Showing posts with label PreNepal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PreNepal. Show all posts
Here We Go.
In less than 24 hours, I'll be on a plane headed to Nepal. (Did I really just type those words? Is that really true? WHAT. No way.)
There are so many things that I want to say.
Except, I've been sitting in front of this computer for way too long & the words aren't coming.
I wish I could put words to the many emotions running through me-- the can't-finish-any-meal kind of excitement, the moments of realizing that this is really happening, the expectancy that God is going to do great things, the freaking about about packing, the knowing that this is just the very beginning of a pretty cool journey.
I wish I could find the words to thank everyone that has helped me get to this moment. (Probably in Miss America-pageant-winner style.)
I wish I could find the words to tell you about what I've already learned & how I have great expectations to learn even more.
But really, there are no words. There is no way to explain how grateful I am that this is real life and I really get to go serve Jesus in Nepal. There's no way I could ever thank everyone that has impacted me and helped get me to this trip to Nepal. There are no words for the level of excitement I'm at. (Though, if you get a phone call from me screaming "I LEAVE IN ____ HOURS," don't be too shocked. That's as close as I can get.)
I'm so ready and so excited to be starting this crazy adventure. It's going to be hard, it's going to be challenging, it's going to be exhausting-- but it's also going to be the biggest, greatest, most exciting thing I've ever done. I can't wait to watch God work.
Consider this your invitation to keep coming back here over the coming weeks. Come back and keep reading the stories of the great things that God's going to do.
I can't wait.
16 days
It's really hitting me that I'm spending my summer 8,000 miles away, halfway across the world.
It's hitting me that I'll be spending my days playing with and teaching kids, exploring a country I know relatively nothing about, and trying to communicate in Nepali.
It's hitting me that for six weeks I can't spend my afternoons in a coffee shop or watching Netflix, I won't have hot showers, and I will be eating rice & lentils for most meals. (Though I doubt those things will cross my mind once I'm there!)
It's hitting me that Nepal is a very real place with people I can't wait to meet.
The question that everyone is asking me-- "Are you ready for Nepal?"-- brings up feelings of excitement and terror simultaneously. YES I'm so ready and could hop on a plane right now. I'm ready to finally meet my teammates, ready to jump fully into life in Nepal. I'm so ready to eat Nepali food, hike the foothills of the Himalayas, and meet these kids I've prayed so much for.
Except, NO, I'm not ready at the same time. There's so much to do before disappearing from the country for 6 weeks. I have a suitcase to pack, I have so much more research to do, information to digest and process, and so much to prepare my mind for. I'm not ready for this, and it's all a tad overwhelming.
But you know what else is overwhelming? The sense that God is here, and all of this is going to be so great. I'm exactly where He wants me to be. And I'm not doing this alone-- He's here, right beside me every step. The sense of peace is overwhelming. That's an amazing thing, especially in the face of an earthquake, uncertainty, and the fact that this is a huge thing I'm about to do.
No reserves. I don't want to hold anything back in this journey. I'm following Christ wholeheartedly, without reserves. I want my six weeks in Nepal to be characterized by a love without reserves-- love for Christ, for my team, for the people of Nepal. I want to fully experience everything that God brings.
No retreat. While I'm beyond excited and can't wait for this summer, I know that there will be times when it is hard. But when those days come-- the ones where I want to shut down, be alone, or quit-- retreat isn't an option. This is where God has called me, and this is where He's put me. "The cross before me, still I will follow. No turning back."
No regrets. The cost of going to Nepal isn't even considered a legitimate cost when compared to the benefit & joy of following Jesus. The inconveniences, hard days, hot weather, cold showers, separation from people in the States-- they're nothing when weighed against the things I'll learn & experience. Getting a better glimpse of the character of God is worth any hardship. Getting to be the hands & feet of Jesus is worth any number of long days. At the end of this trip, I want to look back and see God's work-- no regrets.
I can't do this trip on my own. There's no way I can live without reserves, serve & love without retreat, or return home with no regrets unless God is with me. I can't do anything without His strength. Please, please continue to pray for me in this journey. I can't wait to get on that plane, meet my team, jump into life in Nepal.
It's going to be fantastic.
I'm Still Going to Nepal
How do I even find words?
A few weeks ago, I wrote I’m
heading into the summer with a very real sense that this is exactly where God
wants me to be. My plans were falling into place, fundraising was going
well, these dreams of mine were actually coming true.
And then there was an earthquake.
If you ever want to see what’s really in your heart, take
all of your plans and put them at risk of falling apart entirely. Those ten
days after the earthquake were the kind of days that are full of uncertainty
and hard waiting, but they were also days where I learned and grew immensely.
I’ve seen from the very, very beginning of this entire
process that God is proving His love for me. Back in February, as I was waiting
for word on whether I was accepted to be part of this team or not, I was up at
5 AM every morning to spend time with Jesus, reading His words and praying. Those
ten days were the best of my semester, spiritually. (I wish they were more the
norm.) My need for Jesus was raw and obvious;
my relationship with Him was so real. On one of those mornings, I realized that
I was expecting God to say “no” to this trip to Nepal. I was waiting for Him to
prove that He knows better, that He’s more powerful and wiser than I am. And
while He is those things—He is also loving. He wants what’s best for me, not to
prove something to me but because He loves me. Jesus loves me. The reality of His
love hit me full force and I was speechless. No matter the email I got—whether
it was an acceptance or a rejection, God loves me. And whatever happened, I
knew it would be His best.
So when I was sitting in the back of children’s church that
Sunday morning in February, I looked down and saw an email from Tiny Hands. (And
I’m pretty sure my heart immediately started beating 612873x its normal speed
as I opened it.) Reading the words, “Congratulations, you have been selected to
be a part of Tiny Hands International’s VisionTeam 2015!” was like reading
“Molly, I love you. I know your heart, your passions, your deepest desires and
dreams. I want what’s best for you, because
I love you.” I don’t have the words to explain to you how clear God’s love
was for me that morning.
Fast forward a month and ten days.
I woke up to news of an earthquake. The reality and
implications of a massive earthquake brought back many of the same emotions I
felt before—the fears, the doubts, the questions. Everything was uncertain,
there weren’t any answers anywhere. Waiting to hear the effects of the
earthquake on my trip this summer was hard. (Harder than I’d like to admit.) Would
we still go? What does this mean for my summer? How do I react to all of my
dreams and plans changing? But yet again, those ten days of waiting were the
best days for me.
God showed me so much of my flesh, confirmed His love for
me, and showed me how to rest and trust in Him. I can’t tell you how many times
I prayed, “God, I still don’t know what you’re doing. I don’t see it. I don’t
understand how this is good. But I know You
are good.” All I could do was trust. There is so, so much that I’ve learned
through this. And maybe that’s some of the good. . .
So last night, as I was studying for exams, trying to push
thoughts of Nepal out of my mind so that I could write an essay, I looked down
and saw an email from Tiny Hands. (And again, my heart was beating 239023489x faster
as I opened it.) Reading the words, “As of right now, we are planning to move
ahead with the team,” was like reading “Molly, I still love you. Trust me. I
still know your heart; I still have your best in mind.”
I’m speechless. I’m
still going to Nepal. I’m beyond thankful that this is how God chose to
answer my prayers. He has been in this journey every single step of the way. He
was here when I clicked on that link and found Tiny Hands for the first time.
He was here when I applied and was accepted. He was here when fundraising went smoothly.
He was here when the earthquake happened. And He is still here. And He will be
here as I get on a plane on June 10 and fly to Nepal. His presence will never,
ever change.
I’m still praying, still spending my mornings on my knees.
My need for Jesus is still raw and real and obvious. I still don’t know exactly
what God is doing. I have no idea the ways He’s going to use this summer. But I
am expectant that it will be immeasurably more and abundantly greater than
anything I can ask or think.
April 25
In the middle of the night last night, I woke up to a twisting and churning stomach. I tried to calm it and fall back asleep, but sleep was gone apparently. My mind wandered to the place that all my thoughts seem to end up these days-- Nepal. What if I get sick like this when I'm in Nepal? Immediately, all the fears and doubts about this summer flooded in. And in an attempt to still my fears, calm my stomach, and fall asleep, I prayed. I prayed for Nepal, for Tiny Hands, for my team. I prayed for the people, about Christ's kingdom being built in Nepal. I got so excited to be a part of that, and eventually, I fell asleep.
But I woke up to the news-- a 7.9 earthquake shook that tiny country to its core. Read the news, hear the statistics: this is devastating. An already poor country just became poorer. An economy that depends heavily on tourism lost all tourist appeal. 80% of the homes are gone. There is no food, no water, no roads. There are thousands on the street, scared to sleep because of the continuing tremors. Thousands of children just became orphans, wives became widows, parents became childless. Thousands of people who have never heard the gospel just died and went to hell.
My heart is breaking. I'm here in the comfort of my home, completely separate from the suffering and hurt going on in Nepal. I'm left here crying out and praying,
God, I don't see what you're doing here. This country with such deep need just became more destitute. There are already so many children who are fatherless and homeless-- how many more became orphans today? How many more died today without hearing your gospel? You ask me, and I say too many. You ask me, and I say this doesn't show your goodness. You ask me, and I don't have a single answer. Why this country? Why these people? So much is shifting and changing and shaking-- literally. I don't know what You are doing or why you chose for this earthquake to happen.
But somehow in the midst, You are here. And You haven't changed. You are still the God of Lamentations 3:31-32 (For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love."). You are still the God of Psalm 31: 21-22 ("Blessed be the Lord, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was in a besieged city. I had said in my alarm, 'I am cut off from your sight.' But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy when I cried to you for help.") You are still the God of Psalm 46:1-2 ("God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea.")
I'm sitting here 8,000 miles away, listening to the words of "Sovereign Over Us" (my song for this journey of Nepal). It doesn't make sense, but yet,
Your plans are still to prosper.
You have not forgotten Nepal.
You're with them in the fire and the flood, and the earthquake.
You're faithful forever, perfect in love.
You are sovereign over us.
God, I don't understand, but I know you are good. I know you have not changed. You are using this for your glory. Give me eyes to see it. Give the believers in Nepal eyes to see the beauty in the ashes. Use the body of Christ to come alongside the church of Nepal. Move people here, now, today to follow you to Nepal, to make a difference and to give hope in the midst of hopelessness. Give strength to the church in Nepal. Help them to trust in You. You alone, You always. Use this earthquake, God. Where those temples once stood, build your kingdom. Make these desperate people desperate for you. In this time of confusion and deep hurt, help the people of Nepal to see you as the One True Answer, the One True God. Become a Father to the fatherless. Make these widows your Bride. Show us yourself through this, God. Help us to trust you no matter what comes. Today, tomorrow, next week, this summer. . . You haven't forgotten Nepal, you haven't forgotten me. You're here even now.
Faithful Forever // an Update on Fundraising
Hudson Taylor said that "God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply," and oh man, that's so true. I've seen it. I knew that if God so clearly called me to spend my summer in Nepal, He'd help supply the way for me to get there.
And He did.
Over the past few weeks, I've met my goal and beyond.
No, let me rephrase that. It wasn't me that met the goal of $5,000. It was God who provided abundantly more than I could've imagined,and He used some incredibly generous family & friends to do it. . . . . so thank you to all who gave. Your generosity, your sacrificial giving, your love for me means more than you can know. Whether it was slipping me money at church, helping me run a fundraiser, letting me babysit your kids, or simply listening to my excitement about this trip, God used you. You're sending me to Nepal with a great sense that this is exactly where God wants me to be this summer. You're helping to remind my blind little Israelite-like heart that He's with me in this. [And I need that reminder & affirmation, because I so quickly forget God's faithfulness when times get hard.]
I could never ever go to Nepal without your support. This summer isn't about me going to Nepal and doing epic things. No, not at all. This summer is about me joining what God is already doing in Nepal. It's about me becoming an extension of the body of Christ and taking the gospel to those who haven't heard. It's about me using what God has given me (and what you've given me) to build His kingdom. And I'm so glad you got to play a part in that!
So thank you, thank you, thank you.
Stick around, become a part of what God is going to do in Nepal this summer. I'm so expectant, so ready for something great to happen. And when it does, I'll be sure to share it here!
( image : here )
( image : here )
8 Ways You Can Support Me
If you've ever read a support letter for a short term missions trip, you know that the basic gist is "pray for me & give me money." While that might be an adequate (albeit blunt) summary, I think there are more specific ways that you can support me. There are a lot of things that go into a six week trip across the world-- a different language, a different culture. I'm preparing physically (got my shots yesterday!), mentally, emotionally, spiritually. There is so much to do. So here are eight ways that you can support me and encourage me during my time in Nepal:
1. Pray for me as I prepare to go. I won’t be leaving for Kathmandu until June, but the three months between now and then are going to be busy ones. This is one of my busiest semesters of college yet. (People aren’t kidding when they say junior year is rough!) Pray that I will learn to balance my 18-credit load, the many extracurricular activities I’m involved in, and preparing thoroughly for Nepal. Pray that I learn to trust God completely as I fund raise. Pray that I trust Him as the facts about what I’m getting myself into hit me more and more. Pray that God will begin to prepare my heart now for everything that’s coming during my six weeks in Nepal.
2. Pray for me while I’m in Nepal. Nepal is a really cool place—the culture fascinates me. It’s a country with bright colors, the Himalayas, monkeys, and elephants. But it’s also a country that is still developing and a country with a lot of risks. I’m taking necessary precautions and I'm trusting that God is sovereignly in control of our time in Nepal, but pray for our team's health and safety. There are many aspects of the country that will be overwhelming. Nepal has a deeply Hindu culture, and we’ll be confronted by many things that may make us feel hopeless. The poverty and the needs of the people on the streets are huge. Pray that my heart will be broken and that I’ll be compassionate like Jesus was when he saw the multitudes. Pray that even as I’m feeling hopeless, I’ll see the hope that Christ has brought through ministries like Tiny Hands. Pray that my eyes will be opened to the needs and the ways that I can serve and meet those needs.
This trip will be challenging-- seeing deep hurt and desperate need always is. It will be hard to live in a Hindu third world nation. Pray that as these challenging issues and hardships come, Christ’s love will overflow from me and change lives. If my summers at camp are any indication, I know that it will be hard for me to keep going when I'm physically and emotionally exhausted. Pray that I will be able to think of others instead of myself. Pray that I'll daily remember the words that I said over and over last summer-- it's not about me. I'm so humbled that God would choose me to do this work in Nepal. Pray that I, as well as my team, will spend our time in Nepal in thankfulness that God chose us to be a part of His global work.
The first part of our summer is all about seeing what’s going on in Nepal—seeing the culture and the needs, as well as seeing what Tiny Hands and other organizations are doing to meet those needs. But the second half of the trip will be my opportunity to jump in and get involved. Pray that as that time approaches, God will make it abundantly clear where and how He wants me to get involved. Pray for wisdom and discernment in making the decision about how to spend those last three weeks.
3. Pray for my team. I’m definitely not going on this journey alone. I get to have a team of nine other girls working with me the entire time that I’m in Nepal. Pray that we will be unified as a team, constantly remembering our purpose that binds us together. Pray that each of us will have a teachable heart so that God can work through each of us. Each one of these girls is going through the same preparation process and emotions that I am. Pray for each one as she prepares to spend six weeks in a very different culture.
4. Pray for me when I get home. The time building up to the summer is a good time of growth and preparation. My summer in Nepal will certainly be a pivotal point in my life. But the weeks after my trip are just as important to me. When I come back home, I’m jumping back into American culture. I’ll have to figure out how to take everything I just saw & experienced and try to keep moving on with life-- but I don’t want to get home and resume life as normal. I want to process through everything that I saw in Nepal, and I want to let my summer change me. I want to prayerfully consider my next steps. This journey most definitely does not end when I’m back on American soil. I will still need your prayers and support once I’m home. Ask me about my trip, ask me about what I learned and how I saw God work. (You know I’ll love to tell you!)
5. Pray for Tiny Hands. My summer would not be possible without the work of Tiny Hands International. Pray for the organization and the staff as they continue the work in Nepal. Pray for their new Dream School—a Christian school for the children of Nepal to get a quality education. Pray for THI’s work intercepting trafficking. Pray for their children’s homes, and the parents & the children that live there. Pray that Tiny Hands continues to grow and expand its gospel influence in Nepal and surrounding countries.
6. Pray for my parents. I’m incredibly blessed to have parents that support me 100% in this journey. But I know that if this is hard at all for me, it’s much harder for them. I know they want to see me follow God and where he’s leading me, but that doesn't mean it’s always easy for them to see me go halfway around the world while they stay here. Pray that God will teach them through this as well. My parents are my biggest supporters and my greatest prayer warriors. I can't imagine doing this whole Nepal thing without them behind me every step of the way.
7. Talk to me. Honestly, this is one of the best ways that you can support me & show that you care. Read my blog, let me know that you’re praying, ask me about my trip. I’d love to sit down and talk to you about the details of my six weeks in Nepal or share what God is already teaching me through this adventure. It means the world to me to know that people care about me and are supporting me as I follow Jesus.
While I’m in Nepal, I’d still love to hear from you. I will have internet access (though it may be unreliable), and I’ll be able to check Facebook and update my blog fairly often. Follow me on Instagram where I will be sharing pictures & read my blog where I'll share stories of what God is doing. Message me on Facebook to tell me that you're praying for me-- I may not be able to answer you right away, but it will encourage my heart so much to know that you're supporting me.
8. Donate to my trip. One of the most tangible ways you can help me is by supporting me financially. I need to raise about $5,000 to be able to go to Nepal. You can donate online here (where I also have a little bit of information about my trip, in case you missed it before!) Or if you’d rather mail a check, my home church, Calvary Baptist Simpsonville, has graciously agreed to help collect and administrate funds on my behalf. Please make checks payable to “Calvary Baptist Church” and include a note with the words “Molly Barron – Nepal” (do not write it in the memo field).
Again, thank you so much for partnering with me this summer. I'm clinging to Ephesians 3:20, confident that God will do immeasurably more than I can ask or think in Nepal. Keep reading and following here, as I share more stories about how God brought me to this place, what He's been teaching me, and how Nepal will change me!
P.S. Shout-out to those faithful friends that get near-daily texts about how I just realized (again) that I'm going to Nepal and it just hit me (again) what that means. Thanks for putting up with my crazy excitement and nervous moments! (Even when it's the fifteenth time this week you've heard this.) You have no idea how grateful I am to know that you have my back and know that you're praying for me often!
I'm Going to Nepal
I'm going to
Nepal.
Yeah, that
country that sits between India and China. You know, the one in the Himalayas
with Mount Everest? South Asia? Yeah, that country. I'm going there for six
weeks.
I could sit
here and talk to you for hours about how I got to this point. I see so many clear
ways that God worked to bring me here—a place that I never imagined I’d ever
be. Really, I mean it. I was the most non-adventurous kid ever. Doing new
things terrified me. I was the nerd that sat on the front porch swing with a Walkman,
listening to classical music while my brothers played football. I was the kid
who went skiing in the Alps and hated
it. I was the one who refused to talk to strangers (because #strangerdanger,
duh) & would rather wet my pants than ask someone where the bathroom was.
So no, I never imagined that I'd be the one who would willingly go halfway
around the world by myself.
But yet, that's
exactly what I'm doing.
On June 8, I’ll
get on a plane and fly 8,000 miles to Kathmandu. Once I’m there, I’ll be on a
team that’s working with Tiny Hands International for six weeks. I get to explore the cities of Kathmandu and
Pokhara, among others. I’ll explore and see the culture, learn the language,
immerse myself in Nepali life.
I’ll visit the
Tiny Hands International projects. There are fifteen children’s homes where Nepali
house parents serve the forgotten and abandoned children of Nepal. They take in
street children and orphans, giving them a family and showing them Christ’s love. I'll get to visit those precious children
and I’ll get to teach them. I’ll see how God restores brokenness and turns
forgotten children into His children. (He hasn’t forgotten them.)
THI is also very
involved in anti-trafficking efforts; while I’m there I'll visit slums, street
children, and places associated with the sex industry. I’ll see things that
right now, as I’m here sitting on my floor in my dorm room, I can’t even
imagine. I’ll visit other NGO’s doing similar work. I’ll get to see the many
ways that Christ’s kingdom is being furthered in Nepal. I’ll see James 1:27 in
action. I'll talk to leaders who are already working in Nepal. We'll research these
issues and discuss why some things work and why other things don't work.
But this
journey doesn’t end when I fly back home on July 20. This whole trip is structured
around preparing me for the future that God has for me. The purpose is not
merely in these six weeks of ministry, it’s
so much more. This is just the beginning. The more I see where God is
leading, the more excited I get (and the more nervous I get, because let’s face
it—it’s not going to be easy.)
There is so
much I want to tell you about this. And more will come. But for now, will you pray
for me? I can’t get here on my own, I need your support. I need God’s strength
and I need your prayers. This isn’t just about me going to Nepal—this is Christ’s
kingdom being built, His church getting stronger and stronger. This is about
the kingdom. That means you. These
six weeks are going to be some of the toughest of my life. Everything I know
will be challenged—and though I’m okay with that, I’m not pretending it will always
be fun. I need your prayers, I need your support. I also happen to need close
to $5,000.
More
information will come soon about how you can give if you would like, but for
now—just pray for me? Pray for God to use me beyond my comfort zone. Pray that
his kingdom will be built and that the people I meet will see Christ’s love
through me. Pray that God will change my heart & give me humility to follow
Him. Pray for safety, pray for strength, pray for provision.
God is working,
and I can’t wait to see where He leads.
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