Kathmandu Day 5

It is already Tuesday night 11:00 p.m. as I write this. For most of you it is Tuesday morning sometime.

Today we finished up some major preparations for the retreat! The preparation time in the states was so tight that we actually set a ministry record for preparation time! Just less than 3 hours! That is a big thanks to all of you back home in how you packaged your stuff and followed all the directions we asked of you. And a big shout out to the Pure Joy Ministry staff for all you did and are doing to work back and forth with us while here!!

Tomorrow the ladies arrive and I'm smiling like a mule eating briers!! Inside and out!!

Pray as we set up a few minor details in the morning before they arrive just after lunch!

We love the Nepalese people. They are so kind and always smiling, even in the middle of their struggles and hard times.

Continue to pray!

Love you all,

His,
Vickie

Kathmandu Days 3 and 4....

Yesterday was our first official full day in Kathmandu. Some of the team slept long. Some of the team was up earlier than usual due to new environment.

We had our first Nepalese meal as a team at lunch. It was incredible. Many spices used here. I have not been able to enjoy them yet due to being a little under the weather still. However, believing I will get that chance by end of week. The team went out checking some of the local stores and making plans for gifts to bring some of their family.

This morning the team slept in, had an easy morning and then took off to purchase some of the things they checked out yesterday.

We have had some sweet prayer time, good devotional, and the team is coming together. Please pray for good rest tonight because tomorrow after lunch we begin "retreat mode". We will organize and put together all the wonderful items many of you prepared and donated, as well, prepare our minds and hearts for the arrival of the women Wednesday.

Please pray that God makes a way for all of them to make their arrival to us.

His,
Vickie

Days 1 and 2 Kathmandu

Friday we all got out of Chicago on time headed to Abu Dhabi airport. We laid over 2 hours there before leaving for Kathmandu. The team was good and tired by the time we got here. There is something about being in an airplane for almost 20 hours that just isn't fun! Ha ha

 

The praises... 

• We got here with all our luggage.
• We are all feeling well. Yes, I'm feeling better for those of you that knew I was sick!
• The team is going to be just what God had in store for these women. Good bunch of Warriors!!

Please pray we get rest now.

 

Keep praying!!!

 

Love You All,

 

His,

Vickie

Kathmandu Has Arrived....

We are pulling our tomorrow morning for Kathmandu. To keep up with us and know how to pray please read the blog daily. I will blog daily from this point until we are back in the country.

Several points of prayer:

• Please pray for this team that God has called for such a time as this. The warfare the past week has been incredible. Please pray with diligence.

• They have cancelled all domestic flights out of Kathmandu due to fuel shortage. Pray it doesn’t start to touch the international flights more than it already has. At present, they are giving international flights enough fuel to get to a neighboring country, such as India or China, to fully fuel up to reach the first connecting flight back home.

• Pray for the missionary women to be able to make it to the retreat as well as there is no fuel being giving in Kathmandu and surrounding areas to even buses or taxi’s much less personal vehicles. ONLY GOD!

Lots to do today so this lets you know we are packed and heading out. Counting on your prayers and very Thankful!!!!

His,

Vickie

 

Kathmandu last lap before departure...

I can’t believe I’m saying this today. The team is only two weeks out from leaving the country to head to Kathmandu. We have all 50 missionary women sponsored! Praise God for His Faithfulness and your obedience. Amen! If for some reason you still sense God putting it on your heart to give towards the ministry then please be obedient and give. Money given above and beyond will be put toward the next group of missionary women we minister to in 2016.

Please continue to pray for the fuel shortage in Kathmandu. They are finally getting some of the tankers into the country. However, they are still weeks and weeks out from the fuel shortage compensation reaching the everyday family household. Pray for the women as they are making plans on how to get to the hotel. Pray for God to ‘make a way’ for each and every one of them.

Please continue to pray for the team. Many of us are in the final stages of packing trunks and getting in the final materials we need for the conference. Also, remember you are dealing with women packing ... enough said.  Ha,ha,ha

This past week one of our staff and also a team member for this trip experienced a health issue. While she is doing well it is too soon to let her go out of the country. So please pray for Deb as she recovers and gets back to full strength. Since we don’t want her to feel left out while we are gone we will make sure to keep her plenty busy without leaving the field. Ha,ha,ha,ha 

This morning when I picked my 3 year old great nephew up to go to Little Lambs Day Care he was sporting his Spider-Man outfit for school. Actually, he was cranky because he did not want to wear it. When we got in the car and began our journey to school I looked in the review mirror and said, “Hey Spider-Man” to which he replied, “I’m not Spider Man.  I’m ________  _________  _________”.    Yes, he made it clear to me with his first, middle and last name he was NOT Spider-Man. As I chuckled at him I thought of this truth that I am constantly trying to speak into people’s lives as believers. Don’t let other people dress you. Know that you are a Child of the King and don’t let anyone dress you in something that doesn’t line up with that truth. Our belief in our identity is at the root of freedom or bondage. Understanding your identity in Christ, who He is, what He has done, and His promises, are keys to your freedom and ability to stop allowing yourself, others and the enemy to dress you in things that aren’t true of you. John 1:12-13 makes it clear to me that when I became a believer my identity changed. Are you living that truth out?

John 1:12-13 (ESV)
¹²  But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ¹³  who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Love you all and pray without ceasing!

 

His,

Vickie

Kathmandu and I Apologize for the Gap ….

Just want to get you up to date on Kathmandu and help you know how to be praying for the missionaries there and the team as we continue to prepare. First, let me share with you that we have 43 women sponsored as of this writing with only 7 more to go. Praise God again for His faithfulness and your obedience as you journey with us. Thank you for all the churches and individuals who have contributed financially, given gifts, and helped to send someone from your church to be a part of the team. With all that being said we have some a major prayer request…

• There continues to be a major fuel shortage in the country of Nepal. This past week we gained information that even some of the restaurants are closing down because they do not have the gas they need to cook food and food services are jeopardized because the trucks cannot get fuel to run routes.
• Pray for us as we keep good communication with our resources on the field so that we can make wise decisions.
• Pray for the women to have gas resources to get to the retreat.
• Pray for us as we continue to finalize details. Pray for us to have trunk space we need without having to carry an extra trunk with us.

I apologize for the gap in communication with all of you this past week and a half. We had an unexpected death in our immediate family and it has been a time of family, decisions, details, etc. Many of you know exactly what I’m talking about. It is amazing to me how God uses death to remind us of life here in the present and in eternity. 

I also want to encourage you, my friends near and far, share the gospel. Share it with your family, share it with your friends, and share it with the world. Some day you won’t have the opportunity to share it. Share it before that day comes … ”It will be well with your soul to know you did.” 

Love you all,

His,

Vickie               

 The Short Life of Man

When the gospel was first preached to the Saxons of Northumbria by Paulinus, and King Edwin sat in council with his chiefs and wise men to consult whether they should give up their idols and believe the Lord Jesus Christ, one of the councilors arose and spoke the following words: "In winter, O king, when thou art sitting in thy hall at supper, with a great fire, and thy nobles and commanders around thee, sometimes a little bird flies through the hall, in at one window and out at another. The moment of his passage is sweet to him, for he feels neither cold nor tempest; but it is short, and from the dark winter he vanishes into the dark winter again. Such, O King, seems to me the short life of man; for we know not whence we came or whither we go. If therefore this new doctrine can teach us anything certain, let us embrace it." And so Edwin and his people came out of the dark winter of paganism into the glorious light of the gospel, and became Christians.

From Bible Illustrations Book 3 by Albrecht Dürer

                    

Ironman….

Two weekends ago I went to Chattanooga, TN to watch my god-son participate in an Ironman. That means a 2 ½ mile swim, 116 mile bike ride (normally 112 but they added 4 more for some reason) and a 26 mile run (marathon) – all of that to take place in one day. It was something to watch. He hit the Tennessee River about 7:30 Sunday morning. That was the easy part. And one of his good friends was standing there with an encouraging sign when he came out of the river. 

When he came in from the 116 mile bike ride we could sense he was really tired but still able to muster a smile when all of us reached out to give high fives as he began the 26 mile run. Over 14 hours and 40 minutes later he crossed the finish line. He was officially declared an Ironman. He was absolutely past exhaustion when he crossed the finish line; however, the joy on his face along with the sense of accomplishment were priceless.

Later on, he was able to share with us some of the behind the scenes circumstances of the Ironman. He shared how he struggled just over the half way mark of the bike ride and how his knee was hurting so bad he wanted to quit. (He got a foot injury several weeks out from the event and favoring the foot caused knee issues during his training process.)  During the run the knee and foot issue grew much worse. He was thinking he may have to quit when two girls came along beside him going at the same pace as his. They spurred him on and before it was over they were all spurring each other on. They crossed the finish line together. 

I could NOT keep from paralleling his journey from ours as believers. Scripture has so much to say about us regarding our finishing the race.

2 Timothy 2:5 (ESV)
An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 

2 Timothy 4:7-8 (ESV)
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

Acts 20:24 (ESV)
But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

Philippians 3:12-14 (ESV)
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 12:2 (ESV)

looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Galatians 5:7 (ESV)
You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (ESV)
 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

My precious brothers and sisters in Christ stay strong no matter your circumstances right now. Finish the course!! Pray for God to bring runners alongside you!! Run alongside someone else that needs the encouragement. We run for much more than a title… we are running for the sound of His voice as He proclaims, "Well done, good and faithful servant.”

We are in warp speed regarding our trip to Kathmandu with lots of shaking and moving going on this week. It is serious time in the area of preparation as we begin to gather all the items into their intended locations to be packed. Moving weight around to different states and locations so we don’t exceed our 50 lb. weight limit is almost as trying as moving my own human weight to different areas and locations. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. However, the excitement of bringing things together before we leave the country is priceless to the soul!

Thank you, thank you so much for those of you that are giving towards this trip as the LORD moves on your hearts. We have had 9 more missionary women sponsored since last weeks’ blog! That puts us at 35 with only 15 more to go! Yea, God!! Keep praying with us that God will continue to move on people’s hearts to give.  

Also pray for our women on the field. They too are aware that our coming is eminent and are trying to get things in order for their households as well. 

I don’t know how much you enjoy it but I love watching and reporting to you in the blog the movement of God on behalf of the missionary women overseas and the team that He has called to go. Thank you again for being a part of His ministry as we all serve Him together.

Running the Race,

His,

Vickie