October 22nd 2008

Suman is a 12 year old boy who attended our conference in Kathmandu. He was one of the most attentive and enthusiastic 12 year olds i have ever seen. He was so excited about the conference and was so hungry to hear and learn from God's word. He was a very prolific guitar player, and played both the guitar and the drums on the worship team. He was such a joy to watch. When Suman and i began to talk and get to know each other, i found out that he was an orphan living at a Christian children’s home. He wants to finish school and go on to Bible school and Seminary. When i asked him if he wanted to be a pastor he smiled and said "No way, i want to be an evangelist here in Nepal!" What a great heart. During Tom and i's break out sessions he was always the first to find the passage and the first to volunteer to stand up and read in front of a room full of 75 pastors from all over the Kathmandu valley. His passion for God and His desire to grow in his faith was so inspirational. It was also a huge encouragement to know that this is the future of the church here in Kathmandu.



Roshani is in her mid thirties and was working at the hotel coffee shop where we had breakfast every morning. She would welcome us with a big smile every morning and in her best attempts at english, would serve us our tea and coffee, and make sure our breakfast was perfect. i was able to get to know Roshani a little bit as we would chat each morning. It turns out she is the mother of a 14 year old boy and an 8 year old daughter. Her husband died 3 years before from complications surrounding a massive drinking problem. The pain was still fresh as her eyes filled up with tears recounting the circumstances surrounding his death. The result is she had to get a job to raise her children. She begins work at the hotel at 6 am having already prepared food for her children prior to coming to work. She would then work until 3 or 4 pm and then head to her college classes. She desires to get her BA so that she can get a good job guiding westerners up into the mountains. After school she has to get home and feed her kids, and study before heading to bed and starting all over again. She has Thursdays off however, but she says that she is not able to celebrate her day off like in my culture, but rather spends that day cleaning her room (house) and washing (by hand) her clothes and her children’s clothes. If time permits she will study some as well. All this for about 2500 Nepali rupees per month. (about 35 bucks!) She confessed that in the mornings she prays to her gods and asked them to help her, but she does not think they hear her and sometimes she gets angry at them. Each morning i would read my Bible during breakfast and she would ask about the book that i was reading. i had an opportunity to share with her the good news of Jesus Christ, that He is the God who hears the cries of His people. i was able to get a Nepali Bible from Shanta and give it to her before i left. i highlighted some passages for her to read and she has been reading her Bible every morning before work and is really enjoying what she is reading. i hope to get her connected with the pastor in Kathmandu and am very excited for what God is doing as He draws her to Himself.



Laxmi and Puja were two girls that i wrote about from last January. These two girls were hustling tourist on the streets at night, asking for money and food. I sat down on the curb with them and asked them what they really wanted/needed. They said that they needed rice for their families and that they both really wanted to go to school but could not afford it. I sent out an e-mail to you all and asked you to pray about getting involved. Within hours i had received an e-mail from a Sandra, a supporter and friend from California. She said she wanted to help and sent money for these two girls. Well, good news!! i went to Pokhara for a day and was able to go back and visit the mothers and get an update on how they are doing. Both of them are in school and doing very well. One of them even has a job working at her aunts restaurant during her vacation time.



These are just a few of the little snapshots of my last few days in Nepal. There are soo many things that God is doing that fill my heart with joy. He is moving in the lives of these people and raising up indigenous leaders who have a strong passion for His word and a vision for their country. There are also so many hurting people who have been blindly following false Gods. One woman i spoke with in Pokhara prays in front of a big picture of Ganesh, a hindu deity. She says that she doesn't believe in him anymore. She says that she prays to him and he does not help her and sometimes she spits on him, which one could plainly see from looking at the picture. They need to know the power that comes from the ascended Christ who sits at the right hand of the Father and is interceding on behalf of His kids. They need to know HIM! So we will continue to take the message of Christ to the people of Nepal, and so will Suman, and pastor Raj Kumar, and Shanta, and the Peak Team this coming January. Please continue to pray for us as we continue to serve in a place that is ripe for the harvest. Pray for Suman, that he would continue to grow stronger each day. Pray that Roshani and her entire household would come to know the God who listens and who desires to bless those who seek Him. Pray for Laxmi and Puja, that through Sandra's generosity and the prayers of all of us, that they would find a relationship with Jesus and irresistible draw.



There is so much more i would love to share, so maybe next time we see each other we can share stories of God's faithfulness over a good cup of coffee. Till then i will continue to share via these updates and begin to add to the blog on my web site.

Again know that non of this would be possible without your prayers and support. You are fulfilling the great commission through your commitment, your prayers, and your generosity. May God bless you all, and thanks so much for listening and for doing!



peace,



scotty brown