airport bound

Friends,

While the seminars have been done for two days, still we wait to leave Kathmandu, Nepal. Our tickets were far more expensive to get an earlier flight out. So we dideiced to take the last couple of days and save a large pile of money.

This gave me time to preach in another church, where people crowded in by the thousand. They all take off their shoes at the door, and sit on the carpet (Persian rug style that covered everything) for the entire service. You can really pack them in that way.

When we arrived, the service had already begun. They ushered us in through a side door near the stage. then an usher came and brought me over to the sernior Pastor, whose was sitting on the floor up against the stage. every square inch of floor space was taken, making sitting there even more uncomfortable.

When I introduced myself, I asked in anyone had been to Gettysburg and 5-6 people raised their hands! One of them was from Strasburg, next to my home town of Gap. She/they are missionaries over here. after the service we met another young American lady who is working for the United Nations's Unicef children's program as an interpreter. She grew up speaking 5 or 6 languages, and could help them tremendously i that way. I asked her how she felt about the U.N. efforts to help children and she said it seemed as if most of the money was wasted, and far too little actually helped anybody. Sad. But we as a nation are U.N. drunk, and keep giving them millions to waste.

But that was Saturday. This is Monday morning. We have said goodbye to Johannes, and Peter, and Walter, all from SOS international. Our India host Asoken and his family are still here with us, and providing any help we need as useless foreigners. He is Johannes' man here i India, and has seen 160 churches planted under Johannes' SOS international ministry, with almost no financial support from Johannes. Their last report was almost 3000 believers in those churches, and growing so rapidly that they may hit 4000 by Spring!

This morning Asoken (pronounced ash-ol-ken) asked for a last sevrice with us, and insisted in washing out feet. This is an amazingly humbling event. It is also amazingly bonding.

So we cannot wait to get on that airplane and come home! We are packing, doing last minute shopping, and generally getting it all put together. In a few minutes I need to go down and pay our bill for the week.
Thank you all for making this possible financially. And for carrying us in prayer. We have been tested in many ways, but God brought us through and helped us all along the way. we have seen healing, salvations, and Pastors being healed. We hope and pray that every penny of value was used to the uttermost for His Kingdom.

Gerry