The latest news from team in Nepal

Greetings dear brothers, sisters, and friends!

I am hurrying to write out the events of the last few days so you would know what's going on on our missions trip. After arriving in Delhi and having a little rest at the missionaries' house, we had brunch, since it was already 11:00 in the morning. Before breakfast, I gave Yuri and Tatiana the library of Christian books we brought. I told them of the sacrifice of the children from Children's Church in Zelenograd, since 2/3 of the amount the children gave went to buy these books. They were very glad and thankful, since for the last year, they have had almost nothing to read except material on the Internet. After breakfast, we needed to separate the things brought for ministry and take what we needed for Nepal. After 2:00 that afternoon, we headed out to “catch” a car and get to the station to head to Nepal. Taking our heavy things, we went out into the tumultuous city of 17 million people and 95 degree weather. All around were motor vehicles, cars, and trishaws (bicycle rickshaws or pedicabs), and for some reason they were all honking. The noise was incredible! It turns out that horns are used for several reasons such as oversized loads or to warn people that you are coming. There are no rules. Everyone contrives to get through first, and no one gets angry. Traffic police are non-existent, or nearly so. A motor-rickshaw is an enclosed trishaw. Sometimes they are unpainted, or the drivers are trying to make them comfortable for many passengers. All vehicles are quite battered, which is not surprising, because smaller collisions are not a problem. There are almost no new cars.

When we got to the train station, hundreds of porters and drivers were trying to get our attention. Porters are people in red vests but without a cart, as we know it. They simply have a specially wrapped scarf on their heads. Then the head is used to carry an unbelievable amount of luggage, plus they have their two hands, as well.

Leaving our things with our people, we went to the local marked to buy a few things and something to eat on our way. The market is a special story. Everywhere people, people, people, rickshaws, transportation, animals, all mingled together. A multi-colored crowd of buyers and sellers, and everywhere there is the smell of burning sandal wood (as incense). And all the sellers are under the influence of this burning sandal wood.

Upon returning to our luggage, we found out that the train on which we were supposed to ride to Nepal was to leave from a different station in Old Delhi. It would normally take 40 minutes to get to the other station, and only 20 minutes remained before departure. Our missionary, Yuri, began to inquire of all the possibilities, and the result was that we had to pay for new tickets on a train leaving in three hours from the station where we were.

There's a special procedure here for boarding the train. You have to find your car and get a place. We road “like kings” that time, since there was air conditioning in our car. Many cars had open windows and hundreds of people and suitcases. We had to pray a lot to get on that train and for wisdom for Yuri and understanding of God's will as to why our trip to India started out like this. But new adventures awaited us. We had a great time of getting to know the Indians in our train car, talking late into the night. They were very amazed and very open, even treating us to their home-made hot peppers, rice dish, and buttermilk. Natalya gave them some of our sunflower seeds and chocolate called “Inspiration.” Our journey took us through “real” India. Poverty, destitution, shacks garbage, ruin, and the same kinds of instruments and tools for labor as in the Middle ages, such as hoes and sickles. We saw cities, small towns, villages, fields, and people. Looking through the window, I prayed a lot for these people created by God for a different purpose – for the kingdom of heaven. But they live, or rather exist on this earth. What the absence of God can lead to in life! I need to point out that the people of India are hard workers, but their labor is very cheap.

After 15 hours on the road, we came to the last station, from which we needed to continue our trip to the border. We observed so many unusual things for us, while we looked for transportation to the border of Nepal. We ended up taking a public bus which was jam-packed full to overflowing until you couldn't push any more people in. All the luggage was just thrown up on the top, and we set out to the north on the loud dusty road. It's impossible to convey in words; it's something that hast to be experienced. In the middle of the trip, as we found out later, the engine overheated, and in a panic, the Indians started jumping out of the windows and trying any other method to get out of the bus as quickly as possible. At first, we thought there was a fire or maybe an inspection of migrant workers. After throwing water on it, everything settled down, and we were off again. It was already evening when we reached the border of Nepal, where we had to walk across the border. It was so hot! The luggage was heavy, and there were thousands of people trying to maneuver through the mess of traffic.

At the border, we needed to fill out customs forms, and a problem came up with Yuri and his passport. They didn't want to let him through. Much prayer, the expectation of 500 Nepalese rupees, and a gift from us, and the problem was solved. We were already with the pastor from Nepal and his friend. Having crossed the border, we were in bustling Nepal. We needed to buy visas and fill out all the documents. Only then, after loading our things into a real car with right-hand steering, we set out on a dangerous trip to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.

Pastor Puran was tired and we prayed for him to get us safely to our destination. Cars were driving along with no lights on till late evening. Having gone half way, a friend of the pastor invited us to have supper in his home town. There were only faint lights, since in Nepal, there is electricity only 8 hours a day. Re-energized, we continued our continued our trip. We will write about the food some other time.

It was already late at night, and our car kept climbing higher and higher on the treacherous winding mountain road. Then the pastor invited me to get behind the wheel. Our team began to deliberate whether that was a good idea or not. It was night, the road was dangerous, they drive on the right. We finally decided to try it, and God answered your prayers. We are alive and well. After dozens of hours on the road, we arrived in Kathmandu. My style of driving didn't give the pastor a chance to rest. He was worried, although he wanted to sleep so much. Sleep was snatched from him, as if by a hand.

When we got to the guest house, there was no light, so using flashlights, we got settled and tried to shower and go to bed. The roosters were already crowing, and we slept sweetly for 3 hours.

A new day, March 17th. We went to a children's shelter at a Baptist church in the mountains. I also participated in teaching leaders and pastors from churches in distant mountain villages. This was not a planned event. The ladies and Alexey put on a program for the 24 children. They did games, songs, a Bible story, crafts, a cartoon about David and Goliath, and much more. Natalia, Tatiana, and Anastasia worked well. Alexey helped a lot with the children and with audio and photo ministry. When it was already getting dark, we returned home, and ahead still lay a search for Internet. This is a problem in Nepal. Alex and I found it in a tourist region, working on a generator. We wrote letters and sent information and the video. Everyone sends their greetings. Your prayers are an irreplaceable support in the ministry. Thank you to each of you. We might be in touch in a couple of days. More wonderful works and blessings of God await us. We could not even imagine them without your support, prayers, and letters.

Pastor Pavel