Gabrielle - Teaching in Nepal

My team just taught our second lesson today. We had about 175 kids, much less than the first one, which was over 400! It's amazing to see so many people coming to worship. Having the ability to teach them is an incredible gift. The children are adorable and I'm learning so much about their culture. The long bus rides are definitely worth it to see their smiling faces. :)

When meal time comes, they feed you so much food! Huge plates full of rice, chicken, potatoes, and other things I don't know the names of. Also, Sprite, Coke, and Fanta are popular drinks.

Can't wait for what comes next!

Aaron...Bumpy Road

I've already been asked, "What's it like over there?" "How is it?" I find it hard to respond. We've been on a bus for about 30 hours in 3 days. I've ate food I never thought I'd eat and slept less than I thought possible. But for some reason I can't help smiling. What's it like walking into a church of 300 plus kids screaming our Saviors name? It's something you can't put into words. I'm currently enjoying an extremely bumpy bus ride where I'm supposed to be getting sleep. In five hours I start a hike where I once again will walk into a room of screaming children praising our Savior. So what is it like? Exhausting? Yup. Grueling? Yup. Humbling? Yup. Worth every painful bump on the road? Absolutely. 

Sent from my iPhone

Danielle Gerbitz...Saturday, July 15, 4:50 am

After 30 hours on a bus the last couple days, we finally got to teach yesterday! Those kids have the biggest smiles I've ever seen. The church where my team taught had almost 90 kids; we only expected 70! They were a delight to share God's message with and the pastors and Sunday school teachers were unbelievably welcoming. 

Even though we didn't get a chance to teach until later than planned, God's grace has been so apparent since Day 1. Our flight landed safely, nobody has gotten sick (yet), and on top of these blessings, we have a beautiful view every time we walk outside or look out a window. 

The lessons I'm teaching to the children here in Nepal include the story of creation. It seems so fitting that I have the incredible opportunity to teach these children about creation, when they get to see the best of it every day. I have never appreciated this earth more than I have while traveling through the foothills of Nepal, and I pray that I can leave that appreciation here with them and also take a new appreciation home with me at the end of this trip. 

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.

(Psalm 121:1-2)

In His service, 

Danielle Gerbitz

To the ends of the earth pics

To the ends of the earth pics

To the ends of the earth pics

To the ends of the earth

To the ends of the earth 

Friday morning, July 14 - At least it FEELS like the ends of the earth for our Nepal Mission helpers. We have arrived in Dang and Sirkhut after 30+ hours of riding on a bus. It wasn't planned that way, but a previous mudslide on the road made it too dangerous to travel by night, so we had long delays. Our young folks made the best of it, and the older fellows also soldiered on. In the photos, we're talking a walking tour around Mading, the place where the mudslide stopped us. 

The shower and bed were a very welcome relief last night! We have the morning to organize and prepare, and will be sharing God's Word early this afternoon with the children of the Dang and also in Sirkhut, where there is a Christian school. In order to make up time on our schedule, we'll be taking another overnight bus to meet in Chitwan for further outreach. 

... A few more pics to follow... 

Bus Rides and Proclaiming the Gospel

It's 3:20 am here in Nepal and we're all finally checked into our hotel rooms for the night.

After nearly 36 hours on a bus that was delayed by stand-still traffic jams caused by night time road closures due to landslides, the Mission Helpers have divided into two groups for the next day or so. The four teams will teach several hundred children the Good News of their Savior tomorrow.

Your prayers are much appreciated! Everyone is safe, healthy, and in good spirits!

Now it's time for a few hours of much needed sleep before teaching and another twelve hour bus ride tomorrow night.

Bruce...from Istanbul

Hello from Istanbul, Turkey. We gathered in the terminal after our 11 hour flight and had a prayer. We have a 6ish hour layover before our flight to Kathmandu. Most everybody got some good sleep.

<>< Sent from my phone

Bruce...from Chicago

Here's our group, ready to depart. Everything is going well so far, except that Anna Pavey's checked bag was lost on her flight to Chicago. Trying to track that down...

<>< Sent from my phone

Departure Day...

The following seventeen CLC Mission Helpers will be traveling to O'Hare airport in Chicago today for an evening flight on their way to an early Wednesday morning arrival in Kathmandu, Nepal:

Bruce Naumann
Grant Naumann
Anna Pavey
Shelby Schwab
Peter Reim
Danielle Gerbitz
Lydia Albrecht
Heidi Lau
Josh Ohlmann
Aaron Wilke
Drew Naumann
Sam Schierenbeck
Noah Ohlmann
Harley Bode
Hannah Stelter
Gabby Harris
Todd Ohlmann

Please pray for wisdom, love, compassion, and safety as the God’s Saving Word is proclaimed to throughout the central and northern foothills of Himalayan mountain range of Nepal.

Sent to Nepal...

On July 10th, sixteen Mission Helpers, from several CLC congregations, and I will board an east-bound Turkish Airline flight from Chicago at 9:40 pm. We will fly through Istanbul on our way to Kathmandu, Nepal where we will meet up with Raju and Rajan of the Himalayan Church of the Lutheran Confession of Nepal (HCLCN). Our stay in Kathmandu will be brief as we will be heading out into the Himalayan foothills (mountains to us) to spread the Gospel the next day. We will divide into four teaching teams and will follow a schedule that will take us to 26 different locations where we will have the opportunity to proclaim Christ to approximately 1500 children! The pastors on the trip will also have the privilege of sharing God's word with the pastors and Bible Institute students for two days of pastoral training seminars. 

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Your prayers are much appreciated!