Dear readers!

Christmas approaches! It’s time for the last minute dash to the shops to get the groceries, stocking fillers and last minute bits and bobs!

Well it might be that time for you, but it’s not here! We are living through a three day pre-Christmas bandh (or strike). No vehicles on the roads and all government offices and a lot of businesses are closed.

Whilst there is a holiday atmosphere where we are in some places there has been a shadow of  violence that has fallen amongst the Kathmandu streets. Please pray for a peaceful resolution to the striking in Nepal.

I’ll be taking a little holiday over Christmas, travelling to Pokhara for a Christmas filled with fun, food and trekking! So hopefully lots of pictures to follow!

It’d be great if you could pray or spare a couple of seconds just to think of me as it’s my first Christmas away from home and my family! Another big first, another big adventure.

I’ve been so blessed with the number of people praying for me, emailing me and just remembering me! It makes me feel so loved! So a HUGE thank-you!

Funny Fact: Did you know that Christmas was only declared a national holiday in Nepal for the first time last year!

I hope you guys have a beautiful Christmas and a snow filled new year! And if you don’t know it already, I hope you find the reason for the season. There’s something behind all the Christmas presents, decorations and hype, someone so obvious, almost too obvious that he tends to get lost amongst everything.

Find him and hold on!

GGF

One dark night, a few years ago from now, there was a census taken in Nepal. The King had demanded that during the Tihar festival the head of each household and his family must return to their homeland and be counted.
A young family, Mary and Joseph, heard this and began their journey from Kathmandu to Joseph’s hometown, Pokhara. The eight hour bus journey with Mary soon to have her baby was a tough one. It seemed to last forever, they travelled through the night so that they could be in Pokhara on time to be counted.
Mary and Joseph had had an odd few months. With the appearance of two angels, Mary being pregnant with the Son of God and a visit from the new in-laws it had been a stressful few weeks.
***
Far off in India three tailors were working late one night. With no electricity they worked until their eyes were sore by the light of a candle. It was winter and the bjouli had been cutting out so regularly that the three wise tailors decided that something must be done.
They went up onto the roof of their small houses to think. Scanning the horizon they searched for wisdom and an answer to their problems in the starry sky.
And there, far, far in the distance they saw a light. A light so bright that they were convinced that they would be able to work late into the night and finish their work, if only they could get closer to it. So they packed up their belongings, loaded them onto a cart and set off towards the great light.
***
Mary and Joseph arrived in Pokhara. Getting off the bus they managed to avoid the crowd of taxi drivers all wanting their attention and went to look for a place to stay.
They headed to the nearby Lakeside streets to look for a bed for the night. But with the western tourist had come the very western prices of guesthouses. They looked at every guesthouse in Lakeside all of them were full or too expensive. It was getting dark and they became more anxious to find a place to stay for the night.

Mary and Joseph headed out of Lakeside, they walked for a long time looking for places to stay. Eventually in desperation they ended up knocking on the doors of strangers to try and find a place to sleep.

Everyone in the town had family staying with them, they continued searching from house to house until eventually a man with a small guesthouse named ‘the shining star’ offered them a place to stay. I can’t offer much he said, I have some space in the barn with the buffalo and goats if you want to stay in it you can.

By this time Mary and Joseph did not care where they slept as long as they had some place to stay for the night. That night Mary went into labour and gave birth to a son.

They named the child Jesus, as the angel had said and they wrapped in a shawl. The baby didn’t cry, he gurgled happily and then fell asleep in the trough where the animals food was kept.

***

Meanwhile, the three wise tailors were having an adventure of their own. The wheel of their cart had broken and they had loaded all of their belongings onto a motorbike which they had borrowed from a friend.

They set off together, three men on one motorcycle piled high with cloth and a sewing machine.

***
And there were goat-herders in the fields just outside of Pokhara tending their goats and staying warm by the fire.
Suddenly a great host of angels dressed in gleaming multi-coloured Kurta Suruwal lit up the mountain-clad sky, they were dancing and rejoicing at the top of their voices!

‘Glory to God! Today a boy is born in Pokhara! He is the son of God!’

The shepherds were amazed at what they saw, never had they seen Kurta Suruwal so bright, especially in Nepal where there was dust everywhere.
They listened as the angels carolled about this child Jesus and excitedly hurried off to find out where the child was.

‘You will find the baby in a stable, wrapped in cloth and lying in a trough,’ said the angels. Follow the light and you will get there.

***

Mary and Joseph did not realise but they had chosen the only house in the street that had a back-up bjouli battery! They were thankful for the light around them and they fell asleep in the glow and the warmth of the huge buffalo that surrounded them.

The three were sound asleep when they heard a great beating on the door of the barn. Opening the door in a panic, there stood before them were several goatherders and their goats.

‘We’ve come to see the child they call Jesus,’ they said. ‘We know he’s here because the angels told us to follow the light, and yours is the brightest building for miles around!’

The shepherds stepped into the barn, they worshipped the child and rejoiced, for they knew that he was the son of God, just as the angel had said.

They opened their lunch bags and shared their dhal and rice as a midnight celebration of the birth of the child. Afterwards they all fell asleep in the increasingly warming barn.

***

The three wise tailors had been travelling day and night from their home town, the further north they went the more scarce petrol became for their motorcycle. Their adventure was becoming a tedious round of waiting in petrol queues and dodging through the traffic. But undeterred they carried on towards the light, resting by day and following the light by night.

***

Sometime later, Mary and Joseph still fast asleep, were woken by the sound of a motorbike backfiring. It sounded as though it was coughing up its last breath as it chugged and got increasingly louder as it neared the barn. Finally with a huge cough splutter and hiss the noise stopped.
A short moment later there was another knock on the barn and Joseph got up and opened the door to find three tailors. They stood before him, bedraggled, covered in dust and carrying yards of material and a sowing machine.

They saw the crowd inside the barn and were amazed, how on earth did all of these people and animals fit in this small space. Then their eyes fell on the trough, being used as a cradle and suddenly they realised.

In the cradle was a baby boy, a boy that shined so brightly in the darkness that they realised that they had reached their destination without knowing it. They had found the light in their dark world, a light that offered them the hope of a life beyond this one.

Hurriedly they set about making gifts of clothing for the child. And by the next morning Jesus was dressed in the finest baby clothes and had been presented with gifts of jewellery and perfume by the tailors.

***

If Jesus had been born in Nepal today, perhaps this is the story we would be reading. A child born into a predominantly Hindu and Buddhist world, surrounded by buff instead of cows, tailors instead of wise men and goat herders instead of shepherds. But no matter where he was born he came with a purpose: to shine a light into the darkness. To begin the journey that would ultimately restore our relationship with God.

In the heart of every Christian in the world is Jesus and his light is shining out into the darkness that we’ve created. So wherever we are in the universe we can say with certainty that Jesus may not have been physically born here but he is living here.

Praise God!
Merry Christmas.

 Hello you lovely lot!

Merry Christmas! Almost!

Firstly, thank you so much for all of my birthday messages, cards and gifts! I felt truly loved on Monday and Tuesday when I logged on to all my emails and Facebook messages!

I have had a very busy birthday weekend and a very eventful one. I went, with Ali, to visit a beautiful family who live just outside of Kathmandu on Saturday. They are the family of a guy that we work with at INF called Sandeep. They’ve just celebrated the birth of their second son and we went over to say hello and also to get out of the Kathmandu smog for a while. I also got the chance to hop on a local bus which took us into the city for the bargainous price of 8p.

I went to a craft fair on Friday where all of the local shops and businesses had gathered together to put on a Christmas fair alongside live music, some of it quite hilarious! I am now the proud owner of a new pair of fingerless gloves that magically change into mittens at the flip of my wrists, very handy for the increasingly cold Kathmandu climate!

Yesterday I picked up some more clothes from the tailor (yes more!) and then got my bike fixed, (nope no accidents just some dodgy pedals) in between working of course.

Quiche and Carols at the Embassy!

Last night I visited the British Embassy with just about every Brit in Kathmandu for their Christmas carol service. We belted out a few good classic Crimbo songs and had a great little Bible message before the stampede to the ambassador’s garden to fill up on rum punch and a selection of VERY English Christmas foods. The mince pies, sausage rolls and quiche made the rounds several times.

It’s all very English at the embassy don’t you know! Right down to the white picket fences and privet hedges. It was a great evening with plenty of mingling and munching and being introduced to BMS people too! I still can’t quite get used to walking over to people who already know my name, what I do and how long I’m here for!

I am working! Honest!

Before it looks like I have been doing no work at all I’d better tell you what I’ve been up to! Over the past few weeks I’ve been putting together stories for the March edition of Today in Nepal and writing a little bit for the website too.

I visited a place called Bible Yatra this week and last week. Bible Yatra or Bible Journey as it’s called is a course that is teaching Nepali students the way the Bible fits together from Genesis to Revelation. It’s amazing to see it being taught as none of the teachers have any notes at all!

I ended up interviewing five teachers simultaneously and this week we went back to take pictures and see some of the teacher training that happens.

I am also getting to brush up on my almost non-existent photo skills whilst I am here which is nice as Rowan (our in house photographer) is giving me some tutorials every now and again on working out what my SLR is thinking and how to trick it into taking great pictures!

INF gets tech!

I’ve also been getting INF tech savvy by introducing them to the wonderful world of Facebook and Twitter, so if you’re social come follow us! We’d love your support and input.

We’re listed as International Nepal Fellowship on Facebook and INFTweet on Twitter! (This is the first time I can actually say that checking Facebook is work! Woohoo!

We celebrated the launch of the INF Online Gift Catalogue  on Monday a very momentous occasion as the guys in the office have been working so so hard to get it up and running before Christmas! It was so great to hear stories from people who have bought things from the catalogue!

We hope to make a little money for some very needy people over the Christmas period and beyond! I’d love to hear stories of anyone who’s bought something from the website and who for, that’d be great! As you can tell I’m getting quite in to chatting about what INF do and their latest projects!

Bjouli takes a holiday and so do we!

The Bjouli (Electricity) and load shedding hours are getting more frequent. At the moment we are up to just shy of 30 hrs a week with no electricity. We have a schedule to work around so it’s not so bad, when the schedule is stuck to that is! Normally the electricity goes off in two hour sections, one in the morning and one in the evening.

We’re off to Pokhara for five days over Christmas where the load-shedding doesn’t tend to be as bad so that’ll be nice!

I hope everyone at home and across the world are doing great.

Thank You for your prayers! Thanks so much for all of your prayers for me and also for Stuart in Kenya, he has fully recovered from his food poisoning, Praise God!

If you’d like to see what he’s up to you can find him on youtube where he’s posted a video diary :

I have remained very safe travelling on two wheels and have had no more near bus collisions. I am also feeling far more confident travelling around on my own too which is such a good feeling!

Ali is still being very patient with me when I decide I am ‘too chicken’ to do things, I am so grateful to her, she’s one very amazing person! It would be great if you could pray for her at this time, Ali is a very gifted graphic designer who works in the office with me!

Church

I’ve attended a Nepali church with a friend of mine for a few weeks which has been great, even if I don’t know what’s going on through a lot of the service. Some of the preachers speak too fast for fluent Nepali’s let alone my non-existent language skill! It’s great to be there, I’m learning that we’re not there to be fed but we’re there to encourage. I also attend the international church on Sundays to get my God-goodness.

Finally…

On a final note, I’d love to hear if you’ve got any questions for me about anything. I know when I read prayer letters there’s always something that I wonder about the country /work that someone has talked about! Please feel free to ask! I’d love to know what you’re wondering!

Please Pray for:

My continued travelling out and about to do interviews and my photography with Rowan too.

The future plans my trip with Rowan across Nepal after Christmas and that God would open my eyes to a truly different side of Nepal.

Protection from illness would be an added bonus during this time too.

For Christmas, that I wouldn’t miss you all too much and that we’d be able to be a blessing to the Nepali churches that we attend. Also that I’d be able to take something new away from the familiar story that we’ve all heard every year.

That my Nepali would improve slightly, understanding more would be a great help.

Nepal

Please pray for the churches that are springing up all across Nepal that they would have a fast and lasting impact on the future of the country and that they would be like lights in the darkness.

For the ongoing political instability, and continued peace in Nepal.

For poorer families during these cold winter months that they’d have enough food and clothing to remain healthy during the winter time.

For safety during the Bandhs (strikes) over the Christmas period and that negotiations between the strikers and the government would go peacefully.

***

Mission Opportunities through the grapevine!

Teachers!

A friend of mine has asked me to be on the look-out for any primary school teachers who are needing an adventure. There are a few places available for primary school teachers in the Kathmandu expat schools. So if you think you’re up for it or know someone who might be please drop me an email! I know the last teacher they hired they paid her way from the UK to Nepal!

Doctors!

A friend of mine that I interviewed earlier in November is looking for a variety of doctors to help work with INF medical camps next year. INF do a variety of medical camps including gynae, ear nose and throat and surgical and are looking for doctors of all different skill sets to come out and help for a couple of weeks in the coming year.

Again, if you feel like this could suit you, or you know someone it might suit then please let me know and I’ll get you some more details

Also!

INF have sooooo many different openings for lots of different skill sets, you can check out the website for what’s on offer at the moment or just drop me a line to journalist@world.inf.org with what you’re good at/trained in and I’ll pass the message on.

If you’re looking for an adventure with God you can also contact BMSWorldMission they would love to tell you about opportunities across the world!

There’s always much to do and if you’ve got the chance, go for it!

This week was filled with two unique Nepali experiences, familiar things that I found it interesting and in some cases hilarious to compare with home.

Yesterday I went to the tailors to pick up my new clothes, my first trip to the tailor had been with my lovely friend Ali, who’d been firm with me and made me tackle the busiest roundabout in our area with the bike. (and with her of course!) If you’ve heard about the bus incident you’ll realise it’s become somewhat hazardous to let me cycle alone!

When we got there I was flung into the unfamiliar territory of clothes shopping, Nepali style.

You see here, you don’t wander in to your local TopShop, pick something, pay and then leave.. or even see the same thing in 15 sizes and then realise that none of them look nice.

Here you have the luxury of choosing your own material and the added embarrassment of being measured for your new outfits!

When shopping, I’m the sort of person who’ll find something she likes and get the same in five different colours then flee from the shop. In Nepal clothes shopping is an entirely different entity.

You purchase your material, then you pop along to the tailor where you’re poked and prodded and measured. You laugh at the ‘you’re so tall’ remarks and can’t keep a straight face when the tiny guy practically has to hug you to get a measurement.

When he takes your leg length in three measurements because he can’t reach from you’re hip to you’re ankle, you get the feeling that perhaps you are just abnormally large and that makes you laugh even more.

After taking about a zillion (perhaps I exaggerate…a little!) measurements, I become convinced that now the guy is just making these up and revelling in the fact that he’s got a giant to clothe.

So he finishes measuring and then asks what neckline I want, trust me these guys do amazing things with necklines, you can even dare to design your own!

So all done, I leave my precious material with the little man and scarper.

One week later I make the journey back to the tailor, with Ali absent, I figure it’ll be safer.. I mean nicer ^^.. to walk to the shop.

When I arrive I am greeted with the biggest smile ever and shown my finished product. The first words out of my mouth are ‘Can I try them on!!’

Anyone who’s been clothes shopping with me, knows this is entirely uncharacteristic! I put on my new Kurta Suruwal and feel so good. It’s the first time I’ve had clothes made to measure that actually feel like they’re made for me! You can tell this guy has put in so much care and the attention to detail is awesome.

They’re perfect. So perfect, I put in some more material and ask him to make me two more sets and some Badeshi (foreigner) trousers.

Job done.

When Ali told me she was going to get her hair cut I jumped at the chance to go with her and see, I can tell you now, expecting a grubby shop with a few people with scissors in, is not the attitude to have in Kathmandu. It seems, if you look hard enough, there is a little bit of luxury in the most unlikely places.

Take seven floors up in a slim tower block that for example. Ali and I got into this tiny elevator and pressed 7. I loved the fact that the air conditioning in the lift was a set of fan blades infront of a square hole in the ceiling that revealed the lift wires.

Getting out we entered a little salon. A couple of hours later we emerged hair-washed, head massaged, cut, blown dry and straightened. Ali had got highlights too.

The funny part? Having my hair straightened when half way through the hairdresser called for backup and suddenly there were two people straightening my hair with military precision. The genius part was they both wore wooly gloves to prevent burning their hands.

So Claire, this is a blog about God, how on earth are you going to relate this to the Bible, God, or to mission? I mean getting your haircut and some new clothes hardly constitutes as mission does it now.

Filling you in on the hilarity of my daily goings on has become something I love!

Being at the tailor, in reflection, does remind me of something God is teaching me.

He’s made to measure, he’s a perfect fit for our lives because he’s measured every inch of us. He knows our most intimate details. If he was making me a Kurta he wouldn’t have the tape measure out because he knows everything about me.

From the exact shade of my eyes to the size and shape of my pinkie toe he knows me physically. And from the everyday random thoughts of me to my deepest longings and desires, he knows them all.

Matthew 10 vs 29-31 says

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny[a]? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

When God created you, he took the basic material, fair enough you didn’t pick it but trust me he chose the perfect things for you. When you came into the world he rejoiced at the sight of your wrinkled pink body, marvelling at his own creation and the love that burned in his heart for you.

When we choose to follow him he begins his work on making us beautiful in his eyes, he moulds us, fashions us, influences us, loves us completely and fills that space in our heart. The space we never quite new existed until it was filled and we realised that the feeling of emptiness we once felt was not normal.

When we return to heaven I like to think that he’ll have a smile so big that we can’t help but grin back. I can’t wait for the welcome as we enter his house.

And I still can’t quite believe that he’d let people like me have the chance to wander through his front yard and make myself at home in his kitchen.

So I’ll leave you with this verse, brownie points if you can tell me where it’s from without checking BibleGateway!

‘Trust in the Lord and do good, dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.’

Week six  brings with it new and perilous journeys  involving buses, bikes and the madness of Nepali traffic.

Imagine for a moment navigating your way through London at rush hour. There’s traffic everywhere but you’re on a bike and have the added advantage of being able to weave in and out of the cars. Now take every highway code rule and throw it completely out of your head and replace it with one rule. Ignore what’s behind you and swerve round the things in front, including pedestrians. Add a pinch of chaos and you get a road system that works surprisingly well despite its lack of organisation.

Why the vehicle led introduction? I’ve started cycling to work and round about with Ali. I am somewhat convinced that I will never cycle anywhere alone at the moment, but I am cycling and it’s surprisingly fun. Not to mention the security guy at the office can’t believe that the giant Badeshi can ride a bike.

In other news KFC and Pizza hut, the first western fast food places, have opened in Nepal. There was so much excitement that they got a front page story one of the Kathmandu city newspapers!

I spoke to Rowan the photographer from the office this week and he’s been telling me about all of the exciting places we plan to visit after Christmas. There’s some proper trekking involved too which should be challenging but a really amazing experience.

On the list so far is a place called Jumla and another called Mugu. These two remote towns are up there with some of the poorest places on earth. At the moment they are struggling with an increasing food shortage too. Please pray that this will ease up and food will be available.

At the moment my days consist of working in the office from nine ‘til five writing up stories and attempting to raise the profile of INF through adding them on Facebook and Twitter (Yes I couldn’t believe it either, my appearances on Facebook can actually be classed as work!)

You may have noticed me plugging the INF gift catalogue too, which allows people to buy gifts for poor and needy people in Nepal, a similar idea to the Tearfund gift cards. Well if you’re at LBC there should be some catalogues available for you to take a peek at pretty soon and if you’re not at LBC let me know if you’d like one and I’ll get one sorted for you.

I had an article for the magazine Today in Nepal accepted by my boss today – very exciting. This has also spurred me on to keep writing, it’s very easy to get distracted by so much time with a wireless connection. The upside of this is that I’m being kept in the loop with goings on at home and am able to keep a prayer list to remind me of you all.

Hmm.. not much else to say this week has been pretty normal, as far as being in Nepal goes!

I did almost get hit by a bus (don’t tell mum =P) I was cycling along and this big yellow school bus was coming towards me. Not really sure what to do, I decided I would head for the other side of the road where there was space for me to pass. Luckily Ali was behind me and got me to stay put as the yellow bus turned at the last minute! Whoever was praying for my safety in travel this week, THANK YOU!

Please pray for:

The food shortages in the remote West of Nepal

The plans and preparations for travel after Christmas, also for health and increased fitness levels so that I can keep up with it all.

Thank God for Ali, my housemate, who is taking good care of me and showing me the ropes whilst convincing me to be more and more independent. Pray that she will continue to have the patience she has whilst she’s orientating me and getting used to living with me.

My continued safety on the roads both on foot and on wheels!

Another person to pray for:

A friend of mine called Stuart who is currently working as a lawyer in Kenya, he’s had food poisoning over the last couple of days. Pray that God will restore him to full health and that he’ll be able to make a real difference to people suffering through injustice.

SORRY IF I SEEM TO BE pimping out my own company a lot over the next few days, it’s just very hard not to get excited about the work that INF is doing and the products it is launching!

The most recent addition to the INF family is the online gift catalogue! If you haven’t already seen it then click on over to the website as it should be up and running very soon!

Let’s face it, the idea for a gift catalogue where you can buy something for someone in another country isn’t majorly unique, however some of these gifts on offer certainly are!

Imagine your Dad’s face when he opens his gift on Christmas day to find that he’s been given a stool sample, a buffalo, or a pair of prosthetic legs? It’s the chance to be a little cheeky to your relatives whilst giving someone in desperate need something to smile about too, and what’s better than that?!

With a mix of items to suit all price ranges, whether you’re buying individually or clubbing together with your church, youthgroup or work mates, you really can participate in something that is making a genuine difference to the lives of Nepali people.

Did you know ?

Nepal is home to some of the poorest districts in the world. Recent figures show that over 560,000 people are being affected by famine in the Western regions and that’s just the start of the needs here. INF is stretching out a hand to Nepali people and getting alongside locals to help provide vital services in rehabilitation, education and medical care.

This is your chance to get involved, without even leaving your keyboard! So head on over to the website!

Not able to give? Then please help promote! Pass on the links to the blog, the website and the catalogue!

We’d really appreciate your help!

 And all you bloggers.. please watch this space for a cool little widget that we’d love you to paste on your blog!

Thanks everyone!

1 Kings 19:11-13 ‘The Lord said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord , for the Lord is about to pass by.’

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Check out this guy Elijah.

He’s this prophet bloke who is seen as a major man of God by all who meet him.

He has faith.

Look at chapter 18!

Here’s the story:

He stood before the prophets of Baal (a false god of the time in Israel) and challenged them to a battle between his God and theirs. He has that much faith that God will speak for himself that he throws down the gauntlet and bets these guys can’t light a bbq for their god. The vital hitch, no matches.

When they can’t do it he confidently stands there and mocks them, teasing them to shout louder, perhaps Baal was deep in thought and could not hear them. These false prophets, whether they believed or were just determined to save face, carried on and on until they realised dejectedly that it was hopeless.

Elijah steps forward, I imagine with a flourish and I’m tempted to imagine a grin playing on his lips. This was one duel he knew they hadn’t a chance of winning. He prepares grain and meat for the altar he’s created and then just to rub salt in the ever widening wounds of pride he gets his guys to douse it in water, not once but three times!

No matches in hand or secret blocks of quick lighting charcoal thrown on top, he calls out to God and ‘whoooof’ the whole thing goes up in flames. No trickery, no magic, just God at work.

Here is a man, slap bang at the forefront of mission.

He’s there living the dream and watching at that pinnacle moment when the people who follow Baal suddenly realise there is a God and they are not worshipping Him. Imagine what he must be feeling as he sees these people flung out on the ground in front of him their sudden realisation causing them to literally shout out ‘The Lord –He IS God!’

What a buzz! What an amazing feeling to be part of this massive conversion.

He can see God working before his very eyes. Surely this makes him a strong person, a leader, someone who never has any problems.

In the eyes of the crowds he has faith, he is invincible, he has everything sorted. He’s down with the almighty. Someone that is this close to God, why would they be anything but strong?

Elijah is Human

But Elijah, being human, needs God just as we do. Being a prophet had a heavy price in responsibility tied to it, there wasn’t much room for mistake in Old Testament times, If God told you to do something, you did it, Jesus’ sacrifice hadn’t been made so he wasn’t there to intercede between God and man.

Being anointed a Prophet meant a lot of challenges for Elijah to take on, a lot of new situations to get stuck into and a lot of stress to go through as he moved around. I’m sure culture shock is not just a modern day invention, and this guy was moving around a lot for God!

Prophets at the time were wanted men and Elijah was no exception. Evil King Ahab had been hunting down the elusive Elijah for years. Add that to your everyday stresses!

Elijah struggled just as we do and needed as much help from God as both you and me, whether we realise it or not.

A chapter on we see he comes before God because he’s at his wits end. He doesn’t feel able to cope anymore, he’s all burnt out. Just a few hours before this he walks into the desert and asks God to take his life.  He wanted a saviour, someone to take off the pressure, and a little breathing space. So much so, that he asks God to take his life.

God needs a heart to heart with Elijah.

God decides it’s time for a conversation with Elijah and calls him to his mountain, Mt Horeb. Elijah goes and when told stands on the mountain waiting for the presence of God to pass by.

Looking at the previous display of Gods power makes me love what happens with Elijah next. Such a huge display of fireworks storming from heaven to burn up that altar provokes the feeling that something equally impressive is about to happen when God passes by, let’s face it he has a few bits and pieces at his disposal to create a spectacular entrance.

So we wait, and read on.

A huge gust of wind tears through the mountains, it could be God, but Elijah is still stood stock still so he knows it can’t be him yet.

Next and earthquake, God could have used this to shake Elijah up and force him to his knees but still Elijah can’t feel Gods presence.

Next a fire. Now God had done this with Moses hadn’t he with the whole burning bush thing, it’d make sense to continue the theme, but STILL Elijah can’t feel Gods presence.

Suddenly Elijah falls on his face and brings his cloak up over his head awestruck.

Not a bolt of lightning, not a legion of angels singing in unison, but something as soft and personal as a whisper brings this big hearted prophet to his knees.

This is such a special moment between God and Elijah. The Prophet is feeling fragile and God knows that completely, like a father he draws close and whispers to Elijah ‘What are you doing her Elijah?’

Elijah shares his heart with God:

‘I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.’

Creation shares his heart with creator.

Instead of being angry with Elijah, angry that he was afraid of being killed when he has the creator of everything looking out for him God provides him with people to help. It’s a true Father son conversation, a display of compassion and love from father to child.

It only took a whisper.

Well this post is long enough, and despite a gross lack of pictures (sorry!),  you get my point.  We have a God of compassion, a father figure. He can use us to do great things but he’s interested also in the everyday. He’s never too busy for us and is always around if we are in need of some help.

Also, just because God is using you , it doesn’t mean your not allowed to have problems!

I guess God’s reminding me this today, for future reference, that when you or I are at our lowest points.

That’s when he draws near with a whisper.

Dear all =)

I’ve arrived… and I have my own office!

Well, I have arrived safely in Kathmandu! So far I have visited the office to find that I have my very own office! I have learnt so much today too almost too much to process. I had an interview with my boss Martin and he briefed me on a few projects he has lined up for me in Pokhara whilst I do my language training.  I am currently staying in the Gosham guest house where I will be for the next couple of days until I go to Pokhara and then when I come back I am moving in with a friend of mine, Ali Wilkinson.

Kathmandu… city of character

Kathmandu is such a lively city, it’s an explosion of people, places, colour and activity. It’s a noisy, dusty valley surrounded by mountains and with a character on every corner. In this vibrant atmosphere which is so different to the UK it is very easy to be daunted by the things that would be so simple to do at home.  Walking home after work for the first time, for example, or not speaking the language . At the moment I feel like I am more than living in a goldfish bowl, I’m practically too big for the glass to contain me. But as one amazing person said ‘Lets hope they wonder why the red haired girl is here and see the light of Jesus shining out instead of the Badeshi (foreigner) in the funny outfit.’

 I have a lot to keep me busy with over the next few weeks, but I am looking forward to the challenges that have been set for me.

Culture… cash in hand and ‘Christmas’

I have learned a little bit about culture today, that when paying for something you use your right hand. Also, when paying, you touch your right forearm with your left hand whilst handing the money over. This is seen as a sign of respect between shop owner and customer.

This weekend it is the Nepali version of Diwali called ____ this is the Nepali equivalent to Christmas/New year. Houses are lit up with small lights and candles in order to encourage the Goddess of wealth Lakshmi to enter the house and bless it with good fortunes for the year. It’s also accompanied by a weeks festival where various animals are worshipped. There is a day devoted to crows, dogs and cows as well as a day for brothers and sisters and a day for self worship.  This is a big festival in Nepal and is the one time of year that families travel to their home towns in order to be together.

Moment of the day:

-          I crossed a busy Nepali road, alone, without getting squished.

-          I also walked home alone today and didn’t get lost

Prayer points:

-          Safety in travelling to Pokhara this Sunday morning

-          That i will grasp enough of the language to get by in Pokhara and Kathmandu

-          That my confidence in travelling around the city will improve and I will trust that God will keep me safe.

-          Please pray for the loadshedding too, very often the electricity goes off in the evenings so that the businesses and vital projects have enough electric for the day. Most places have generators, but please pray that we don’t get more than our fair share of cuts as at times the electricity is said to have gone off for between 12 and 18 hours!

Sorry there aren’t many pretty pictures yet! I shall be taking some more soon I promise .. I’ll try and get one of the road I crossed if I can do it without being too conspicuous lol =)

Lots of Love and God Bless

Claire x

Hi Everyone!

So why am I going to Nepal this year then?

Let’s get one thing straight!

Country and location: Nepal, Pokhara language training for 2 weeks and the remainder of the time based in Kathmandu, working on various projects around the country.

Please Pray For: