. Thank you all so much for your prayers!! I am missing you all so much and remembering you in my prayers!!

Hong Kong!!

It's already Sunday here in Hong Kong..So strange how time zones work! I left the US on a Friday and arrived here on a Sunday...I am a little disoriented. The 15 hour flight here was great. Got a lot of reading and praying done. I also watched The Dutchess...what a sad movie! Then I watched a really old James Bond which was so horribly made, I was laughing out loud....and I wasn't even embarressed...I had so much fun watching that stupid movie. Also, while i was in the air, just talking to Jesus, I was overwhelmed with peace and joy. I shed a few tears as a reflected on the reality that I was seriously on a plane to Nepal. While on the plane, there was a sweet little boy a row down who would come over with coffee creamer and try to smear it on my lips like lip balm. He was so sweet. I got off the plane, realizing once again, that I didn't know where to go. Turns out the little boys mom over heard me and told me that she too is going to Kathmandu. What a miracle! She has been so sweet and such a blessing already. I have been asking her hundreds of questions and her little guy is teaching me some Nepali. Looking forward to updating in NEPAL!! Blessings over you al!! Lots of Love!

Leaving tomorrow!

Tomorrow is the big day! The day I've been dreaming about since I was 13 years old. I have been remembering the day I sat on a concrete floor in Jamaica, listening to a man talk about the need in Nepal. God pricked my heart in a way I never dreamed possible. I awoke this morning awestruck with the Lord's favor and what a gift He has given me by allowing me to take this journey. I acknowledge that this trip will be one the breaks me beyond my expectations and though my flesh is fearful, my heart is beating with more zeal then ever before.
I leave the Denver airport at 6:20PM and then travel to L.A. for a five hour lay-over. I then board the plane at 1:00AM and fly for 15 hours to Hong Kong. I will be in Hong Kong for 12 hours and then take my last flight for 5 hours to reach Kathmandu!!! Please be in prayer for me as this is my first time flying by myself overseas!
I look forward to getting on here and letting you all know how everything went! Thank you all for your prayers!

-CHILDREN'S HOME-

If you are interested in seeing the adorable children I will be living with, please check out this web page. www.compassionasia.org. Then click on Children's homes. There are pictures and profiles of each of the children!! Hope you are as blessed as I have been by this website!

Count down-Unbelievable Favor

Friends and Family-
Nepal is only 28 days away! I am so amazed at how quickly this summer and fall has passed by. The Christmas tree is up, decorations hanging, ice covering the ground and as I begin to pack my bags, I am overwhelmed by God's favor. I am moved by God's faithfulness through all of this preparing. Just two days ago while at work, a brand new co-worker happened to hear me discussing Nepal. He later approached me and inquired if he had heard right about my travels. He informed me that he lived in India for a number of years and that his parents actually live there now. I feel bad for the guy honestly because I was so overjoyed by his knowledge that my big ole mouth couldn't stop asking questions. He has been so helpful! I love these little unexpected nuggets that God gives us.
God has done numerous acts similar to this and believe me, I have needed them. This trip is something I have always dreamed of but now that it is reality, I am at times weary. My dream- world is colliding with reality and excitement and doubt seem to battle for the most attention. Days alter between pure joy and optimism while other days seem to be a constant battle, fighting against doubt and fear. Thank you so much for all of your prayers. This step I am taking wouldn't be possible without your prayers!
I wanted you to be more informed of where I will be and what exactly I will be doing while there. I will be living with a Nepali family in Bhaktapur, Nepal. The pastor, Sagar and his wife Sony, parent 15 orphans. They are also very involved with community outreach and village ministry. While living with them, I will be helping the children learn better English and having them teach me Nepali. Please pray for patience for them! :-)
I have been contacting other ministries in Nepal so that my time there can be the most affective. I hope to spend the majority of my time in the orphanage but I am also praying about traveling a bit. I am so looking forward to being married to Ben next year and having him as my traveling partner! It's a bit of a scare thinking about traveling by myself. Hopefully I can meet someone who knows the area and can travel with me.
I am hoping this whole blog idea works well to keep you all up to speed on how things are going! I will be taking lots of pictures and uploading them so you can all see the children.
Thank you again for your prayers! I appreciate you all and look forward to staying in touch with each of you!!