Lecture Phase: Check!

Wait, what? Lecture phase is over? As in I have lived in Vegas for 11 weeks now and it is time for me to leave? It all began 11 weeks ago when I was picked up by complete strangers, got in a white van with them, and allowed them to drive me into the ghetto. Yet it has been one of the greatest choices I have ever made. Some how I do not mind the constant traffic, the profanity yelled in the night that wakes me from my sleep, I do not mind the lights always aglow, I do not even mind the disgusting cockroaches in the kitchen. But now it is time to leave.

In a satsung. This is the way we will be worshiping together
in a way that is most comfortable for their culture.

This past week we had a semi-normal scheduled. Our base director, Martin, was our lecturer. This week focused all on being prepared for outreach. We had chai at Martin's house and focused on team building. We discussed characteristics we desired to see in our community such as communication and accountability, and things we did not want to see such as exclusiveness and complaining. We practiced telling Bible stories in more of a story format, the way we will be presenting the gospel over there. We practiced face painting, doing nails and making balloon animals; we practiced skits, intercession and talking about proper hygiene in child friendly ways.

Monday we fly out of LAX around 10:30 p.m and arrive in Guangzhou, China around 5:40 a.m Wednesday morning, a 15 hour flight.We have a 3 hour layover then fly from Guangzhou to Kathmandu, Nepal, only a 5 hour flight. That is a lot of hours that I will be sitting and not seeing the outside.

The DTS group. We celebrated Christmas on
base together because we will not be together
for the actual Christmas.

Prayer requests:

• Favor with the governments of Nepal and India, we have yet to acquire our visas.
• Health. Spirit, mind, body are so interconnected, when we are physically off balance, all other areas of our life will follow suit.
• Joy. We will be in the airport a long time. Please pray we will find joy and have fun together.
• For a cultural understanding. No one in our group has been to Nepal, we do not know the culture, language, or norms. 
• No fear. We will make mistakes. Please pray as we love people in the airport and in Nepal we do not fear making mistakes or loudly proclaiming the Gospel.
• Remembrance of God. Not our will, but His be done. This is a hard one to keep in mind.

Am I ready? I do not know. 2 Corinthians 3:2,3 says we ourselves our the letter of God, written on our hearts by the Spirit of the living God for everybody to read. My story is within me. My God promises never to loose me. My Abba told me He has my name iengravedon the palm of His hand, He has a plan and purpose for my life. Everything we as a team need to be successful is within us. The Bible begins in Genesis 1:1 with God and ends in Revelation 22:21 with the grace of the Lord Jesus. As long as we go out remembering we begin and end with the Lord, our stories begin and end with the Lord, our ministry, this world, other's lives, all begin and end with the Lord, we will be find joy in whatever God takes us through. I count it a blessing that God would use my life for His glory. I do not know what to prepare for. But I am expecting to see miracles, see healing
and lives transformed by the Gospel. I am expecting a revival of purpose in others' lives. I am expecting to be overwhelmed and be in awe of who my Creator is.

God has given me a heart for the city, now it is time I allow Him to give me a heart for the nations.