What I learned in Nepal

Gambles Newsletter                                    06/02/16                                 Volume 2, Issue 15 Pix 1.  eMi Intern Berlin explains a design concept to the ministry leader, KB 2.  Chad and Berlin are testing the soil at the site - Starbucks gift card to the first person who responds with the absorption rate of Sandy Loam soil 3.  eMi Associate Staff Dan and ministry leader KB are reviewing the design 4.  We were told that the hand well was not working correctly.  Chad had to test it out.   5.  At the end of the week our team presents our recommendations.  This is eMi Staff Architect Madhulika reviewing the proposed building plan. 6.  The sun is shining in India and Nepal!  Temperatures have reached 115 degrees!  Another Starbucks gift card to the one who tells us the hottest recorded temperature in Delhi.   The Mountains of Nepal Nepal is the home to Sagarmāthā, a beast of a mountain that remained unconquered until 1953 when Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzig Norgay summitted the highest peak in the world - Mt. Everest.  As I found out last week, Nepal is home to many mountains - both physical and spiritual. Two weeks ago I had the privilege of spending a week working with Gospel Assembly Nepal.  In the mid 90's God called Pastor KB back to his home town to share the peace and love of Christ with them.  His background in teaching and the communities desire for an English speaking class meshed into what is today called Sophia School.  However, many mountains needed to be summitted in the journey to the current day Sophia School. When KB arrived in his home town he had 500 Rupees (~$5 USD) available to rent a house.  A small house became available, but the landlord wanted 5,100 Rupees down payment plus 1,700 Rupees per month.  KB prayed and offered the landlord the 500 Rupees he had - the landlord accepted and the first mountain was summitted! The school began to expand and KB needed additional money to rent a larger place and outfit the school with supplies.  He estimated that the need was 10,000 Rupees.  Again through prayer and reaching out to friends he was able to get a loan to cover the expenses.  The school was so popular and so many students came that he was able to repay the loan within 6 months!  The next mountain had been summitted! After the school was operational KB received a number of offers from other ministry leaders to stop the school and "do real ministry".  These offers brought bigger salaries, a stable future and even national leadership positions.  KB firmly believed that God had called him to start the school and he was seeing great benefits to the students and the local community through the school.  He resisted these offers and kept growing the school.  Another mountain - one that tested his calling - was summitted! Today the Sophia School is one of the best schools in all of Nepal.  Government officials require new schools to tour Sophia and meet with KB before starting their school.  Students at Sophia consistently score top marks in the national standardized testing and the community is begging for KB to expand the school to provide higher education to the students (currently the school is just through Grade 7). The eMi team that I lead was tasked with charting the course for KB to summit yet another mountain - the addition of a classroom block to allow the school to expand to Grade 12.  After a week of meetings, touring the campus and meeting the students and teachers we developed a plan showing the way to the next mountain top.  KB and his team are now marching towards that next mountain... Thank you for your prayers regarding the heat in Delhi.  We had a few days of rain and cooler temperatures!   The Indian staff here have all applied for a US visa to come to the World Staff Conference this August in Colorado.  Of the three, 1 was accepted.  1 more, Jonathon, has another interview/application coming soon. Please pray for its acceptance, but even more, pray that the immigration officer would be kind and not rude as they often seem to be. PRAISE!! Nathan got his 10 year, multiple entry visa for China!! He'll leave India by himself in just 6 weeks.  He'll stop and see some friends of ours in China for a month before heading back to Sacramento and off to college.  Please pray for all of us as we let go and trust God to take care of each other. Airline miles for up to 8 airline tickets (mostly between DIA and SMF) (4 have been taken care of!) Gas cards (we'll be driving ~15,000 miles) Restaurant gift cards a car to borrow either from CO or from CA, that you don't mind us putting 15k miles on. One time financial donation (click on give link below) Housing for 5 in CoS, CO and Roseville, CA Underlined & Italicized Items are provided for. Thanks for making this happen!  You guys are the BEST! Miriam's Massages (or was that messages?) You know that kids say the darnedest things.  Here you will get a few funny quotes from our kids. Have you ever listened to the things your kids say when they are playing video games?  It's hilarious! "I just need a mushroom!" Now why can't they say this at dinner time? "First, let me buy bombs, Moses, then you can play." "OW!" Mind you that this is yelled while sitting quietly in a chair. "I've been trying to escape from jail for a month now." This in no way indicates the type of household we run. :) Moses' Corner Kick One of the most important things in the world is friendship. In the beginning of my stay in India I really struggled getting good friends. Now I have some. One of my friends, Aaron, is from Texas and he is a great person. I am older than him by a few months. One of my other friends, Uttkarsh, is Indian. He gets on my nerves sometimes because he texts me so much. I have made friends with the Indian kids at the park who I play soccer with. I am known around the neighborhood because I am good at soccer.  I probably won't see any of them after July 27th, but I value my friendships in this moment.