Asia Trip - Final Thoughts

It's been just over a week since I returned home.  I got home on a Sunday evening and had a hectic work week starting the next day.  I'm just now catching up from jet lag.  My thoughts, however, are still on Asia.

The morning I left Nepal, I had a special treat.  Back in the mid-90's, KSLT, our radio station in South Dakota, began fundraising for our "Angel of Nepal."  She was an American lady who had a passion for children.  She started taking them into her home in Kathmandu, until she outgrew one house and had to move to another.  Every year from the Hills Alive Summer Music Festival stage, I'd talk about her ministry to orphans, and for several years, we were her sole source of support.

On our way to the airport, we stopped by the school she helps oversee.  As I talked to her, several people joined us.  They were all children from the orphanage.  Eight of them were teaching in the school, and several others had influential positions.  She said as they gathered, "these are the children you supported."  What a way to end my time in Nepal!  It was a huge reminder that investing in lives of children results in tremendous ministry as children become adults.  

From Nepal, I went to Thailand - all over Thailand!  I visited projects in the north within a rock's throw of Myanmar (Burma).  I visited projects in the south within sight of Malaysia.  It was almost too much, too fast.  After the heavy pollution of Kathmandu, and walking in the slums of Delhi, the rural areas of Thailand seemed like paradise.  There was very little trash on the road sides, and the air was clean and clear.  These trips are wonderful to get a perspective of the ministry the Mission of Mercy supports, but they fall short on the side of getting to experience the sights and sounds of an area.  However, I never get tired of seeing children with hope in their eyes.  God has created each of these children with a unique personality and a special plan and purpose.

As I get back into the pace of life back in the US, I am reminded again of why we do what we do.  We are simply a participant in the plan of God for these kids.  They have value and they deserve our support.  In my brief time back home, I've already taken a quick trip to Canada to meet with the Director of Mission of Mercy - Canada.  We are talking about ways to work together to increase the impact of our ministries.  No individual or organization can do it all.  We each do what we can, where we can.  And ultimately, the difference is made in the life of one child.  That's why I love our new slogan, "One Child Matters."  

I'll be thinking about this trip for a long time.  Each country, each culture is so different.  People ask me, "After all your travels, what is your favorite country?"  My answer is always, "it's the last place I have visited."  And so the story continues....

Quit 'yer... complaining!

It is easy to get weary just driving to meetings. The driving is nerve-wracking and takes longer than the meetings themselves. It is nearly impossible to keep on schedule and the days go much longer than planned.

We took a one hour flight yesterday from Delhi, India, to Kathmandu, Nepal. The flight left over an hour late, and circled for more than two additional hours for fog to clear at Kathmandu. So, our 9:30am arrival was closer to 1pm. Then, we passed a Maoist demonstration that was blocking traffic on half the road, so it took forever to reach our hotel. Late again. There were seven pastors and leaders of our projects that were waiting for us for several hours. We finally made it around 3:30. It was a great meeting and I spent a lot of time answering questions and finding out how the ministries functioned here. As it got dark, the electricity went out at the church we were meeting. No one bat an eye. We continued to meet until dark. After the meeting, I asked about the power situation and was told, “we only have 11 hours of electricity a day.” They can’t afford a generator and diesel fuel, so they function with lanterns if they meet at night. (As I write this, the power just went out in the hotel – thank goodness for long battery life on this netbook computer.) Then it was another long, interminable, ride back home.

Our regional director, Satya, and I felt like we needed to stretch our legs after the long plane ride and car rides. We walked through a market section of the city where every other store was a “Trekking” store. Young Americans and Europeans are in abundance. North Face clothing and other brands are made here in Nepal and nearby China, so it’s very cheap. Yeah, I bought some jackets for Dee and me and a couple other friends. What would have cost well over $100 back home cost $25 here. By the time we got back to the hotel around 10 pm we were exhausted. We got up at 4 am yesterday morning to catch the early flight.

The headline in the newspaper this morning was how traffic was becoming unmanageable in Kathmandu. Buses spew plumes of smoke into the air, and it catches in your throat – I’ve been coughing a bit. I’ve never seen so many people wearing masks over their face and mouth. They come in all colors and designs – face masks are a fashion statement here.

Today we met at three different locations with pastors and project leaders. If I had any hair, I would be pulling it out. We passed another group just starting a demonstration march, but thankfully we got ahead of them before they blocked traffic. It is a way of life here, so I’m sure people don’t face the level of frustration that I have. On top of that, it’s cold in the evening and the hotel room has no heat, so it was difficult to sleep last night.

I’m sad that my travel to Nepal won’t allow me to leave the city. I hope to get back here – I’m told the countryside is incredibly beautiful. Tomorrow morning, we attend a school chapel service, visit an orphanage and then run to the airport to catch a flight to Thailand.

I know I’m complaining a lot. This is the way of life here in Nepal, as well as so many other areas of the world. The cities are run down. Slum areas pop up everywhere. Beggars approach us on the street. And the traffic is maddening.

This is where Mission of Mercy works. This is what we do. And that is something that I am proud of!