Hi. I'm Whitney. This trip has been different than i expected it to be. I came here with the intentions of focusing on sex trafficking. When i got here i was shocked by the poverty; it hit me hard. The street kids made me so angry because i didn't want to have to walk by them and hear their "Miss, one rupee, hungry". It made me uncomfortable. It made me so happy when Ranjit told us that we could take the kids to the park one day and hang out with them. This trip i have been having a hard time figuring out how to connect with the people here. I'm not Saxony, i don't jump into every situation and help out in whatever way is possible, I'm not holly, i don't love on everyone that is around me, and i'm not Rhoman, i don't start conversations with random people. I found out though that i am whitney, i love my camera, and i love sharing my camera with people. The day before i had shared my camera with the Kingdom Kids while we were at the soccerfield playing games, but sharing my camera with the Street boys was a little different. They're high and they are out of control and you don't know what to expect. At first i was really nervous to have them holding my camera-what if they run off with it, trip, fall and break my baby? Well, i got over it because it gave me so much joy to see these kids taking pictures....so...i've decided to share with you the photographs that these kids took (the first two are mine)

Raju and Phrabin

Shuni

B.J.

Ginesh

Today's experience, ones thought

My name is Rhoman Goyenechea and this is my first time to Nepal; though I have been to Kolkata, India the past two summers. My experience here in this region of the world is not new being in Nepal. Nepal is a very moderate form of Kolkata. In a way this place is a good way to prepare the rest of the group for the next stage in our journey since we will be leaving Nepal soon to go to Kolkata.

As a continuation of the blogs and journey of Nepal, today was another powerful day; not in the sense that people were being saved, but more in the sense that we all spent the day with the street kids. i am not talking about kids that simply live on the street with their families because they have no place but kids that have no one else but each other. these kids are hard. they age from 10 to 16. two days ago we met specifically with a man and his wife by the names of Ranjit and Sarah. Ranjit, spent some time telling his testimony. Ranjit's story was "out of this world" because it was so intense that I had to believe it was true. I say that because often times in my experiences back at home, someones divine encounter with God has never been so specific and intense. yes, i have heard amazing conversions but one quite like this one. Also in my experiences overseas, testimony's tend to be more gut-wrenching because western culture has allowed us to not depend on Him to sustain our wants and desires. i have said this before that in reality, we, western culture, can find ways to meet ends meet without Christianity or means of dependence because culture has made that possible. when i am over here, people are persecuted for being a follower of Christ so when they say that they believe they are not just talking the talk but walking it out. i have never been persecuted for believing what i believe let alone have to hide my faith. my struggle is not being comfortable but rather spiritual thirst and constant dependence on my Lord. i actually had a discussion with Ranjit about this explaining to him what i just wrote. Please ask who ever you know that is on this trip about his testimony because i could write for days. further in the meeting with Ranjit, he asked us of our availability; remember as was written the previous blog, all of us were debating a trip to Pokara, an outragiously beautiful place in Nepal, to work with some kids for a brief time, and travel would be possibly up to 8 hours by bus on unsafe terrain. Ranjit had answered many of our unspoken truths by planning out a few days of what he would like us to do for him. those were to build a garden for the princess home, take the kingdom kids out and play soccer with them, take the street kids to the park and feed them, and finally go to the dance bars and see his ministry there with girls that live this life by dancing for money.

i am going to focus on today's experience with the street kids. Street kids are some of the hardest around because they used to have family and now don't. there family is each other. the ones we were with ranged from 10-16 years of age. these kids sniff glue, smoke anything possible, inject (fix), you name it and they have probably done in. i have hard time connectin with street kids because what goes through my head is that they just want our money and food and dont want to change. for a lot of them, they feel like they dont have a choice because based on there faith, they deserve the life they have because of their past life. in the place where we are staying, it is a tourist section of kathmandu. these street kids are very manipulative in words to gain money and food from foreigners because we feel bad for them in their situation. i learn to have a hard heart because the more we give the more we allow them to depend on us foreigners for daily satisfaction. this will then perpetuate their stay on the streets. so what we do for them to help is to not do anything at all and allow people like Ranjit to minister because he knows the situation and can provide more than we can unless we stay for an extensive period of time which is a temptation for the future.

originally, Ranjit had a group of kids that he has been talking to for some time and was going to just take them to the park. the night before last, Kolt talked to some kids that came up to him asking for some money and food. He invited them to go to the park with you the next day, and they were interested. we ended up taking a bus load of kids to a big park where we played games, ate food, and sat around. there was also a little wading pool so the kids ripped their clothes off and went splashing in the water. it was one of those moments where i laughed at myself because it looks like we are impacting their lives but really we are simply being exposed to their struggles and daily battles for one day. i do think that is the first step in the right direction to want to have an impact on a person's life. we need to be convicted in hearts to want that change and reality.

these kids are buddy buddy at one moment and then wanting to rip each others head off the next because one will have glue to sniff where the other does not. we didnt try to take their glue away at anytime of the day because what does that do, nothing. on the bus ride over, i sat in the back with kids on my left and right. they were sniffing away like crazy, high as a kite and i just sat there in amazment and shock. looking at these kids, i saw ripped clothes, some have no shoes, jeans/shorts ripped, scars all over their body, and malnourished bodies. it is annoying to know that what we did that day may not have any affect or impact in their lives, but i also think that it was a powerful day for the group's exposure for a changed heart and world view.

on our way home we were waiting for our buses to pick us up, but we got word that there was a riot/strike in the city and that any mode of transportation would be burned down if caught in operation. Ranjit told us that we would need to march home with the kids. home was many miles away so we were in for a long hall. we passed by a fire in the road and i felt like i was in a middle of a warzone marching to safety. Ranjit explained to us that those walking were not in any danger because it was not about the people. So this may sound scary but in reality it was a sweet experience walking with the kids. some vehicles would operate and the kids would jump on the back to catch a ride. they had a blast doing this and i enjoyed watching them. finally vehicles were allowed to run again so we got a ride back home.

this day was a powerful day in unexpected ways. i believe it had impacted differently for each person in the group. as for me, this was a brief description as to what i experienced along with thoughts about it. peace be with you all where ever you are at.

hands, feet, words, attitude....

rhoman g

Ok here we go.

Listing things always work so well when someone is trying to describe a new place and a new experience. So here, I'll list a few things in hopes that you might be able to get a feel for what the heck is going on in our lives.

1. Street kids who beg you for money. we're staying in a real touristy area, called Thimal, and street kids love to come up to us begging for money. they claim it's because they're hungry and they want food, but the sad reality is, they want money for drugs and glue. mothers with babies do the same thing, holding bottles with water, asking money for milk. they usually just trade the milk right back in the store for money to buy drugs. this really bothered us as a team and for the last week we've really struggled with what to do. Saxony made a break through this evening as she struck up a conversation with some kids. Tomorrow we'll be going to the park to play with street kids and to cook and eat with them. It'll be an all-day event and we are all pumped.

2. the streets were obviously not made for cars, motorcyles, bikes, tuk tuks AND pedestrians, but they all seem to find their way through to their destinations. I get nervous about having a foot run over. i would hate to see what a car accident looked like here.

3. HELLO we're in a valley, at the base of the Himilayas and Everest and how could you not be blown away by the fact that we're in freaking KATMANDU. Every now and then someone will look around and remind the group that we're in nepal. WE'RE IN NEPAL!

4. I think it finally hit me that we were in another country when a person riding an elephant cruised down the street through traffic. Right after this, we witnessed a monkey trapeesing some cable wires.

5. The boys have this really beautiful opportunity to connect with the kids here as they play soccer and it's so sweet to watch the relationships form. It's even neater to watch Saxony play with the boys because it helps break stereotypes of women. Women here are so oppressed and, as a woman, it's easy to feel. The way they interact in public, the way they dress, the way they are treated by their husbands, families, etc. It can be a bit overwhelming. You wonder how humans could treat other humans that way...

6. The beginning of our trip was a bit ambiguous as we tried to get a feel for what we wanted to do and see. It's funny how God works through all situations, even the ones where we feel disconnected and divided. One morning a few days ago, our team couldn't decide if we wanted to stay in Katmandu or go out to visit some towns in rural nepal. By that afternoon, we had visited the Princess Home and felt GOD move. It was crazy. We all had an unspoken agreement form and fell into a unity that was indescribable. People were praying, feeling hopeful and overwhelmed with God and I think that is a powerful affermation to the trip and why we are here.

And why are we here? People have supported us with their hard earned cash and we get to experience and see and grow and at the end of the day, share with the world.

I think we are here to

1. Grow
2. SEEK
3. Find God
4. struggle
5. learn to love better
6. learn to love ourselves better
7. watch soccer
8. play soccer
9. listen to the stories of those who are suffering
10. be humbled
11. allow God to move us, break us, destroy our worldviews, and build us back up again.

We had some sweet women fellowship time today and heard the stories of a few girls who had been in oppresive marriages that ultimately led them to being incarcerated in brothels against their wills. We (the girls on our team) got to hear these stories as we washed their feet and gave them manicures and pedicures (don't ask me how we knew what we were doing, we just did it)

Seriously, there's so much more to say and describe: we visited another children's home which was started by a man named Vishnu. This man just blew my mind. He was one of those people who was obviously in LA-LA land with Jesus and I really just wanted to follow him around wherever he went. The children who lived with him (there were 48 at the time) all called him dad and the little ones especially had stolen his heart. We painted their walls and played with the kids.

Come to think of it, we've done quite a bit.

Here's what I think: this life we lead transcends economics, poverty and wealth, even maybe religion. Being Christ followers, we are called to love God and love others with everything we have in our being. I think we are trying to figure out what that looks like here and how does this then transform us for the rest of our lives.

Its a shift. Something weird is going on and I think it's the Holy Spirit and there's a healing shift that I love.

We'll talk more later.

Tekwaba.

I'm Back!!!!!!!!!! With everyone else!!! Oh Yeah!!

My, what can I even say. Well let me first start off by saying that I/we wanted to create a blog so that everyone who receives the individual emails from those whom they know, could come and see what all are writing. My hope is that this blog will be an opportunity for those who have decided to join myself in coming back to Nepal/India/Thailand, could write what is on their hearts and what has touched them in being here. It is my desire that this trip is based upon exposure through service and that through it, we are open to the challenges that being in another country so different from ours, will present to us.
We have been presented with multiple ministry opportunities through Tiny Hands Nepal and their affiliates, to the children and women of Kathmandu. Such opportunities such as creating a activities curriculum for children who are not given much opportunity to expand their creative thinking, thought process or ability to solve problems. Ultimately, without this type of education, their development as children is hampered. However, we have been asked to brain storm, write down, and create a curriculum for the orphaned children that we will be working with in order that those who are here in Kathmandu daily, may better serve their community. We have also been asked to help create and make a garden for a newly built house for women who have been rescued out of the sex industry in Nepal. At this house, there are approximately 10 women who live there. The house was just built by Tiny Hands and there is still a good amount of dirt that needs to be moved and hopefully made into a garden. For those who do play soccer, we are also thinking of doing some futbol training sessions with the kids here. It would be a great way to connect and have fun at the same time. Lastly, a great need for Tiny Hands Nepal is to research and find out about all the Sex Trafficking taking place in Nepal and write a report on it. This is to help the border monitoring stations that have been set up across the border. As far as many can tell, there are at least 10,00 Nepalese women trafficked a year. This does not even include all the inner country trafficking that takes place.
My hope with all of these opportunities is that we will be exposed, while at the same time, not so much coming in and doing our own thing, but helping the already existing organizations that are here permanently. Well, being that this is the first day that we are here, that is it for now. Again, we covet your prayers. Blessings to you all and may we all continue to do what it is that we believe our heart is leading us to do.

Kolt Callaway