A trip to Nepal

My dear friend Rebekah recently got back from her missions trip to Nepal. I asked her to share a few things about her trip and how the Lord worked in her life while there. I was very excited when she said yes and am honored to have her as my very first guest author and I hope it won't be the last! I pray that it will be a blessing to you as it was to me! May we always keep missions, both foreign and domestic in our hearts and prayers!
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Hello! My name is Rebekah Grisso. I am a friend of Sarah Schurman. We met and become good friends when I was in college. Sarah asked me to write this article about my trip in Nepal.
     As a teenager God called me to be a missionary. Since then God has allowed me to take several short-term mission trips, one of which was seven and a half months in Nepal.
     
​Before I share How God grew me, allow me first to explain a little of the culture of Nepal. The people of Nepal are very, very poor. There is electricity, but it is on only certain times throughout the day and night. The food is very spicy (to me) but delicious! They eat a lot of rice, noodles, chicken and potatoes. The streets are very crowded with people, buses, cars, motorcycles, vendors and shops. Horns are constantly blowing and people are always yelling!
     
You may have heard or read things like "You Know You Are a... If...." We came up with a few sayings "you know you live in a dusty country when...
1. The tap water is light brown like weak tea! (Thankfully they do have bottled water for cooking and drinking!)
2. When mopping, your water becomes black and your rinse water is as dirty as your soapy water.
3. You can wash your car every few hours.
4. Your fingernails always have dirt under them.
5. You wash your hands and the soap gets dirty.
     Also, "You May Not Live in America if..."
1. There are no working stop lights. There is only one stop sign and that is at the airport and nobody stops for it.
2. You sit on the floor for everything.
3. There is trash everywhere.
4.You have to heat water for a bath.
5. Your nickname is White Blood Cells."
     In Nepal, God really taught me to rejoice in him no matter what the challenge (no tap water for almost a month, bed bugs, sickness, lots of rain and mud) and to be more thankful for the blessings He has given me. The Lord also dealt with me and showed me things in my life that were not pleasing to Him and that were hindering me from drawing closer to Him. I am so glad that God allowed me to go to Nepal, for there my life was changed in almost every way.
     While the scenery in Nepal is very beautiful, Nepal is a land of deep spiritual darkness. The main religion is Hinduism, which is a filthy religion of idol worship, immorality and cruelty. There is much demon possession. The people greatly need the love and glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.
     Soon after I arrived, the missionary took my dad and I to a village. A couple in their church wanted us to come and eat dinner with them. While we were there, she shared her testimony. I do not really remember much of what she said, but her testimony was the beginning of God showing himself to me in a deeper way.
     This lady had been demon possessed. As she told her life in bondage before she met Christ, there was no joy in her face. But when she got to the part about how God delivered her and set her free, her face glowed with smiles and pure joy. I left there in tears realizing the power of God. I have grown up in church and been taught the Bible all of my life, and I believe the Bible and know it is truth. However, here in America we sometimes just have a knowledge that God is powerful and as we read the stories in Scripture about Jesus casting out demons, we think that is great. God is powerful. But when you hear the testimony of a person who truly has been delivered from Satan's power, it makes the Bible come alive. Two verses became very real to me after hearing this lady's testimony. John 8:32 and 36 "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."
     God is at work in this country and there are many who are coming to know the Lord, but millions still do not know God. Please pray for Nepal.