Junk Food

This week is our fourth week in DTS. We just learned about Character and Nature of God and Father Heart of God. Although, I have heard of these teachings before, but it is so refreshing and so great to be reminded that the God who we are serving is so big and so huge at the same time wants to get involved in our lives, in every detail of our life. He is so amazing.

I enjoy the company of our Nepali brothers and sisters. They are like Filipinos. Their jokes, their humor are surprisingly same as Filipino humors. I can’t help laughing all the time.

It is also a blessing that our foreign students, Craig from UK and Gingging from Philippines have great interest and desire to minister to Tibetan people here in Nepal. The three of us made a commitment to go to Tibetan refugee camp which is 45-minute walk from our base every Sunday to befriend people and share the gospel to them. Last week, I was able to pray for an old lady who is selling charms inside the monastery. She was selling me charms and I told her I don’t have money, but I can pray for her to my God, Jesus. And she said yes. I asked a Nepali guy, who happens to be a Christian and was visiting the monastery too, to interpret my prayer for her. She smiled and looked very happy after my prayer. I also got to meet 7 Tibetan girls, ages ranging from 10-13 years of age, sitting on the ground inside a school. I got to pray for them too. I am happy that they want to be prayed for. They are all living in a hostel. I promised that I would go back next Sunday, which is today. Please pray for us, as we go and meet with them this afternoon.

Yesterday, I was reading 1 Chronicles 11:4, my eyes caught the phrase, for this is My doing. I thought about my life here in Nepal. I struggled so much with the food because everyday the meals are the same: Rice, bean soup, and curry. They put curry on everything. Sometimes, they served macaroni and funny, it has curry on it. The life here is very different from Olongapo City, where I am from. But you know what, this is God’s doing. It is to take me away from the “spiritual junk food” that looses my appetite on the Presence of God. It is to take off my eyes from the things that satisfy self and not be desperately hungry for His Presence. It is to simply gaze on the beauty of God and the beauty of His creation. I am so blessed that we can see the Annapurna Range from our base. It is standing there in its beauty and displays God’s greatness and majesty. The nearness of His Presence is far satisfying yet, you can’t let go and always wanting for more.

Once again, thank you for praying for me. I appreciate every prayer uttered for me. Thank you for your friendship and support. I am so blessed that you are my friends. My prayer for you is that you may have a greater knowledge of how high, how deep, how wide and how great is His love for you.

Sister in grace and joy,
Gay Ann Elicerio

My First Week in Nepal

May 4, 2010 - The people at the Kathmandu base find it funny to hear that I walked and ride on a Riksa (a cart driven by a bicycle) from the airport to Godavari. It was because there was a strike led by the Maoists, that’s why everything in Kathmandu was shut down. No transportation, businesses were closed and all the other imports from other places to the city were stopped. Some people said I came at the wrong time. Even then, I was so happy to see Dinesh KC at the airport. It eased all my worries and fear of getting lost and not finding my way to the base. Yes, it does look funny, but this is missionary life!!! I should experience this. I think it is really by the grace of God that I just enjoyed that long journey. I was so eager to see Nepal that I forget about all the discomforts of the heat, the many people on the streets, the noise that the Maoists made, the people staring at me while I passed by them. I felt I was just watching a 3D movie. A particular tree caught my attention. People here don’t know what it’s called. (Probably, lavenderJ) It displays so much beauty in the midst of the chaos that is taking place.

YWAM Kathmandu base is really special. The staff and leaders were very welcoming and really good in serving people. I can’t stop laughing whenever Dinesh cracks a joke. The joke is not really funny but the way he talks made it really funny. I love the worship and prayer times here. Everybody prays aloud. I thought it’s only at the YWAM base, but I found out that it also happens in the churches and other Christian meetings I attended. I think it is very powerful.

Andrea Ramussen, an American lady who has been here for 4 months, explained to me how dangerous Maoists are. How they can put out bombs anywhere and have many people killed. I was so shocked to hear all these stories. She told me to advice the Philippine embassy here and put me on their lists if something happens. She said that I might consider flying out of the country earlier than planned. When I heard that, I prayed harder..

Friday night, I woke up at around 3 in the morning. I was praying then suddenly, a picture appeared to me while praying. It was a boy around 13-14 years old, who is wounded, not only wounded, but his whole body is rotting. I kind of have an impression what it is. But when I shared it to Andrea, she said the boy represents Nepal. The Maoists have been bringing trouble to Nepal for 13 years now and they are training boys around that age from other villages to stir up problems and go against the government. And then I got a verse in Jeremiah 1:12, “…I am watching, and I will certainly carry out all my plans.” It gave me peace after receiving this verse, because it means God will not just stand up there and do nothing. He is watching and He has a plan. I planned to fast the next day which was Saturday, but that night, Dinesh told me that the strike is finished. Yay!!

May 8, Saturday, Dhiraj Lama brought me to church with him and then we went to KFC.. It took us 1 ½ hour to get to the place because of traffic. I get to see more of Kathmandu city. It is indeed a huge city with a lot of people. If traffic rules are not observed in Manila, I think it is worst here. And the roads are not really the best.

I enjoyed my remaining days at the base. I went to Children’s home that is close to the base. I get to enjoy the youth fellowship in a church nearby too. May 10, Monday. I visited a slum area where YWAMers are ministering to. It was heartbreaking to see kids inhaling dusts and smelly air day in and day out.

I cooked Menudo at the base so that people there could have a taste of Filipino food.. So far, everybody said it was good. Then I did facial on 6 people which is tiring actually, but it was really rewarding to see them having fun and enjoying it.