The love of God.

Greetings! I pray the joy and beauty of God abounds. We had a most fabulous day of rest on Saturday! I know I've been here less than a week so you must be wondering from what I might need rest. Let's call it a sweet gift from God before we get to work!

One other intern joined us to start the day with a most intimate time of devotion. A bond of security and safety developed in our time together enabling the grace of honesty for struggles we all face along this journey. May the Lord continue to knit us together. Personally, the Spirit spoke the love of God into my heart. I still feel His kiss upon my cheek. We are here for Him--no other. We have come to serve and to obey so that the love He bestows in our vertical relationship can flow through our horizontal relationships. God's love is made complete when we love and serve one another!

I used to pray regularly for the opportunity to chase God from mountaintop to mountaintop (both literally and figuratively). For inexcusable reasons, that prayer became lost in the daily battle rhythm of the world. God is renewing this desire in my heart. In truth, it has already been renewed and is growing in strength and passion. Can you imagine a life chasing God: struggling up the mountain to meet His glory; walking carefully down the mountain and through the valley to testify of His love? Was this not the pattern He set with Moses? What joy and what breathtaking beauty!! I know that as I continue to chase God, I will turn around and see that He is chasing me. Surely this is the greatest love story of all time!

Later in the morning, a couple of us took a splendid walk into the next town (20-25 minute walk) to embrace the daily life of the Nepali people. Such joy in walking. Of course, the vehicle exhaust from crowded traffic is less than enjoyable! Many Nepali wear bandannas or face masks to relieve inhaling fumes. Traffic laws and regulations are rarely enforced. Perhaps they don't exist, I'm not sure! LOL! Pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcycles, rickshaws, buses, taxis, and personal vehicles all share the same road. Somehow it all works. I dare say we would rarely consider walking along or through moving traffic in the States, but this is Nepal. Granted, the speed of vehicles is never that fast due to poor, narrow road conditions and the number of people on the roads.

We, then, spent a leisurely afternoon at the American Club celebrating the 4th of July where one of the interns and our host family's oldest son (7) aggressively competed in a watermelon eating contest! So funny! The night ended with a fabulous meal of cheese and tomato sandwiches and a blended mocha from Himalayan coffee beans that rivaled Starbucks. I was most pleased with this treat!!

Regarding the best news ever, thank you for your prayers and support. We are going!! It's still tentative, but the effort is now afoot. Let's pray the way is paved before us to further relationships within the villages of the unreached in preparation for a harvest!

Oh--we discovered after our second night in the apartment that we may be sharing it with a small rodent. We're on the lookout!! I'm most distressed to say that my rival rodent and I are fighting over bananas! I'm not willing to share and I'm determined to overcome the little critter!