So much to do, so little time

4/18/2010

Some of you have had trouble getting onto our blog... this is an overview and since much of this is sensitive I cannot post it on the blog! We need your urgent prayers for Nepal... especially the next 3 days and beyond! It is a volatile time. Many are taking a huge stand for their faith this next three days! They need you to stand in the gap for them! Please get your kneepads on and read the following!

Mr. D… just returned to Seattle after 3 months here in Nepal. Most of his work was down in the terrai/ plains where he was assisting the leper community we adopted last year. Last year he helped them dig an irrigation well by hand it took four and a half months and dug down 100 feet before water shot up 90 feet and so that is all going well. He will be posting a report very soon now that he is home in Seattle and internet is more accessible. He also helped them build a fellowship building and we saw that under roof just before we left last May. This year he helped those same 72 families start new seed farms and kitchen gardens and about 8 families qualified for our new animal husbandry initiative... sort of a microloan concept but with the added stipulation they share their first female offspring and the education and the gospel with a family poorer than they are in their immediate community or the next village. He thinks it is going well and is pleased with the progress.

We are both trying to work with a few leaders here in the hills in Dadeldhura to begin the first radio broadcast in the local dialect to carry the "Message". It will be called Kushi Ko Kura or "Happy News". Your intersession for getting this off the ground would be greatly appreciated! We have about a month's worth of programming together... then the key man doing most of the recording and technical stuff took off for a few weeks! He got back last night so we hope to get a little more programming under our belts and then dive in! I'm praying we can get it launched before I leave end of May.

I am trying to co-ordinate a music competition for xian songs in the local dialect. We are inviting all the local fellowships that speak this dialect to participate and hope to have a day about a month from now, where all songs/poems will be recorded and judged and all rights for broadcasting them on our FM station slot will be reserved. Prizes for the top 3 songs will be given and a great time of sharing and fun and snacks etc will complete the day. Please lift this concern up as well. It will fill in a lot of gaps around our messages!

I continue to work with a few local women that started in our trainings and microloan programs last year. Two of the women are paraplegics and have been producing a great bounty of knitted products which we try to market in Kathmandu and the U.S. We would love a few more steady accounts to market these items!

I am also training a new lady to run her own bakery. It will be the first of its kind in all far western Nepal. They are hoping to turn it into the first xian coffee shop/ bakery in far west (Starbucks?) The building is ready for a roof (they are having trouble affording it, but we trust the Lord to provide). We collected enough to help them with a microloan for an industrial oven to get started. I am also ordering a small fridge for the Dare to Care apartment that they will use for the bakery till they can afford their own. We will let them use all the pots, pans, spatulas, etc. S…. and I have been having baking lessons twice a week and then testing recipes with locally available ingredients. It must be sustainable to survive!

Ms. S…… has agreed to teach the microloan concept and business management to others for their own small businesses as she repays the loan for the oven from her profits. Two days ago she announced too many in the neighborhood she was making yeast bread and they could place orders a day in advance and begin purchasing. She has sold 5 loaves in the last 2 days. She will do a pizza fest on Saturday and invite 12 or more to come and taste her products. She also plans to take her products to the four local hotels and convince them they should order for their guests! She seems highly motivated ... rare here in Nepal!

The roads have been Bhund (closed) for the last 3 days so my fridge remains to be delivered.

The roads opened again this evening so many are traveling tonight. Several million believers from 75 Jzilla's (districts) are in route to Kathmandu for a huge showing. The Maoists are in charge of designing the new Nepali Constitution and believers want a voice so they are meeting for a 3 day rally in the heart of Katmandu to make their presence known and to ask for representation in the new constitution! This is huge! Please intercede for their safety, not only in travel, but during the rally with the high visibility from a hostile leadership in command.

Two nights ago at the start of the Bhund, I was walking back from the bazaar at dusk and was met on the road by about 100 M's running, shouting, and carrying flaming torches. It was a little frightening! But He is faithful and I am safe. I heard they set a few tires on fire to start their Bhund and let the community know they mean business!

We regularly claim Psalm 91 here! Please claim it with us and for us!

Hope this fills you in a little. So much to do! So little time!
Till all have heard!