Reminiscings from the Roof of the World
Sabbath
Saturday, March 4. After a great sleep Holly, Vivian, and I woke up refreshed and excited for the day that lay ahead. It was a glorious spring day in the Kathmandu Valley with sapphire blue skies and snowcapped mountains rimming the city. Soon Christians would be gathering as Saturday is the weekly day-off in Nepal. Leona and Mr G. came to pick us up from the guest house. Since I didn’t have South Asian clothing I was nervous about being appropriate, so as we climbed into the SUV I asked Leona if my above the ankle length skirt and shirt were okay. To my relief she assured me that our clothing was fine.
The church was quite large and when we arrived a crowd was already gathered. As we approached the door we spotted enormous piles of sandals and shoes outside the entrance. Culture dictates that shoes are never worn inside the house, places of worship, or anywhere that uses the floor for seating. I find it to be a reasonable practice; people walk most everywhere and the roads and paths are often muddy and always inhabited by animals so shoes are unclean. I must admit that anytime I left my shoes to enter a public building I was always a bit nervous about finding them on the way out, but they were always there waiting for me and that day would be no different. Incredibly it is very unusual for someone to lose shoes left by an entrance. Inside about 2500 people were seated shoulder to shoulder on exotic, red carpets, men on the right side and women on the left, with 500 more worshipping from outside. Another 1000, those under the age of fourteen, had been taken home after Sunday School because there was not room for them to be seated in the main service.
The service was wonderful, stirring, and in many ways much like what I was used to: worship, prayer, teaching, happy fellowship among believers. There were also differences. I had never seen such jubilation in celebrating the Presence of the One Who has set us free and promises to walk with us every moment. Everyone was participating, singing loudly with many dancing joyously in adoration of the God of Love, Who forgives freely and welcomes all no matter caste or tribe or family or background. I recognized the melodies of some of the songs as translations from Western hymns and choruses; other music had a Nepali flair. Vivian, Holly, and I were given earphones so we could listen to the teaching translated into English. The sermon was excellent. The pastor spoke about idolatry, Elijah and the prophets of Baal, and gave three steps to bringing down the “fire of God”. I felt humbled to the core to be worshipping with such vibrant followers of Jesus who very well understood what it meant to suffer for their faith.
After lunch we were invited to their Youth Aglow girls’ meeting where we were asked to speak. After games, snacks and conversation, and praise and worship we each shared a word with the girls and I spoke from Psalm 139. Once again the girls were totally involved in the meeting. The joy, laughter, hospitality and friendliness was extraordinary.
Dinner was again at Robby’s house: dal bhat, vegetables, and chicken. Again delicious! Normally Nepalis eat with their right hand and no utensil but because they had guests everyone was using a spoon except Robby. Leona explained this cultural eating practice to us and said that Robby never used a utensil because the food tastes better with the hand only. At the time I judged that as just perception. But now after having eaten many meals with my hand I agree. The metal spoon changes the taste of the food kind of like an aluminum can changes the flavor of a Coke.
The two Daniels were also there, Daniel G. and Daniel L. Conversation was full of laughter as both Robby and Daniel G. were jokesters. Towards the end of the meal the conversation turned to our time before the arrival of the full team from Alaska. Robby started explaining to Daniel G., who would be our leader for those days, the speaking engagements he had planned for us. Realizing that he hadn’t understood the purpose of our early arrival I explained to him that we had come to prayer walk the circuit that the full group would trek. Daniel G. looked VERY surprised. I was thinking, “He was not expecting to walk that trail twice in such a short time!” I knew that It would be difficult for all of us and I knew that God would have to empower us to do it. (I have never been athletic and in all of my preparation I hadn’t thought much about preparing for walking endurance! Oops!) But I did not want to miss reaping the results of praying over the area where the team would be ministering! I desperately wanted to see what God would do through us. Thankfully they were very open to accommodating what we felt was God’s direction for our trip.
As we drove back to our guest house, Kathmandu was in celebration. Everywhere there were bonfires and people smoking marijuana. It was Shiva’s day. The contrast to the glorious day we had spent in worship and community in the Presence of the Almighty was stark. It was a jarring reminder as to why we were there. As I went to bed vivid in my mind were the faces of two boys I had seen the previous day at Pashupatinath with one of the sadhus whom people had come from all over to worship. The two boys, faces painted with colored powders, were sitting near the holy man who appeared to be sleeping. “It is a travesty,” I thought, “they don’t know that there is a better way.” And I fell asleep praying for them.
My evening prayer was, “Lord, please show us what You would have us to do. Please give us wisdom, discernment, direction, and insight. Let us be able to hear Your voice clearly. Please guide each step. Without You we can do nothing!”
“‘For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?” — Romans 10:13-14 NLT
Coffee, Tea, and Reverie 
I was very interested in the shoes being removed. I have never been able to walk without shoes, more so now with the movement disorder that I have. I am sure the Lord would help me if it was a custom.
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Yes, He would. However the Nepali people are very gracious and would allow your shoes without making you feel a bit uncomfortable. 💕
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