Learning to Adjust to a Fluid Life and Ministry

A time of reflection, we have been in Nepal for 18 months. At times this seemed an eternity, and at others, a small window of time. Wendy has taken the opportunity to write most of our blogs, handled all of our accounting and she has done a great job. I just want to take a minute and appreciate her, Wendy, I'm so glad we are on this journey together. I would not be here without you. You push me to be a better man and keep me from making a mess of things,  most of the time.  Sometimes I still get one past you.

As most of you know, I'm the adventure type who loves to drive up mountains and see and meet the people in hard to reach villages. These past 8 months have looked very different from that, I had to stop doing the part of the job that I was comfortable with and try to recreate a MicroFinance program, which is an amazing tool that God has used with us in Nepal and hope that this increases 100 fold. I'm extremely excited about our new program. Wendy and I, along with Peter, just finished developing the Official ServeLife HOPE Fund Operations Manual! I just can't get over how amazing my wife did with this part of the work, she stayed up many nights and put hundreds of hours into this. This is definitely a strength that she has, and I am so glad that she put up with me during the creation of this. I know I can be hard to work with but we are learning to work together very well.

So today starts the next chapter of our adventure. After all of the new documentation is approved and complete, around January 15th, I get to start heading back out to the villages again, so we are getting the vehicle ready for rough travel again, and forming plans. Our new procedures have us doing a 6 day class with 2 groups of 5 people each. I am going to have the opportunity to spend more than I ever have in a village at one time. Spending up to 2 to 3 weeks at a time. Should be a blast and a challenge as I will find out fast my need to learn more of the language. My new partner Peter Ghimire and I are extremely excited to be going back out on the field. We thought that I might be able to turn over the HOPE Fund after 2 years, but it feels like we are just getting started with a completely changed program.

Peter and Lazarus have asked us to stay longer to assist them further, but we will have to see what God's plans are about this. Wendy and I are open to the idea of staying as long as we are needed, and doing more good than harm! Please pray for us that God gives us a clear path forward. If we do stay on, we will be praying and seeking a new vision and a new commitment.

ServLife International has been great to us, and we want to thank them for every opportunity they have given us, also giving us grace when we slip and sound advice during difficult times. They are truly a fantastic organization, really making a difference.

Just wanted to say a special thanks to our Home Church, LifeBridge Cypress, as well as their mother church St. John's Lutheran, you have helped make sure that we are well cared for. Thank you for your love for us and the peoples of Nepal. We believe what we are doing here is eternally important, and you are all a huge part of that as well.

The View from our Rooftop, feel free to come visit!