The Border and Beyond

 About two days ago my team and me left the city limits of Kathmandu, Nepal and began our 10 day journey out to the border towns of India, the city of Chitwan and Pokhara. We all loaded up on a bus for about a 130 mile trip that would take us between 5 – 8 hours due to the roads and the mountain terrain we would be driving through. The scenery was incredible y’all. It was such a fun adventure to get out of the city life and explore God’s creation. I have been enjoying every minute of this transition in our trip. The car ride was extremely long and we used squatty potties along the road sides as well as ate the local food from the food stands when we got hungry. As long as the ride was there wasn’t a dull moment with my team and God along for the ride. We have such a lively bunch and that is such a blessing. Each team mate of mine is so beautiful in the way that God made them. We were laughing, playing games, and telling stories the whole way. A few of the highlights from this car ride were getting to see God’s glory in his creation and also getting to hear one of my team mates testimonies. It is always such an encouragement to see how God seeks us out, finds us and rescues us from all that we cannot. I was reminded of how big the cross is and how good our God is to send us his only Son. WOW – JESUS.

As we approached the end of our road trip we finally had reached the India border but all the monitoring stations (where they check for traffickers and trafficked victims) were closed for the night so we found a lodge to stay in and needless to say it pushed all of us out of our comfort zone. I realized for the first time on our trip as our team leader prayed for us before bed that I needed to be thankful for having a roof over my head no matter what the conditions are. This lodge/hotel was the roughest conditions we had stayed in yet and I think more than the actual quality of the conditions, the idea and feeling of being on the border where over 10,000 girls are trafficked annually left me with a deep churning feeling in my stomach. The reality was y’all that a girl or multiple girls who had been trafficked more than likely stayed in the same room I stayed in that night. They most likely cried themselves to sleep and dreamed dreams that would never come true in the same room I slept in. That made my heart hurt and my spirit cry out to our Father. The weight of the issues we are learning about here are so heavy and something I definitely cannot carry by myself. After lots of prayer and telling stories with my room mate for the night my head hit the pillow and I rested in the Abba’s embrace.

In the morning we woke up and headed to the border monitoring stations and to the offices to visit and meet the real modern day heroes who are doing the ground work in this anti-trafficking movement day in and day out. After the long night and feeling the heaviness of the sex trafficking going on in this area I caught a glimpse of God’s glory in the morn. We ate breakfast up near the roof of our hotel/lodge and as I was praying and thanking God for keeping us safe and for lifting my burdens through the night I spied a beautiful green luscious tree and it was full of the most gorgeous spectacularly white birds I hadn’t seen ever.  I couldn’t believe there was such glory and beauty among all the brokenness and filth and horror in this town. It was as if the Lord was clearly reminding me that he was near and its in his hands. It was incredible to see the work they are doing and to hear their stories and struggles. I’ve never been more inspired. One thing that has been really really eye opening is that this work is not in the hands of westerners – it literally is the Nepali local churches who have teamed up with THI and are doing all the work on the ground and that is also the only way I could be effective. Yes – it’s been a bit of a humility lesson for sure – to realize that I can’t be the one out there on the field – I would draw too much attention and yes I am not as in tune with the culture and never will be as much as a Nepali person is. God is definitely using my gifts and the THI staff’s gifts to help operate the whole organization but it’s been really extremely eye opening to see how things really work and function.

After we wrapped up at the border half way through the day we headed on to our next city – Chitwan. This place is gorgeous. It is where some of the children’s homes are located and it is also home to some of the biggest national parks in Nepal. Yes y’all that means wild and beautiful elephants. My dreams are coming true. Had no idea but we get to ride elephants and do a bath session with them. I am officially loosing my mind. Its really awesome the joyful things that we get to do in the midst of learning about these really hard and oppressive things. I’m extremely impressed by the way the trip has been planed out and is perfectly balanced. God is good. Churh today – because they do church on Saturday’s here – was 3 hours long. It was mind blowing, all in Nepali (I have been taking Nepali language classes but not enough to understand the whole sermon haha). It was so wild to see the fire these people have for Christ. I am asking God to truly burn in me the way he burns in them. They never want to stop worshiping and never want to stop praying. Please Give me some of that God!! So encouraged by these brothers and sisters.

God is stretching me and teaching me so much. It really is so hard to put it all into words. The best way I can describe it maybe is through this vision God gave on the bus while we were traveling a day ago. As I was looking out the window there were all of these dried up river beds where the rocks had overtaken the land and the water had been sucked out. These rocks were left so thirsty for water and I heard God telling me that he is coming like the rain, he is going to saturate each and every dry river bed in my heart that I feel like he hasn’t touched yet with his love and grace. He is pouring out more and more of his spirit over me and revealing the depths of his heart to me and it will be like streams of living water that will flow in and through me and then in and through those I encounter – on this trip and in life always. I love God and all he is doing and all that he is. I know his heart is for me, it is for Nepal and it is overflowing. I am simply praying I have the capacity to soak up every drop.

"My heart heard you say, 'Come and talk with me' and my heard responds, 'Lord I am coming.' " 

-Psalm 27:8

I love y’all – thanks for your prayers and support. 

"And yet, O Lord, you are our Father, we are the clay and you are the potter. We are formed by your hand." - Isaiah 64:8

Pray that I would allow God to continue to mold and shape me here for his Glory and Kingdom. I long to be the work of his hands. 

Fight & Hold Tight

"But you, Timothy (Kaity), are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perserverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses." - 1 Timothy 6:11-12

A short update this will have to be. I don't have much time because I have had to spend this morning processing spiritually all God is throwing my way. Yesterday we went to play with slum children from India all afternoon. It was one of the most humbling and beautiful experiences that I have ever had with the Lord. A midst the slums there are these bright shining faces with these beautiful white smiles that bring hope. The kingdom belongs to these little ones that God has created. I think the hardest part after playing games and singing songs and praying with these little angels was to leave them and have to separate my heart from theirs.

Seeing these children left my heart with many questions and yearnings that I have been pouring out at God's feet. We must place so much trust in God's infinite love that he is taking care of these little ones and that he has plans for their good. I don't have much to say yet because I am humbled at how big God is and at how much I am learning about his character.

Needless to say God's beauty has left me speechless and so has the pain and sorrow I am witnessing.

Speechless.

So today as my heart is beating to see the Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven here in Nepal and India I will fight the good fight for the true faith. We belong to a kingdom that cannot be shaken and I am so thankful for that. I will hold tightly to God's hand which is ever leading me and ever comforting me. Please pray for my dear sister friends I met yesterday - Lakshmi and Santos - two indian girls from the slum.

Faith over fear are the words that God our Father keeps whispering in my ear.

In love and perseverance,

Kaity 

I'm in Nepal Y'all!!

Well the first thing I said when I finally hit the ground in Nepal was actually - "I'm in Nepal y'all!!" Couldn't get more western haha!!

I am incredibly grateful for each of y'all's prayers for me as I traveled to get here! It was the beginning of a wild journey for sure! The beauty is now I'm here - if you can't tell by my repetitiveness I'm still shocked that I'm here. God is so faithful to ring me to South East Asia so many years after putting this region on my heart years ago! I'm overwhelmed a his intricate plan for each of our lives and how he carries it out in every step! 

So far we have spent the week getting over our jet lag (I woke up a 5am this morn unable to go back to sleep), running around the city of Kathmandu, going to Nepali church, spending time in silence and solitude, praying as a team, worshiping with all the org staff, visiting Buddhist temples, and eating Nepali food. The first thing they really want us doing this week is immersing ourselves in the culture and getting to know and love our surroundings! It's been so awesome and surreal and overwhelming at the same time. 

The streets here are not real - they are full of dirt and pot holes and beggars and wild animals. The gutters are lined with trash and sewage. I just want to squeeze all children running around and my heart breaks for each one who needs a home or loving arms to rest in. So amidst all of this pain and brokenness this place is also beautiful. It's the living proof if how God makes beauty out if ashes. The colorful landscapes and the white smiles of the Nepalese locals light up the dark and dirty streets. There are these immense glimpses of Gods glory and his presence here that give my heart an extra beat and hope for all the hopeless here. 

I am so excited to see all God has for me and my team mates here! Our projects will start next week when we begin to travel to the children's homes and boarder monitoring stations! Right now I am just so thankful to see live how God is the father of all nations. 

Please be praying for my health - my stomach has been a little off, but it could be worse! Also pray for my team and our unity - it's incredible how divinely linked we all already are and how quickly we have bonded in the spirit! Also pray for The Lord to give me his heart and eyes for this country and its people so I can love and serve them wholeheartedly! Lastly pray that I wouldn't miss one opportunity to glorify God and that when I need comfort or feel scared that I would walk by the spirit and deny my flesh!

Thank you for following along with me! Thanks for loving me which empowers me to love others! You are a blessing to me! I miss you and I'm praying for y'all too! Until the next time I have wifi! 

Psalm 121, revelation 5:9-11, psalm 86:9-15, psalm 119:1&11 and 2 Timothy 4:17 are some of the scriptures I'm meditating on that I'd love for you to pray with me! 

Blessings and Love,

Kaity

Step by Step

Wow. If there is one thing I have learned over the past 24 hours it's we must walk with God simply step by step. In the midst of chaos and confusion or mixed up plans or maybe even missed flights to Nepal He is present and in every step. 

I'm pretty sure by now you all know one way or another that my travel plans did not go according to the original plan. I flew out of Washington, D.C. yesterday and missed my connecting flight with my team mates in Houston due to delays and such. This put me in Houston,Tx for a night by myself and running all over to try and figure out new flight plans. If you know me you know I'm a planner. I like a little bit of spontaneity here and there, but if I'm doing something or going somewhere I have a plan and I like it to work. The Lord laughed at that yesterday. After a long night and lots of prayers God has set my heart straight again and has taken me on a detour so saturated with his love and support. 

I am sitting here at the gate about to board in an hr and looking back just at the last 24 hrs can't believe how shook up I was by the mishap of it all. What's true is all I've been able to stand on in the midst of feeling stretched and challenged is God's unfailing love and truth in His word. Some of the scriptures he laid on my heart today in my hours and hours if rest are:

Isaiah 54:17; Psalm 94:14 & 18-19; Deuteronomy 31:6&8; And 2 Timothy 4:17

The two most powerful I will type out for you - 

"And remember your journey from Acacai Grove to Gilgal (D.C. To Nepal haha edited version), when I, The Lord, did everything to teach you about my faithfulness." - Micah 6:6

"Oh that we might know The Lord! Let us press on yo know him more. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of the dawn or the coming of the rains in early spring." - Hosea 6:3

"Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery if  tiny baby growing in its mothers womb so you cannot understand the activity of God who does all things." 

- Deuteronomy 11:5-6

As God lead me to read these verses throughout the day He clearly spoke to me and my distraught heart. He desires me to be desperate for him and to know his faithfulness deeply. His greatest longing is that I would hunger and know him MORE. He does all things and he does them for the good of those who love him. He is working in each moment and all of this flight mix up has lead me to realize I need to cling to him not just everyday but every moment. 

I have an odd feeling this is insane prep for Nepal and how life will be there. So many new ways of life and new things surrounding me will lead me to a desperate need to clog to God in each moment. Thanks Jesus. 

Haha so maybe God is teaching me a lesson - maybe God is just being God and maybe the world is just messy. Whatever it is He is here and He is near and I am clinging. 

Thank you for your prayers, thank you for your encouragement in the midst if my doubt these past 24 hrs. I'm so grateful for the support God has shown me through y'all! Couldn't do it without you! Until next time!!

In Christ's love,

Kaity