Beauty all around me

Pokhara, Nepal, with a cement ping-pong table.

Well hello everyone!

Our team got back from Nepal and Goa last week (April 3) , and we're preparing ourselves for another short adventure to a southern state of India, called Andhra Pradesh. We'll be getting some exposure and speaking at some Mennonite Brethren churches down there.

In Goa, we had a lot of fun doing childcare for the missionary families as they had meetings. But we got plenty of time to relax and actually be tourists for a while too. The beaches and sun were just beautiful and I had forgotten how much of a sucker I am for the water. I just love being in God's creation so much, and praising Him for letting me enjoy it in this life! In the book of Psalms, chapter 29 says,

"The voice of the Lord echoes above the sea.
The God of glory thunders.
The Lord thunders over the mighty sea.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is majestic...
The Lord rules over the floodwaters.
The Lord reigns as king forever.
The Lord gives his people strength.
The Lord blesses them with peace."

You know that feeling when you're sitting in front of the ocean watching/listening to the waves, and you feel so incredibly small? This psalm makes me feel that same way when I think about God's strength. And yet he gives us his strength when we trust that he can...wow. That kind of strength--the kind that makes the ocean move around--blows my mind.

Another one of my favourite parts about being there was riding a motorized scooter around, getting to observe some non-touristy areas of the state. There are salt fields all over, cool Catholic churches, and just amazing beaches. I found out later from the men who rented the scooter to me, that I was supposed to have had my biking license. Oops, but ignorance is bliss....and probably really dangerous. I also got opportunities to hang out with locals a lot...just to chat outside of their shops and listen to them talk about their families and religions (Islam, Hindu, Catholicism...they're all here). Not many things beat just hanging out in my opinion.

Our Visa run in Kathmandu, Nepal ended up being a nice blessing from God. We were hosted by an absolutely amazing family who owns a Christian Publishing company there. Our stay was extended because the Indian Embassy apparently really takes its time with foreigners' Visas, so we got to visit a little bit more of the country. We took a 7-hour bus ride to a city called Pokhara, a beautiful city with a lake and mountains all around. I felt very much at home there. I called my mom on her birthday from there, and she told me over the phone that she was in that city 16 years ago (when I was in grade 1), so that was really cool for me.

Easter was this past weekend and we spent it with the Klassens and Oommens, as well as with the church that we've been going to. Everyone in India seemed to know that it was Good Friday (because they get the day off work), but hardly anyone knows what Easter is let alone what it means. I got to explain the meaning to my Bollywood-agent friend and she came to some of the celebrations with me so that was a lot of fun. Please continue to pray for the relationships that we've built here.

I'm so glad that we still have two months left here (June 2nd we land in Vancouver!). I just know that God has amazing things planned for us in our last months, otherwise we wouldn't have gotten our Visas renewed. God still has work to do, amidst our thinking about our plans for the summer and beyond. I just wait in expectancy and trust that Jesus will make my path straight. What a joy it is to know that my Father in heaven walks beside me each day. He is all I need.

God bless,

Bethany