::Backlog:: Nepal-Kawasoti Day One

January 15, 2010

To my dearest brother Caleb, and my good friend Josh,

You two are people that I spend a significant amount of time wishing I could be like. And I wished again today.

I know in a way you both know the feeling, the feeling of high because something is new—the joy in seeing people differently. That’s the feeling I have today.

It’s our first day in Kawasoti, we arrived last night and woke this morning to something new. New room, new people, new breakfast table, new coffee, new thoughts, new cold weather, new definition of time.

It’s crazy what all has gone on today. Like how cold the showers were this morning. And how weird it is to have to walk to an Internet café to be able to check Facebook—if it will even load. Sometimes it doesn’t, or there’s not electricity. Either one.

Then there are how many people I met today, and how many of them looked at me with big eyes as they sat on the floor, men on one side, women on the other, like I had something important to tell them. When the conference stared they welcomed us with so much hospitality, putting lei’s around our necks, and huge ‘winner’ nametags on our jackets. We were even given chairs to sit in. I felt so different.

That’s when it happened. That’s when I started wishing. I wished I could go up to those guys who were my age and say hi, I wished I wanted to talk to people. I wished to be the same and have to sit on the floor. I wished for the courage to just go and sit on the floor.

I will always be amazed at how you, Josh, can make someone feel like a million dollars because you care enough to give a 30 second amount of time that makes people know they have a friend in this world. I will always stand in awe of how cool it is, Caleb that you can make people feel so comfortable around you they forget 11 hours and 45 minutes and several thousands of miles separate you. And for both of you, I wish I could see people so much for who they really are, I would choose to love no matter my own fears.

So tonight when we went on a walk to this great little café and drank the best Nepali tea and I failed epically at talking to and encouraging our host, I thought of you guys. If I could pick the courage of two people in this world, I would pick yours. And if I could ask for a bigger heart I would ask for the heart you guys have.

I miss you both today.

Alana

::Backlog:: Nepal-First Day in Kathmandu

Dear Shep,

Today is my first day in Kathmandu. My eyes have been opened. Again.

As I was riding through the city I was thinking of you. Kathmandu is a complete haze. Smoke and dirt make up the air we are breathing. When we got out of the airplane and through the airport we all shoved into this little tiny van that was suppose to sit seven. It instead had ten.

Driving through the streets I could just imagine you looking through the windows asking questions.

Why do they wear all the same clothes?

Oh I bet it would be cool to lie down and fix a car RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD! Don’t you?

I like this kind of driving…good gracious when are we going to get out of this traffic jam?

How much honking can people do?!?

Did you see how close we were to that little girl? She was almost in the middle of the road!

Oh my! The dirt here is worse than in a tractor!

I could see you wanting to reach out to the people we saw today. I could see you kind heart going out to the old men who were walking along the streets with cement rocks in baskets hanging from their heads. I could see you wanting to jump out and play with the children who were laughing as the sorted trash or jumped rope. It wouldn’t matter what cast they were from.

And when we got to the church, my Nepal home in a way, you wouldn’t have waited to play with the orphans. Not even until dinner was over, and a trip into town to the Internet café was done, and money was exchanged, and a Hindu priest told “No! I don’t want you to put daisy dust on my head!” and material bought for native clothes.

Because your heart is still tender. Your compassion is still much like Jesus’. And there are more than just a few days that I wish I could see through your eyes.

I love you little Brother. You inspire me to be more like Jesus. Thank you for that.

'Lana

It's Eight Months till My Birthday...

...Not that that matters very much just a fact.

I've been horrible at keeping this blog updated. But this trip has indeed been amazing, the God kind of amazing.

*Hopefully* over the next several weeks I will be able to update by putting up some of my journal entries. I'm really a horrible blogger.

But for now I will leave you with a few precious pictures of my time in Nepal. And soon very soon I will *hopefully* add more of Singapore and Philippines.

Which I will be leaving in 3 hours to fly to the Philippines, so maybe I should just upload the pictures and call it a night. [I also must finish packing--Imagine that Mom ;)]

And since I messed up the format and am tired I shall just leave this post like this. I'll change it later. :)

:SINGAPORE:

Yep I'm [we're] having fun.

Check out the team blog for more updates than I can put here.

NepalTeam2010

Muah!

lans

Of What is Coming

See I said not to expect too many updates. Oh I'm trying to get better, but I haven't gotten very far :)

Over the last week and a half my life has gone insane. Well, more like it went insane and then almost straightened it's self out. But as exciting as that was, (and yes, I'm going to be writing about it, I'm just not done yet.) what is coming is so much more EXCITING!

Nepal is 17 days away! I know so many of you are praying for me, but if you would like to do more for this trip, I have an option for you. Over my time in Taiwan, my team and I collected quotes that represent memories that are hard for us to tell about in person, yet are so amazing and wonderful. Since I've been home I've compiled some of those quotes for you all to enjoy.

If any of you would like to support this trip financially you can click on this link. It will lead you to a place where you can order a copy (or more) of this book.

-alana