Love Without Hypocrisy

Blog
9 September 2016

Love must be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good. Show family affection to one another with brotherly love. Outdo one another in showing honor.
Romans 12:9‭-‬10 HCSB

Yesterday we caught the bus to Sindhupalchok. I had a nasty headache which was not helped by a bus driver who blew his horn at every and any opportunity. It wa no ordinary horn, it had a tune. I suppose this made it more fun for him to blow.

Getting out of Kathmandu was no easy affair. We stopped regularly to collect more hot, steaming bodies. I actually fell asleep at one point and awoke to see huge bags of produce blocking the aisle, atop which sat more people.

At every stop little Nepali salesmen clambered aboard to attempt to sell us their bottles of water and various nibbles. They shouted loudly, not helping my head.

Finally we stopped for lunch and the toilet at a small village. The look of food was repugnant to me and so i nibbled on a few dried pilchards and drank apple juice and water. Thibgs were not made better by one of the young Nepali boys with us drinking out of my bottle.

The next leg of the journey was tortuous and downright dangerous. We went into the hills where numerous landslides had occurred. At one point the bus lurched and plowed through churned up mud. Finally we arrived and the little old Nepali man who sat next to me indicated we must get off the bus. I did and promptly began to vomit. I knew my bowels wanted to behave likewise but briskly took off down a small path, across a suspension bridge, negotiated bends and twists through a group of houses to our destination and a smelly squat toilet.

I was then shown to a bed where i collapsed and slept on and off for hours. Eventually i woke at 10pm and took some hydrating fluid and sat and chatted to the boys who had come on the journey with us. These Nepali are beautiful people. They know how to love.

I was surprised by the leader of the group of Nepali asking a very old man to give up his seat to my colleague on the bus. We remonstrated with him and the old man stayed by my side for the last leg of the trip. He was delightful.

On reflection i believe the old man must have been of a lower cast. To us this is not an excuse to cheat an old man. Old men and women, no matter what their cast, deserve honour.

10 September 2016

Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2 HCSB


This morning i had the joy of giving a daily bible study to one of the young men in our group of volunteers with us. I also gave him a bible from our church in Australia. He was overjoyed and then proceeded ro listen to music on my phone.

Warren and I had a time of prayer together in front of two boys and they respectfully turned aside quietly. I pray this ministers to the boys as they see Jesus in our lives.

The persistent headache went away with a good brew of black coffee. Praise God! We are now waiting for brunch. It will be the usual Dal Bart (not sure of spelling).

Just played some of the boys cards and allowed them to get to know me better. Next i went outside ot draw and paint and one followed me and sat writing a poem. I read him some of my poems and he cried. What soft, sensitive people. I love them for their hearts.

For by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one.
Romans 12:3

This afternoon we treked to the remote area of a small village in Sindhupalchok to take gofts to the children in four families affected by the earthquake. It was like watching children at Christmas. They were overjoyed. I asked our translator what the Nepali women wanted most amd was told goats amd chickens as promised. This will help them earn an income. Our guide wanted us to do many things but finances and rational thinking insisted on the immediate needs