Det har hänt en hel del den senaste tiden!
Kolla vår hemsida. Där står allt du behöver veta för att hålla dig uppdaterad.
/Andreas
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Monday, June 3, 2013
Latest news
We are having our boardmeeting this Saturday. So far we have heard nothing but good news out of Nepal. On the agenda is also the name of our NGO (förening) and some issues relating to the orphanage in Nepal.
The spring has been really challenging and inspiring. We have been able to meet the need for every month, even the unexpected move to a new school with all the fees involved with that. The children are doing well and the Khadka family is also doing well.
Stay tuned for more updates and let us know if you have suggestions for fundraisers or info-meetings.
The spring has been really challenging and inspiring. We have been able to meet the need for every month, even the unexpected move to a new school with all the fees involved with that. The children are doing well and the Khadka family is also doing well.
Stay tuned for more updates and let us know if you have suggestions for fundraisers or info-meetings.
Monday, May 6, 2013
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Get ready for our new website!
As you may have noticed the pacae of this blog has slowed as of late. This is not because of a lack of interest or activity. It is simple because we have been working on our new website.
We are almost there and are so excited to share it with you. It will offer a clean, simple and hopefully interesting center for everything that has to do with our project in Nepal...not to mention many different ways that you can give your donations.
Stay tuned and keep us in your prayers.
/Andreas
We are almost there and are so excited to share it with you. It will offer a clean, simple and hopefully interesting center for everything that has to do with our project in Nepal...not to mention many different ways that you can give your donations.
Stay tuned and keep us in your prayers.
/Andreas
Friday, March 29, 2013
Funds are coming in!!!
As you can tell by looking at the "thermometer" on the right we are working on raising $2000 per month to cover everything for the children's home. We are confident that this is more that what is needed for the 30 children but we want to not only raise the support that funds their basic needs but also what is needed to develop and improve the children's home.
and...
...we have raised $345 dollar in monthly support!
This is outstanding and we are so thankful and excited that people want to join us in helping these children.
Thank you so much!
/Andreas
and...
...we have raised $345 dollar in monthly support!
This is outstanding and we are so thankful and excited that people want to join us in helping these children.
Thank you so much!
/Andreas
Recent developments
The recent developments of this project resemble the new fuelsaving technology that some modern cars are equipped with, the Start-Stop technology. It is supposed to cut off the engine when the car is at a standstill and start it again when the driver puts his or her foot down on the accelerator.
From the intense forward motion of our trip I sometimes wonder, to be totally honest, if we are in a "stop" phase now. It would be ironic because this phase of our project requires a huge amount of work and time. The trip to Nepal was the wonderful and magical opening ceremony but this part of organization, planning and marketing/networking/fundraising is extremely important and necessary.
However, when we look at what is going on we realize that we most definitely are in a "start" phase. The contrast to playing with the children and praying with them compared to sitting at home in a cold Norway sometimes makes it feel as if nothing much is happening...but much is happening.
As we mentioned in an earlier post, we have founded a "förening" in Sweden. This is similar to an NGO or a non-profit organization in the US. We have a board and are in the process of being registered with the Swedish government. This in turn will allow us start our fundraising in earnest since we will be able to get a bankaccount in the name of an organization, not a person.
It also means that you can become a member of our organization! That's right, the organization is in reality individuals that have come together and desire to be a part of helping the children of the Light for Nation children's home in Kathmandu. To become a member simply submit an email to kjernald@live.com with your name, adress and phonenumber. It costs 100 SEK/year or $15/year and helps offset some of the administration costs. As always, 100% of the donations go straight to the children's home (Except for banking fees).
In other news:
- We are working on a new website that will help with promoting the Children's home and our partnership with them. It is also intended on making it easier to donate to the children's home. It will have a clear and easy-to-read layout with multiple options to give support.
- We are also hearing from Nepal that the process of settling the debt that the children's home had accumulated due to a complete lack of funding is being paid of according to plan. This is a huge step in moving forward with our partnership and we feel particularly excited about this.
- The children just finished their final exams yesterday and we were told that they did well. WE have email contact with them but due to the sporadic nature of electricity in Kathmandu we are working on finding alternative solutions so we can be more up-to-date.
- The wife of the oldest son, Laxmi, is having some medical issues that we would ask you to pray for.
- We held our first ever presentation of our project! Laurie cooked some delicious Nepali food and we showed pictures and videos while sharing our dream. Clearly, the presentation needs much work but it was fun to be "out there" sharing with people. We even raised about 1000 SEK in funds!
In closing, we would ask you to continue to pray for us and for our project. Our dream and vision has come to life in a beautiful way and we are so excited to share it with you. Please share it with your friends and let's all join in becoming a part of something meaningful and lasting. It is fun!
Stay tuned.
Joyfully,
Andreas
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Nepali Night
Tonight we will have our first Nepali night at church. The first one will be mainly with our church, but after that we will advertise and get more people in. We are trying to raise awareness about the partnership between Light for Nations and us. This will also generate funds...hopefully.
I have cooked Nepali fried rice and we have naan. I will also be making Nepali chia for anyone who want to try that wonderful stuff.
Please pray for us tonight.
Blessings,
Laurie
I have cooked Nepali fried rice and we have naan. I will also be making Nepali chia for anyone who want to try that wonderful stuff.
Please pray for us tonight.
Blessings,
Laurie
Saturday, March 16, 2013
The day the förening/organization was officially founded!
Today was a great day! This is a picture of the board of the "förening" Because of Two, which is the working title/name for the "förening" that is founded with the following vision:
We want to work with children in need and give them a home and a family building strong, healthy and Christian families in Nepal.
Idag var var en mycket lyckad dag! Detta är en bild av styrelsen för föreningen Because of Two, vilket är arbetsnamnet på den förening som har som vision:
Vi vill verka för att ge
utsatta barn ett hem och en familj och att bygga
starka, hälsosamma och kristna familjer i Nepal.
Laurie Kjernald, Andreas Kjernald, Michael Helander, Olle Kjernald, Margareta Kjernald, Kunal Mukhopadyay
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Practical Stuff
For those who have been asking...
We are working on setting up the donation/financial section for those who would like to give. Here is some preliminary information so that you can do so. At the bottom of this page you will find examples of what it looks like when you click the "Donate" button on this blog. You find it on the right side of the blog and it looks like this. 100% of the money donated goes to the children's home, minus bank fees.
If you live in the United States, you have three options:
1.Normal bankcheck
Please send donations to:
New Hope International Ministries
One Macklem Dr.Wilmore, KY 40390
On the subject line of your check please write NEPAL
(New Hope is a registered non-profit and the donations are tax deductible.)
(New Hope is a registered non-profit and the donations are tax deductible.)
3. VISA/Mastercard. Use the "Donate" button on the right and choose that option.
Om du bor i Sverige:
Det finns ett bankkonto du kan använda redan idag. Det hittar du till höger här på bloggen. Du kan också använda dig av "Donate" knappen och sedan använda ditt PayPal konto eller självklart också ditt VISA/Mastercard.
Alltså, du kan välja mellan vårt Swedbank konto, Paypal eller VISA/Mastercard.
Alltså, du kan välja mellan vårt Swedbank konto, Paypal eller VISA/Mastercard.
Om du bor i Norge:
Tag kontakt med oss personligen så hjälper vi dig med detta. Andreas har telefonnummer 98027134.
For any other country that you may be residing in:
The best way would be to use the "Donate" button on the right and chose to pay via Visa/Mastercard for the donations connected with this site.
INFORMATION
This is what it looks lik when you click the "Donate" button on this blog. Notice that it says "Because of Two" everywhere. We are registered with Paypal as a verified account.
The best way would be to use the "Donate" button on the right and chose to pay via Visa/Mastercard for the donations connected with this site.
This is what it looks lik when you click the "Donate" button on this blog. Notice that it says "Because of Two" everywhere. We are registered with Paypal as a verified account.
_______________________
Thank you for your help and interest in these beautiful children.
Blessings,
Laurie
Monday, March 4, 2013
Making a New Normal
We have been home for about a week now from N*pal and working on remembering all the details. Sometimes it is so easy just to fall back into the old patterns and routines...but that is not what we want. We go through the pictures and see the faces that are so easy to love and remember why we made the journey in the first place. We want to make a new normal in this family, by adding all these beautiful people into our daily discussions, prayers and thoughts. We want them to effect the way we see the world, the way we spend our money, and the way we see others.
Kathmandu is a rather large city. It is really hard to get a true picture of it while you are in it, but easier from higher view points. I have not met one person that lives in Kathmandu that actually says they like it there. Don't get me wrong...they all love their country and think it is amazingly beautiful, but they are not referring to Kathmandu when they are speaking like that. It is a cacophony of smells which include incense, sewage, car fumes, pollution, trash, cows, dust and sweat. It is a cacophony of sounds which include horns, chanting, bells, loud music, normal city noise, cows, monkeys, dogs, etc. It is a cacophony of sights (which include a lot of what I have already mentioned) and temples both Bhuddist and Hindu, colorful buildings, amazingly beautiful people, trash, trash, and more trash, and spectacular mountains, etc. I think you maybe starting to get the picture.
We visited some of the sites in Kathmandu that Andreas had not seen before. It is amazing to watch people of different beliefs and how they (me included) have a sort of sub-culture. For those of us who are Christians the Hindu and Bhuddist beliefs are straight out of the Old Testament.
These scenes echo all over Kathmandu with small temples everywhere, or a rocks for that matter. It really does make you think about belief. Hindus believe in anywhere from 35,000 to 38,000 gods. I personally think it would be exhausting trying to please all of them.
So now maybe you have a little better picture of the people that we have long loved and the culture that is almost totally opposite to our own. We will be planning within the next two weeks and working on getting the non-profit registered in Sweden. We have a non-profit in the States that will allow us to use them as an umbrella until we can see if we need to begin our own there and in Norway we can receive donations through our church. We also have paypal.
If you are interested in joining us on this adventure please let us know. You can contact us through this blog or kjernald.blogspot.com We will be getting specific needs out soon.
Blessings,
Laurie
One of the things that we talked about with the Director (daddy, KB) of the home was the religious climate that is in N*pal. KB has letters from Hindus that state they would be willing to support them and give them money if they would renounce their belief in Jesus. He has lost supporters over the fact that he teaches and lives Christianity with the children in a Hindu/Bhuddist country. Yet, his faith is strong and they are thriving even without the money that we Westerners believe that we ''need''.
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| Kathmandu |
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| This is known as the Swayambhunath or more commonly known as The Monkey Temple (because there happens to be monkeys all around). It is a Bhuddist stupa...with a small Hindu temple on the side. (notice the dark spindle looking objects...that will be explained later) |
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| The statue of Bhudda at the stupa. This is the N*pali Bhudda...not the laughing Bhudda that you find in other parts of Asia. The Bhudda was born in N*pal...interestingly enough he stated that he was not a god and did not want to be worshipped...guess no one listened. |
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| This is a stone...that some people were worshipping like a god. |
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| This is a bell, when you go to the temple you ring it...some say to make sure the god is awake, others say to seal the deal (so to speak). |
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| This is another part of the Monkey Temple, the flags are Bhuddist prayer flags. Here is where I will explain the spindle objects in the picture above. Each flag has a prescribed written prayer or prayers on them. When the wind blows it is suppose to take the prayers with it. The spindles objects are actually prayer wheels. They hold paper in them that has the same prayers on them as the flags. The people walk around clockwise and spin the wheels to release the prayers. As they walk around they also carry beads to count how many times they spin the wheels...I think they are suppose to do it a prescribed amount of time. Then there are huge wheels that they also walk around and spin. |
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| This is a stone, carved like a little man and dressed that was being worshipped. I'll be honest...it gave me the creeps. |
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| This is the rat god, I really don't know what he is suppose to do...but he is obviously popular. |
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| This is the Pashupatinath Temple. Considered to be the most holy temple for the Hindu god Shiva. It is on the Bagmati river (which the people say is the most polluted river in the world), and it is where most of the funerals are held in Kathmandu. The smoke you see is from the cremation of the deceased. The ashes are then put into the river. It is not a site for the light of heart and makes me sad every time I am there. Yes, there is a boy in the river collecting the firewood that did not totally burn up. On the other side of the river was a girl wading in to try to find valuables from the bodies...every part of me wanted to scream...get out of the water...but I refrained. |
So now maybe you have a little better picture of the people that we have long loved and the culture that is almost totally opposite to our own. We will be planning within the next two weeks and working on getting the non-profit registered in Sweden. We have a non-profit in the States that will allow us to use them as an umbrella until we can see if we need to begin our own there and in Norway we can receive donations through our church. We also have paypal.
If you are interested in joining us on this adventure please let us know. You can contact us through this blog or kjernald.blogspot.com We will be getting specific needs out soon.
Blessings,
Laurie
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Pictures - part 3
Children's home
Sister Lala and the kids
River of trash
View from children's home
Did I mention trash?
Good-bye!
"Downtown" Kathmandu
One of MANY temples
Sunrise over the Himalayas
Nerwar, or Nepali, food. Very good...and we didn't get sick!
Pictures - part 1
First, some pictures of Nepal and Kathmandu...
This is not Mt. Everest but the view of the Himalaya we had on our overnight visit into the mountains. The place was called Nagarkot and offered a stunning panorama. This is a sunrise over the Himalayan mountains.
This is us a few minutes later...
This is Kathmandu as seen from the Monkey Temple, facing east. It is a teeming city of millions of people and to be perfectly honest, we couldn't find a single person that liked it.
Heading up into the foothills of the Himalaya we came across some very typical homes and "normal" Nepali people. Primitive, although this particular building was pretty decent.
This picture was taken from our taxi so it isn't great, but it does give you an idea of how people in the city live. Yes, those shacks are dwellings and yes, the creek at the bottom was covered in trash.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
cancelled flight
Our last day in Nepal was a long day. Our flight didn't leave until 21:00 so we had to fill a whole day with whqtever we could come up with. Boring. However, we did meet with KB who came to the hotel to show us some receipts as well as to say goodbye. His oldest son and daughter also stopped by for lunch, which was very nice. They are wonderful people and we hope and pray that this partnership continues on the right path. We have much to learn and adjust as we love ahead with helping the children.
Our goodbye was full of the hope that we will see each other soon.
It also feels like our mission was accomplished even though it just started.
Unfortunately our flight was cancelled so we have to stay an extra night in Kathmandu...not happy at all about that. We miss our kids terribly.
But even as we are tired and feel spent we also feel a tremendous sense of gratitude and hopefulness over what has been accomplished and the potential future ahead. Thank you for following our journey and please continue to be a part of it.
Andreas
Our goodbye was full of the hope that we will see each other soon.
It also feels like our mission was accomplished even though it just started.
Unfortunately our flight was cancelled so we have to stay an extra night in Kathmandu...not happy at all about that. We miss our kids terribly.
But even as we are tired and feel spent we also feel a tremendous sense of gratitude and hopefulness over what has been accomplished and the potential future ahead. Thank you for following our journey and please continue to be a part of it.
Andreas
Saturday, February 23, 2013
The wonderful day and the unnecessary day
Funny how two days can be so different. Yesterday, read Friday, was our last day with the children. We spent a good 5 hours with them and the staff/family. The sun was shining and it was a warm and peaceful day. We spent most of it outside playing soccer, throwing hackysacks and playing various games. It was glorious.
We also had a chance to talk more with the director and his family, explaining that we wanted to partner with and join them in providing for the children. We were very keen on explaining that we are not donors but partners and what the difference is...that we are not ATMs but involved and interested friends (brothers and sisters in Christ). We are investing for life, as well as our lives, and it was great to see and truly realize that we share the same vision.
To be honest we began our journey in doubt. Can these people be trusted? Are they telling the "truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?" Are they just saying what we want to hear? You know, making us feel good so that they can have our money. We have met people like that.
There is much to tell but we are slowly starting to trust them. We now feel comfortable to leave and know that we share the same vision and purpose. We believe that when we return (as soon as possible) our partnership will be on the same correct path that it is today.
Let me share some examples of why this is:
First, we have a shared understanding of the need for financial transparency and accountability AND we have Bobby who has volunteered to verify all financial records, including receipts and also make sure that they money spent is appropriate and necessary. For those of you who wonder if we can trust Bobby, ask us for our reasons and we will be happy to tell you. They are many.
Second, the children are obviously loved and well taken care of by the whole family (KB and his wife Mina, his children Peter married to Laksmi, James married to Shittva and Paul). They are indeed poor but happy, and that doesn't just happen.
Third, there is no evidence of financial mismanagement and much evidence to the contrary. The family draw no salary. No one has an iPhone. There is no car or motorcycle. The director has the same clothes as he did when Laurie saw him 7 years ago.
Fourth, every little thing "adds up". When many different things, small and large, remain the same it eases our concerns. So when they say "A" one day, it is still "A" three days later. In short, there are no surprises.
To be sure, these are normal human beings we are dealing with and we understand that mistakes will be made...but we don't find any reasons to believe that they will occur out of wrong intentions or greed.
We went to bed smiling but we woke up with a sense of "we want to go home". I (Andreas) got the opportunity to preach in a church here in in Kathmandu. It was a privilege and we enjoyed visiting with the people and also enjoyed the lunch with the pastor's family. They were very gracious and shared their home with us.
Bobby's orphanage was close-by so we also got to spend some time with the kids there...adorable children. They are a testimony to the heart and mind of Bobby and we really enjoyed being with them. That was a great time.
Then it was time to go back to Thamel, the tourist part of Kathmandu where our hotel is. It is not a great place to be, unless you enjoy chaos and pollution (Our hotel sits off the main road a bit which helps). We met with another man with whom we had shared our vision and he told us his vision for the children in Nepal. It was good to make a new friend and we will continue to pray for each other.
We ended the day (Saturday) with some great Nepali food before we headed back to the hotel. To say that we are ready to go home is to put it mildly. We are in awe of what God has done during this trip (as well as how he had prepared everything before we got here) but we miss our boys deeply. Soon!
As we leave we fell confident that we are doing God's work, that we are on the right path and we can't wait to continue with him as he leads our future together with our new "family" in Nepal. There are many ways you can be a part of it too. Think about it.
From Kathmandu with love,
Andreas
We also had a chance to talk more with the director and his family, explaining that we wanted to partner with and join them in providing for the children. We were very keen on explaining that we are not donors but partners and what the difference is...that we are not ATMs but involved and interested friends (brothers and sisters in Christ). We are investing for life, as well as our lives, and it was great to see and truly realize that we share the same vision.
To be honest we began our journey in doubt. Can these people be trusted? Are they telling the "truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?" Are they just saying what we want to hear? You know, making us feel good so that they can have our money. We have met people like that.
There is much to tell but we are slowly starting to trust them. We now feel comfortable to leave and know that we share the same vision and purpose. We believe that when we return (as soon as possible) our partnership will be on the same correct path that it is today.
Let me share some examples of why this is:
First, we have a shared understanding of the need for financial transparency and accountability AND we have Bobby who has volunteered to verify all financial records, including receipts and also make sure that they money spent is appropriate and necessary. For those of you who wonder if we can trust Bobby, ask us for our reasons and we will be happy to tell you. They are many.
Second, the children are obviously loved and well taken care of by the whole family (KB and his wife Mina, his children Peter married to Laksmi, James married to Shittva and Paul). They are indeed poor but happy, and that doesn't just happen.
Third, there is no evidence of financial mismanagement and much evidence to the contrary. The family draw no salary. No one has an iPhone. There is no car or motorcycle. The director has the same clothes as he did when Laurie saw him 7 years ago.
Fourth, every little thing "adds up". When many different things, small and large, remain the same it eases our concerns. So when they say "A" one day, it is still "A" three days later. In short, there are no surprises.
To be sure, these are normal human beings we are dealing with and we understand that mistakes will be made...but we don't find any reasons to believe that they will occur out of wrong intentions or greed.
We went to bed smiling but we woke up with a sense of "we want to go home". I (Andreas) got the opportunity to preach in a church here in in Kathmandu. It was a privilege and we enjoyed visiting with the people and also enjoyed the lunch with the pastor's family. They were very gracious and shared their home with us.
Bobby's orphanage was close-by so we also got to spend some time with the kids there...adorable children. They are a testimony to the heart and mind of Bobby and we really enjoyed being with them. That was a great time.
Then it was time to go back to Thamel, the tourist part of Kathmandu where our hotel is. It is not a great place to be, unless you enjoy chaos and pollution (Our hotel sits off the main road a bit which helps). We met with another man with whom we had shared our vision and he told us his vision for the children in Nepal. It was good to make a new friend and we will continue to pray for each other.
We ended the day (Saturday) with some great Nepali food before we headed back to the hotel. To say that we are ready to go home is to put it mildly. We are in awe of what God has done during this trip (as well as how he had prepared everything before we got here) but we miss our boys deeply. Soon!
As we leave we fell confident that we are doing God's work, that we are on the right path and we can't wait to continue with him as he leads our future together with our new "family" in Nepal. There are many ways you can be a part of it too. Think about it.
From Kathmandu with love,
Andreas
Friday, February 22, 2013
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
The Mundane and the Blessings
Today seemed to be mostly chores. We were in the car for most of it through congested traffic and nasty pollution. I can feel the grime on me tonight. I am coughing up pollution that has stuck in my lungs. Yet, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we are right where we are suppose to be.
We visited several apartment/hotel sights in different areas of the city today. We need to have a good place to stay when we bring teams and family. Nepal can be a lot to take in on your first trip, maybe even your third trip, so we want people to feel safe when they come. We found a couple places that would be good.
Bobby introduced us to a new friend today. Believe it or not his name is Expansion (I believe his father was a physics teacher or something like that). Expansion is well connected because he owns a trekking company. He can help us get better deals around Kathmandu and help with any trips that we wish to do. He was a very nice man that is well educated and well traveled. We liked him and Andreas even found a Bible in Nepali for him tonight. He said he would read it if he had one...so why not.
We also visited Boudhanath Stupa (one of the top holy Buddhist places in the world) and Pashupati Nath Temple (the top Hindu holy temple in the world). I had been to both before, but Andreas had not. They both make me pretty sad to be honest, but Pashupati got me the most today. Pashupati is where the Hindus cremate their dead and then put the ashes in the holy river by the temple. There were several funerals when we were there today. I don't really know how I can explain the sadness that I feel. Just one of so many lost, Lord please be seen. I did see 3 Sisters of Mercy (Mother Teresa's nuns) at the temple today. Apparently they work with the poor in that area. Praise God for their faithful hearts.
We revisited the area that Andreas and I stayed in when we picked up Samuel in 2006. Expansion, Bobby, Andreas and I had a traditional Newari meal...which was very good and then bought some gifts at Dhukuti (a fair trade story that I really like). Amazingly enough we met a team of Norwegians that have a ministries all around Asia (Normisjon). Bobby laughed at me as I spoke Swedish with them, I am sure many people laugh when I speak Swedish so that was nothing new.
After that came the moments that made all the mundane worth it today...we went to see the kids. We didn't get to stay long, but just to see their faces and remember why God has called us makes all the difference in the world. They are getting more comfortable with us and are getting close enough to hug and hold hands with. Several are even climbing into our laps now. They have colored so many pictures for us with poems and thank yous. They are even starting to give me things like the little necklaces that they wear or a bracelet. One little girl took out her barrettes and put them in my hair (they were purple with little purple flowers on them). It means a lot to me because they have so little but want to give it anyway..."and we must become like children....". Even the members of the family that run the home are giving and wonderful and gracious. They are very special people and I am glad to call them family as we are all children of God.
We took a few minutes to walk behind the children's home to see a new building that we might be able to rent for them. The current home is very small for all of them. The children are jammed in, there is no hot water (not that they have EVER had that), there is no yard to play in, or room to grow a few vegetable to sustain themselves. We would like to find a better situation for them while we work on phasing in the family units. We need to look at the building further and discuss rent and time to see if this building would be suitable.
Speaking of the family units that we are very strong on, the Lord has already taken care of finding us parents. For those of you who are new to the family unit concept, let me explain. We want to build families...not just house orphans. We needed dedicated couples to be parents to 8 or maybe 10 children. They would raise these children, giving them family identities, education, love and everything else that we as families give. That way when these children are grown they know how to be in and raise families of their own. The head of Light for Nations is a couple and they have done a wonderful job creating as much of a family atmosphere as possible, but 30 kids for one couple is a lot. Well, that couple happens to have 3 biological sons. Two of the sons are married. We were able to speak with one of the sons and his wife today and they are dedicated to this and want to spend their lives working for God with these children. Now we need to speak to the other couple and the son who isn't married to see what they want as their future. How exciting though that God has already been preparing their hearts for this. (Don't worry, I know many are thinking...you need to be cautious...we are and praying every step of the way).
Lastly, we come to something that has kept me in tears and praising God all night. We already know that God loves orphans and so desires that we take care of them. Last night, I will admit, I was discouraged. I was worried that we could not do this and would not be able to find the money to help? However, tonight God showed me that he would take care of it all one way or the other...after all money is nothing to him. The children's home has been in dire straights for some time (due to the instability of the government, those in the community who would normally help, have not been able to...like everywhere else, economy is bad.) The director of the home has been very resourceful, but has gone into debt to house, feed and clothe these precious children (just so you understand, he is still wearing the same clothes that he had when I met him in 2007, all has gone to the children). To many the debt is rather small, but we didn't have the money to clear it, but God provided. One phone call and it was provided. I am in awe of God's faithfulness and his timing. He, and he alone, sees the big picture and we are blessed enough to be a tiny part of it.
So praise with me tonight, even if you are discouraged about something. Give thanks for everything, know that Jesus is right where you need him to be and TRUST!
Blessings,
Laurie
We visited several apartment/hotel sights in different areas of the city today. We need to have a good place to stay when we bring teams and family. Nepal can be a lot to take in on your first trip, maybe even your third trip, so we want people to feel safe when they come. We found a couple places that would be good.
Bobby introduced us to a new friend today. Believe it or not his name is Expansion (I believe his father was a physics teacher or something like that). Expansion is well connected because he owns a trekking company. He can help us get better deals around Kathmandu and help with any trips that we wish to do. He was a very nice man that is well educated and well traveled. We liked him and Andreas even found a Bible in Nepali for him tonight. He said he would read it if he had one...so why not.
We also visited Boudhanath Stupa (one of the top holy Buddhist places in the world) and Pashupati Nath Temple (the top Hindu holy temple in the world). I had been to both before, but Andreas had not. They both make me pretty sad to be honest, but Pashupati got me the most today. Pashupati is where the Hindus cremate their dead and then put the ashes in the holy river by the temple. There were several funerals when we were there today. I don't really know how I can explain the sadness that I feel. Just one of so many lost, Lord please be seen. I did see 3 Sisters of Mercy (Mother Teresa's nuns) at the temple today. Apparently they work with the poor in that area. Praise God for their faithful hearts.
We revisited the area that Andreas and I stayed in when we picked up Samuel in 2006. Expansion, Bobby, Andreas and I had a traditional Newari meal...which was very good and then bought some gifts at Dhukuti (a fair trade story that I really like). Amazingly enough we met a team of Norwegians that have a ministries all around Asia (Normisjon). Bobby laughed at me as I spoke Swedish with them, I am sure many people laugh when I speak Swedish so that was nothing new.
After that came the moments that made all the mundane worth it today...we went to see the kids. We didn't get to stay long, but just to see their faces and remember why God has called us makes all the difference in the world. They are getting more comfortable with us and are getting close enough to hug and hold hands with. Several are even climbing into our laps now. They have colored so many pictures for us with poems and thank yous. They are even starting to give me things like the little necklaces that they wear or a bracelet. One little girl took out her barrettes and put them in my hair (they were purple with little purple flowers on them). It means a lot to me because they have so little but want to give it anyway..."and we must become like children....". Even the members of the family that run the home are giving and wonderful and gracious. They are very special people and I am glad to call them family as we are all children of God.
We took a few minutes to walk behind the children's home to see a new building that we might be able to rent for them. The current home is very small for all of them. The children are jammed in, there is no hot water (not that they have EVER had that), there is no yard to play in, or room to grow a few vegetable to sustain themselves. We would like to find a better situation for them while we work on phasing in the family units. We need to look at the building further and discuss rent and time to see if this building would be suitable.
Speaking of the family units that we are very strong on, the Lord has already taken care of finding us parents. For those of you who are new to the family unit concept, let me explain. We want to build families...not just house orphans. We needed dedicated couples to be parents to 8 or maybe 10 children. They would raise these children, giving them family identities, education, love and everything else that we as families give. That way when these children are grown they know how to be in and raise families of their own. The head of Light for Nations is a couple and they have done a wonderful job creating as much of a family atmosphere as possible, but 30 kids for one couple is a lot. Well, that couple happens to have 3 biological sons. Two of the sons are married. We were able to speak with one of the sons and his wife today and they are dedicated to this and want to spend their lives working for God with these children. Now we need to speak to the other couple and the son who isn't married to see what they want as their future. How exciting though that God has already been preparing their hearts for this. (Don't worry, I know many are thinking...you need to be cautious...we are and praying every step of the way).
Lastly, we come to something that has kept me in tears and praising God all night. We already know that God loves orphans and so desires that we take care of them. Last night, I will admit, I was discouraged. I was worried that we could not do this and would not be able to find the money to help? However, tonight God showed me that he would take care of it all one way or the other...after all money is nothing to him. The children's home has been in dire straights for some time (due to the instability of the government, those in the community who would normally help, have not been able to...like everywhere else, economy is bad.) The director of the home has been very resourceful, but has gone into debt to house, feed and clothe these precious children (just so you understand, he is still wearing the same clothes that he had when I met him in 2007, all has gone to the children). To many the debt is rather small, but we didn't have the money to clear it, but God provided. One phone call and it was provided. I am in awe of God's faithfulness and his timing. He, and he alone, sees the big picture and we are blessed enough to be a tiny part of it.
So praise with me tonight, even if you are discouraged about something. Give thanks for everything, know that Jesus is right where you need him to be and TRUST!
Blessings,
Laurie
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
What happens when some Maoists are unhappy?
They call a strike. Thus, today everything was closed. The taxis stood still and the shops were shut. Actually, it was rather nice. No, well less, pollution and noise made for a rather pleasant day. The weather was nice and warm and it was just nice to walk around with our friend Bobby to experience more of the city, more of Nepal. A country takes a long time to soak in.
It is good to take some time away from the intense situation that we are in. It reminds me of Jesus's life in some respects. We know that he had lots to do but he didn't seem stressed. Similarly, we don't look stressed and we don't literally run around...but there is an huge amount of thinking and praying and planning going on inside.
Every day is full of both adventure and seriousness. Today Bobby took us to The Dream Gardens, a place with real grass(!) in Kathmandu. It was like a park with walls and it was quiet and peaceful...amazing! It was a good place to sit down and rest and think long thoughts. Every meal is a great time to process and talk about what we have thought about while we were walking and watching Kathmandu. At the same time we both made an effort not to dig through all the details of what this partnership with Light for Nations will entail. It was a day of processing.
Tomorrow we will visit places and hotels in Kathmandu that we hope will be suitable for future teams to use. Kathmandu is a hard place just to throw yourself into. People will need a place that looks like home, or as close to it as possible, after a crazy day in Kathmandu (not to mention after the emotional effects of visiting with the orphanage/kids). We will also see some of the sights on our way to visiting the hotel and place where we stayed when we came to pick up Samuel 7 years ago. We also hope to prepare the things, or just get the things, we want to provide for the orphanage.
Thursday we travel to Nagarkot which is supposed to be a really tranquil and beautiful place up in the mountains. We will spend the night and watch the sunrise over the Himalayan mountains. This is the time when we hope to find a good amount of time to pray and listen to God and also to put some things down on paper as to what an agreement with Light for Nations would look like. Bobby will come with us and be of much help, as usual. Friday afternoon we go back to the orphanage and meet with KB (the director).
We are tired after a day of much walking and many impressions but we are so very excited to be living our vision...to actually be in it. This is what we had been talking about and thinking about for so long and now it is here, right where we are...and it is happening. It really is.
Until next time,
Andreas
It is good to take some time away from the intense situation that we are in. It reminds me of Jesus's life in some respects. We know that he had lots to do but he didn't seem stressed. Similarly, we don't look stressed and we don't literally run around...but there is an huge amount of thinking and praying and planning going on inside.
Every day is full of both adventure and seriousness. Today Bobby took us to The Dream Gardens, a place with real grass(!) in Kathmandu. It was like a park with walls and it was quiet and peaceful...amazing! It was a good place to sit down and rest and think long thoughts. Every meal is a great time to process and talk about what we have thought about while we were walking and watching Kathmandu. At the same time we both made an effort not to dig through all the details of what this partnership with Light for Nations will entail. It was a day of processing.
Tomorrow we will visit places and hotels in Kathmandu that we hope will be suitable for future teams to use. Kathmandu is a hard place just to throw yourself into. People will need a place that looks like home, or as close to it as possible, after a crazy day in Kathmandu (not to mention after the emotional effects of visiting with the orphanage/kids). We will also see some of the sights on our way to visiting the hotel and place where we stayed when we came to pick up Samuel 7 years ago. We also hope to prepare the things, or just get the things, we want to provide for the orphanage.
Thursday we travel to Nagarkot which is supposed to be a really tranquil and beautiful place up in the mountains. We will spend the night and watch the sunrise over the Himalayan mountains. This is the time when we hope to find a good amount of time to pray and listen to God and also to put some things down on paper as to what an agreement with Light for Nations would look like. Bobby will come with us and be of much help, as usual. Friday afternoon we go back to the orphanage and meet with KB (the director).
We are tired after a day of much walking and many impressions but we are so very excited to be living our vision...to actually be in it. This is what we had been talking about and thinking about for so long and now it is here, right where we are...and it is happening. It really is.
Until next time,
Andreas
Monday, February 18, 2013
Light For Nations
This city is such a contradiction. It is surrounded by mountains, the Himalayas (not just any mountains), which are incredibly beautiful. Yet, the air is full of pollution. It has some of the most beautiful people that I have ever seen and yet the city is run down and FULL of trash. You see people in their colorful clothing with sparkles going to eat or party, next to a child that is more than filthy and huffs just to survive the hopelessness. The air can smell of sweet incense, dirty animals, smog, and sweat all at the same time. There is a cacophony of sounds that start from sun up and don't stop until midnight or so. It is almost as if you can see heaven and hell in one moment.
Today we spent another day talking to the head of the children's home, playing with the kids, and looking into the possible future. It is amazing to me that God has brought us to this possible future. One that we have dreamed of for so long and yet thought that it was so far away. NOTHING is impossible for our God. How many of us truly believe and live that sentiment? I know it has taken me a long time to actually believe and trust that, but it is true.
The family that runs this home have done so for 14 years. They have scraped by but have continued to believe that Jesus would take care of their every need. Their faith has been tested more than most of us Westerners think possible. I wonder just how many children have a future and a hope because of this family and their faith in Jesus. I am in awe that they have continued all these years.
Today we also found out just how hard it has become for this family and how they are doing everything...including knocking door to door to survive. In the next few months if something does not change many of these children have to be sent back to the families that cannot provide for them and sent them to Kathmandu in the first place. These children will not get the chance to go to school or play or even eat one meal a day. They will be made to work and beg and other things that we simply don't want to fathom. Yes, children...all have to contribute when you are simple scraping by and surviving.
We are still working out and praying about the partnering agreement with Light for Nations children's home, but we refuse to let them simply scrap by and beg. We cannot call ourselves God's children, let alone human if we ignore their need.
Yes, there are millions in need, but we are looking at these 30 children and the family that has given their lives to provide...without taking for themselves.
We also met another pastor here in Kathmandu. He is a good friend of Bobby's and another man that will be praying on how or if to join this lifetime adventure of building families here in Nepal. As we meet and network with more like minded people the dream becomes more of a reality. We are incredibly humbled by what we are experiencing. Everyday I fall more and more in love with these people who show grace in some of the worst situations.
Dream with us, pray with us, join the adventure that God has lead us on....
Blessings,
Laurie
Today we spent another day talking to the head of the children's home, playing with the kids, and looking into the possible future. It is amazing to me that God has brought us to this possible future. One that we have dreamed of for so long and yet thought that it was so far away. NOTHING is impossible for our God. How many of us truly believe and live that sentiment? I know it has taken me a long time to actually believe and trust that, but it is true.
The family that runs this home have done so for 14 years. They have scraped by but have continued to believe that Jesus would take care of their every need. Their faith has been tested more than most of us Westerners think possible. I wonder just how many children have a future and a hope because of this family and their faith in Jesus. I am in awe that they have continued all these years.
Today we also found out just how hard it has become for this family and how they are doing everything...including knocking door to door to survive. In the next few months if something does not change many of these children have to be sent back to the families that cannot provide for them and sent them to Kathmandu in the first place. These children will not get the chance to go to school or play or even eat one meal a day. They will be made to work and beg and other things that we simply don't want to fathom. Yes, children...all have to contribute when you are simple scraping by and surviving.
We are still working out and praying about the partnering agreement with Light for Nations children's home, but we refuse to let them simply scrap by and beg. We cannot call ourselves God's children, let alone human if we ignore their need.
Yes, there are millions in need, but we are looking at these 30 children and the family that has given their lives to provide...without taking for themselves.
We also met another pastor here in Kathmandu. He is a good friend of Bobby's and another man that will be praying on how or if to join this lifetime adventure of building families here in Nepal. As we meet and network with more like minded people the dream becomes more of a reality. We are incredibly humbled by what we are experiencing. Everyday I fall more and more in love with these people who show grace in some of the worst situations.
Dream with us, pray with us, join the adventure that God has lead us on....
Blessings,
Laurie
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Sunday
Today was a day when we visited some people who run a girl's home, sort of, and made some very good friends. It is a privilege that only Christians have, to meet a brother and a sister who share the same vision for the children of Nepal event though they have never met before. What a joy it was to meet the Rai family today! I pray that we will meet then soon again.
Our very good friend Bobby took care of us all day long, guiding us and taking us to the Monkey temple for some beautiful vistas of the city. Then we walked through the city to get back to the hotel. Then, rather bravely I think, we ventured out into the darkness of the bustling city to find a good restaurant that we had been to yesterday...and we found it! Impressed with ourselves.
Tomorrow we meet with another new friend we've never met before and we will also get some time with the kids at the orphanage! Fun! We are also hoping to continue the talks we've started with the director and board to see how we can work together in the future. May the Lord bless and guide our time and talk. It is because of God that we are here and it is only Him that can make these things happen.
Maybe we can post some pictures tomorrow. Until then, we will rest and rest in God.
/Andreas
Our very good friend Bobby took care of us all day long, guiding us and taking us to the Monkey temple for some beautiful vistas of the city. Then we walked through the city to get back to the hotel. Then, rather bravely I think, we ventured out into the darkness of the bustling city to find a good restaurant that we had been to yesterday...and we found it! Impressed with ourselves.
Tomorrow we meet with another new friend we've never met before and we will also get some time with the kids at the orphanage! Fun! We are also hoping to continue the talks we've started with the director and board to see how we can work together in the future. May the Lord bless and guide our time and talk. It is because of God that we are here and it is only Him that can make these things happen.
Maybe we can post some pictures tomorrow. Until then, we will rest and rest in God.
/Andreas
Saturday, February 16, 2013
WOW
The first day and we are so excited,about what the day held. I have seen my Swedish husband more excited today than he has been in a long time. (for those of you who know Swedes, you know that they are quite reserved and don't show emotions often).
We met with the orphanage that we have been thinking of partnering with and fell instantly in love with the children. They have obviously taken good care of them. They are happy and well socialized kids. All but one are in school and say they like it (I am sure that at least some of them don't, but don't want to say so at this point).
We have started to talk about the future and what it can hold, so far so good...but we must pray and talk again. We want to make sure we are following and not getting caught up in the moment. We will be going back Monday to play with the kids and talk some more.
I miss my boys terribly, but know we are supposed to be right where we are. Please continue to pray for us and all that must be decided this week.
A new adventure has begun, join us!
God's blessings to all,
Laurie (will post pics when I can)
We met with the orphanage that we have been thinking of partnering with and fell instantly in love with the children. They have obviously taken good care of them. They are happy and well socialized kids. All but one are in school and say they like it (I am sure that at least some of them don't, but don't want to say so at this point).
We have started to talk about the future and what it can hold, so far so good...but we must pray and talk again. We want to make sure we are following and not getting caught up in the moment. We will be going back Monday to play with the kids and talk some more.
I miss my boys terribly, but know we are supposed to be right where we are. Please continue to pray for us and all that must be decided this week.
A new adventure has begun, join us!
God's blessings to all,
Laurie (will post pics when I can)
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
The day after tomorrow
The day is finally here when we no longer count the days but use words instead, such as "the day after tomorrow". That is what it is now, the D-day of departure. Clearly, there are so many emotions and feelings going on right now, too many to describe. We are simply so very excited to actually go and do this, to actually work on our dream.
It seems like it is so far away, still, you know, to actually be able to see a child saved from the steets or worse. It seems so far fetched, here in the rich Nordic countries, to imagine that a child could actually live on a street corner or under a bridge or much worse. But, we all know that it is true, which makes for a lot of interesting thoughts when it comes to what we do with what we know. How does knowledge affect us?
We will try to keep you informed as we go about setting up this orphanage in Nepal. This first trip has as its goal of actually finding a proper place to have the orphanage, with whom we should partner, setting up a local board of directors and make some headway in preparing for getting the orphanage up and running under the premises that we want.
It is a dauting task and it gets bigger the closer we get...but we serve a God that is able to handle it. Amazing, we know, that it is not up to us but to Him. That will have to be the final word on this blog before we travel to Nepal on Thursday.
Stay tuned for pictures and updates!
Andreas
It seems like it is so far away, still, you know, to actually be able to see a child saved from the steets or worse. It seems so far fetched, here in the rich Nordic countries, to imagine that a child could actually live on a street corner or under a bridge or much worse. But, we all know that it is true, which makes for a lot of interesting thoughts when it comes to what we do with what we know. How does knowledge affect us?
We will try to keep you informed as we go about setting up this orphanage in Nepal. This first trip has as its goal of actually finding a proper place to have the orphanage, with whom we should partner, setting up a local board of directors and make some headway in preparing for getting the orphanage up and running under the premises that we want.
It is a dauting task and it gets bigger the closer we get...but we serve a God that is able to handle it. Amazing, we know, that it is not up to us but to Him. That will have to be the final word on this blog before we travel to Nepal on Thursday.
Stay tuned for pictures and updates!
Andreas
Monday, January 7, 2013
38 days...
It is a new year and with the holidays behind us we look forward to the event of the year...as far as we can tell. To say that we are getting more and more excited by every day that passes is an understatement.
In some ways, there really aren't that many things that have changed concerning our trip to Nepal, in the sense that something dramatically has happened or changed. This is a time of waiting and praying, planning and networking. In some ways, it feels like the quiet before the storm.
However, it hasn't been completely quiet. We got word from our contact in early December that an orphanage in southern Nepal might be of interest to us. It had been in a state of disrepair and had actually not been "active" for some time, although it was a registered orphanage. As you might imagine, there are some pretty substabtial benefits of "taking over" an already existing orphanage compared to registering a brand new one. The government/congress of Nepal is struggling mightily right now and we know from experience that when the government struggles everything else kind of comes to a standstill.
When we looked up the area of this orphanage we found that it was right by a river with huge crocodiles (that sometimes waited by popular paths to pounce on little children, etc.!) as well as king cobras and other unpleasant things. We know that this project will have its fair share of unexpected twists and turns, but we hadn't expected to have to protect "our" children from crocodile attacks. As it turned out, this orphanage ended up not being a very good idea and we decided against investigating it further.
A few weeks ago we got contacted by Bobby about another orphanage south of Kathmandu. The orphanage director contacted Bobby, who is an old friend, because he had seen a substantial amount of supporters drop their support due to their desire to run the orphanage as Christians. Since Nepal is mainly Hindu/Buddhist, this is not hard to believe. Laurie actually remember visiting this orphanage back in 2007 when she went to Nepal with her old employer to set up an adoption program. She remembers the children being happy, social and overall doing pretty well, although she also remembers the orphanage being very poor.
We are cautiously optimistic about this opportunity and will meet with them during our trip. We also asked Bobby to make sure that they had enough support for food and heat during the winter. Bobby responded that food was probably ok but heat was a big issue.
Sitting in warm houses with plenty to eat during the Christmas season we felt we couldn't ignore their plight irregardless of whether or not we will work with them in the future. We provided Bobby with enough money to buy them all (20 children) warm blankets since heaters are useless without electricity, which is more often than not the case.
We are also in contact with two churches in Kathmandu and I will preach at one of them (and possibly teach their pastors, time allowing). As I have said above, it is all about networking and finding the best partners for our project. Our days in Nepal are filling up quickly which is exactly what we want. No need to sight-see this time around, although a little trip to Pokhara would be a dream.
We want to, once again, thank all of you of at this early state of our journey encourage us to continue moving forward with our vision and our dream. We are humbled by your generosity and kindness and we look forward to this new year with much confidence and excitement.
/Andreas
In some ways, there really aren't that many things that have changed concerning our trip to Nepal, in the sense that something dramatically has happened or changed. This is a time of waiting and praying, planning and networking. In some ways, it feels like the quiet before the storm.
However, it hasn't been completely quiet. We got word from our contact in early December that an orphanage in southern Nepal might be of interest to us. It had been in a state of disrepair and had actually not been "active" for some time, although it was a registered orphanage. As you might imagine, there are some pretty substabtial benefits of "taking over" an already existing orphanage compared to registering a brand new one. The government/congress of Nepal is struggling mightily right now and we know from experience that when the government struggles everything else kind of comes to a standstill.
When we looked up the area of this orphanage we found that it was right by a river with huge crocodiles (that sometimes waited by popular paths to pounce on little children, etc.!) as well as king cobras and other unpleasant things. We know that this project will have its fair share of unexpected twists and turns, but we hadn't expected to have to protect "our" children from crocodile attacks. As it turned out, this orphanage ended up not being a very good idea and we decided against investigating it further.
A few weeks ago we got contacted by Bobby about another orphanage south of Kathmandu. The orphanage director contacted Bobby, who is an old friend, because he had seen a substantial amount of supporters drop their support due to their desire to run the orphanage as Christians. Since Nepal is mainly Hindu/Buddhist, this is not hard to believe. Laurie actually remember visiting this orphanage back in 2007 when she went to Nepal with her old employer to set up an adoption program. She remembers the children being happy, social and overall doing pretty well, although she also remembers the orphanage being very poor.
We are cautiously optimistic about this opportunity and will meet with them during our trip. We also asked Bobby to make sure that they had enough support for food and heat during the winter. Bobby responded that food was probably ok but heat was a big issue.
Sitting in warm houses with plenty to eat during the Christmas season we felt we couldn't ignore their plight irregardless of whether or not we will work with them in the future. We provided Bobby with enough money to buy them all (20 children) warm blankets since heaters are useless without electricity, which is more often than not the case.
We are also in contact with two churches in Kathmandu and I will preach at one of them (and possibly teach their pastors, time allowing). As I have said above, it is all about networking and finding the best partners for our project. Our days in Nepal are filling up quickly which is exactly what we want. No need to sight-see this time around, although a little trip to Pokhara would be a dream.
We want to, once again, thank all of you of at this early state of our journey encourage us to continue moving forward with our vision and our dream. We are humbled by your generosity and kindness and we look forward to this new year with much confidence and excitement.
/Andreas
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