Praise the Lord for Ps. Troy and Gene being with us this week. Gene should be home by now and Ps. Troy just got on the plane today. It  has been a great week.

The Lord has used Ps. Troy and Gene to help us focus on the vision for the ministry here, to get things started in the right way, in God’s timing and God’s way. We are experiencing how the Lord builds things up from the bottom so that it can have an unshakable foundation.

Help us, Lord! I have found myself saying this more in the last few weeks than ever in my life. It is a difficult and uncomfortable place to be, but I know that it is also where we need to be sometimes in order for the Holy Spirit to remove what doesn’t need to be there, and in turn pour in His power, Spirit, love, and every good thing that He has for each of us. How we miss out on so many spiritual blessings when we don’t allow the Spirit to dwell in us.

I pray that each of you will have the desire and humility to abide in Him alone.

We praise God for you,

Lisa

 

Hi, all!

We are so thankful to have Ps. Troy and Gene here with us this week. The whole gang left this morning for a teaching journey up in the mountains. Ps. Troy, Gene, Nanda, Isaac and their friend, Josiah, will be in three different locations over the next 3 days sharing wisdom from God’s Word. We are told that some pastors have traveled for 3 days to be a part of this.

They will also be sharing about their plans for selecting pastors to be a part of the specific training that is currently being put together back in Lynchburg.

Please pray for their safety, the Holy Spirit’s leading in the teaching and translation, and that the Lord will show them specific people who are earnestly seeking Him and will be serious about taking part in the training program.

Everyone is well, but we can definitely see Satan at work. Please pray for God to do a mighty work not only through us, but in each of us as well. As Ps. Troy put it to us, we are on “Satan’s playground.” Thank the Lord that He is in control and that the enemy is already defeated!

love in Jesus,

Lisa

Hello, friends and family!

We are all safely moved to Siliguri, India and are doing well. It is very hot and humid here, so we are adjusting. We are so thankful to finally be here. We’re excited about what the Lord is going to do. He is already bonding us closer to our nephews more and more each day. We have waited a long time to meet and raise them, and finally here we are. Prakesh is now 13 and Kumar will be 11 on Oct. 13. They are so helpful and obedient and show so much love and kindness to Maya.

We are very thankful to CCL Open Hands Home, to Carl and Gina, and Isaac and Eva and all the others who came on short trips and were a part of discipling and caring for Prakesh and Kumar until we could get here. We feel very honored to finally be able to raise and love them.

We (the Giris) and the Van Epps are all moved into our apartments now. We live about 15 minutes apart. We all seem to enjoy our new homes.

We are planning to start a Bible Study in our home this Wednesday and then a church fellowship on Oct. 18. Please pray for the leading of the Holy Spirit for Nanda as he teaches and for guidance to all of us as we reach out and get to know local people.

We are very excited to have Ps. Troy and Gene Jackson coming soon. We look forward to spending time with them and to plan for the next step in the ministry here.

God bless you all,

Lisa

Dear All,

I know that there have been quite a many of you personally praying for the healing of Bibi Maya.  Today she had her final appointment with the doctors after having taken meds for the last 18 months.  After examining the results of the many tests they performed today they decided that she has been completely healed of TB.  She will have to come back for a check up every six months from here on out, but this is a small matter in Bibi’s eyes.  Tonight we had a time of prayer and praise!  She completely recognizes that Jesus healed her of this disease and is so happy!

On a side note the doctor, having never seen this senario play out this way, wants to take pictures of Bibi’s x-rays so that he can use it while teaching his students!  Isaac was sure to tell him who we credit this miracle to, but all he would say is that is what you think.  The facts speak for themselves though.  The Lord will bring glory to Himself through healings and we have already seen this at work in the lives of other Nepali people who have come in contact with Bibi. She gives Him all the glory and praise and the Lord is letting his light shine bright!

Love in Jesus,

Eva

Hello All!

I have been praying lately for the Lord to help me write on here.  It seems that as life has become increasingly normal for me here there has been less and less that seems interesting enough to put up on here.  I appologize for this.  On normalcy, I would say that after a year of living here we have adjusted well to the culture and to life being a foreigner and all.  As I prayed this prayer it seemed that an abundance of things came my way that were “worthy” in my mind to share with you all! 

First off, the kids have finished another round of testing as first term has ended and the results are in!  All of the children made it into first division (the only exception being Suni) which is an improvement for some.  Raj Kumar and Bibi both made first in their respective classes, this means that they both scored the highest on the majority or all of the different tests.  Raju improved his science and math scores by leaps and bounds!  Prakash G. and Prakash Man both did an outstanding job.  We are so proud of them all! 

Also this week we witnessed what is said to be the century’s longest Solar Eclipse on Wednesday morning!  Although covered by clouds the eclipse was still visible.  The kids were very excited, though I have to wonder if it was more for the fact that they got the day off of school because of it.  Hmm?  Anyways, the day turned out the be quite progressful because everyone got their hands dirty and fixed up the yard. 

Now that the outside of our home has gotten a little touch up, we are continually rearranging things on the inside to prepare for a 1 year old to be living with us!  We are so excited that Nanda and Lisa will be here with us a week from tomorrow!  Please keep them in your prayers as these last few days can be quite stressful.  Also keep praying for their nephews here.  Kumar and Prakesh talk about their arrival everyday and have been counting down the days.  While they understand that their uncle and auntie love them very much, they are still a little nervous.  I assured them that they don’t need to change, but just to be themselves and to pray.  Everyone in the home is excited to meet them and Maya!

Finally, I had a bit of an experience today as I was out in the city with a family we are friends with.  Travel can be quite difficult here at times and when there is a bandh it seems very near to impossible!  As we tried to get to our destination we were forced to get out of our taxis twice and walk.  On the second occaision we were stampeded by a huge crowd of crazy micro drivers… followed by Police men waiving their batons.  We all quickly hugged the wall as everyone passed us.  Talk about being in the wrong spot at the wrong time.  I am so thankful to say that there were no injuries and that even though we were all shaken up a bit, we were all fine.  Praise the Lord that we were protected today!  This was a first experience for me that I don’t think I am willing to have again, but I know that no matter what happens here the Lord is always with me!  I think maybe this is the last time I pray for the Lord to help me find something to write about

I love you all and thank you for praying for us!

Eva

Hey Everyone,

As you all know Nanda and Lisa are making their final stops on their way over here!  We are so excited and blessed that they will be here with us for a time in Kathmandu.  I just wanted to ask you all to keep them in your prayers as they make this life change.  July is looking like a very busy month not only for Nanda and Lisa, but for us as well.  I wanted to ask for your prayers for this home as we continue to seek the Lord’s direction.  All of the kids are doing well.  They have just finished their first term exams and are enjoying a much needed break from school.  Today has been a rather laid back day as they all relax from the two week long period of testing.  

I also wanted to say happy 4th!  I know that this is a little late, but I hope that you all had a blessed holiday.  It was nice that it fell on a Saturday this year because we got to have a day of fun with the kids.  Monsoon has begun again and it is raining pretty much every day here now.  Other than this there isn’t too much new news from Nepal.  

I just wanted to thank you all again for your faithful prayers even though I haven’t been so faithful with the blog the last two months.  Thank you.  We are so blessed to have such prayer support for this ministry that we do.  We love you all so very much.

In Him, 

Eva

I also just wanted to share a slideshow with you that was put together by Jamie, Mike, and Joe.  The pictures are from the team that came over in May.

Hey Everyone,

Yesterday marked one full year since we have been in Nepal.  I can confidently say that Isaac and I have changed quite a bit over the last year of our lives.  Stepping out in faith felt so good, and the Lord has taken care of us every step of the way.  Looking back now I can see the many ways that God has worked in and through us.  To be completely honest, when we came here we were no where near prepared for what the year would bring, but the Lord was SO faithful to us and he did a mighty work.  We didn’t know what it would be like to be parents to these six Nepali blessings.  I am amazed as I look back and see the amount of grace that He poured out on us so that we could do His work here in the lives of these children and the community that we live in.  In the beginning it was difficult to see exactly where the Lord was working… life was very difficult.  Half of the kids didn’t speak any English and had only been in the home about two months before we came.  I can remember getting down on my knees and crying out to God for help…. and He did.   He bestowed a love in Isaac’s and my heart for these children that we couldn’t have on our own.  We saw them as He did… blessings.  

Over the last year we have been with them through the joys and the sickness, the hurts and the praises.  We have watched some of them come to full blossom.  Raju has grown by leaps and bounds in his walk with the Lord.  He has a strong devotion to the Lord and it is amazing to witness what He is putting on his heart.  Bibi has progressed from using a walker to running and jumping!  She looks like any other girl her age and is becoming such a lovely lady.  Her peaceful presence around the house presents such an example to the others.  Prakash Giri has grown FIVE inches since we got here last year.  He is always singing praises to the Lord and is hungry to learn more worship songs.  Prakash Man has really opened up.  In the beginning he wouldn’t talk very much, but now he is so talkative and loving.  He is very smart as well and even skipped a grade this year.  Raj Kumar is the servant of all… always willing to help someone when they haven’t even asked yet.  He exercises patience with Suni and was key to her development in the home.  Sometimes I would see him quietly take her by the hand and help her with whatever she needed.  Suni not only learned Nepali this year but she can speak a lot of English and understands everything that I say to her.  In the beginning I seriously thought she hated me and now she is like my shadow.  She is learning something new everyday and has become such a good little girl.  

I wanted to say all of these things to you so that you would know how your prayers have been answered.  I am praising God for all that He has done this year!  Your prayers have made all the difference to us in this home.  Please continue to pray for these children and for the direction of this home.  May the Lord’s will be done in the year to come.

Love to you all, 

Eva

Hey Everyone,

I am so glad to report that all are healthy at our home! Last week Isaac, Suni and Prakash Man all came down with a fever. Isaac’s went away first, Suni’s involved other symptoms, but was finished in 5 days, and Prakash Man ended up with the shortest stick as we found out that he had an infection in his lungs. No worries though! The doctor has prescribed antibiotics and he is recouping rather quickly. All this sickness made for a tiring week!

Another praise that I have is that the rain is back!! This means more electricity! Also our cistern is full… which means we don’t have to conserve like we did before. A difficult task with 8 people! Another benefit of the rain is that it washes away all of the pollution in the air! This means that I can see the mountains!

The city looks much better as well because all of the dust has been washed off of the houses, plants and streets. It was such a beautiful and relaxing day today!

Please keep this home in your prayers daily! We NEED you!

Love,

Eva

Here is a letter from Raju, the oldest boy in the home. He wanted to thank some of the guys on the last trip for donating for his glass that recently were broken at school:

“Dear Friends,

Hi, how are you all? I hope you all are fine and doing great work. I was very sad. I don’t know why I feel like we have been known each other for a long time. I miss you all. God will bless you all for what you all had done for that village. Thanks a lot for donating money to get my glasses repaired. I am so happy because now I have my glasses now. May God bless you all. I have been praying for you all.

May God Bless you All,
Raju Tamang”

Hey Everyone,

Isaac here, I just wanted to share with you all about the events that happened out in the East with the team that was just here. The trip was a real success! It was such an awesome time of outreach with much fruit seen and unseen. Please join me in prayer for the new seeds that they would grow strong and deeply rooted in the Word, also pray for the leadership of the local churches that they would continue to faithfully tend to these new plants. I was so impressed with how great the team worked together and their selfless and flexible attitude deeply impacted me and many of the Nepalese that observed them.

The football games were also a great success. Our guys played hard and they put up respectable fight, and won their opponent’s respect and they were able to share their personal testimonials with them and the Gospel. There surely was a great impact on them.

The building of the toilet in the village really opened the eyes of the people there to how much Christians really care about them. It gave us a good opportunity to share the love of God.

I also was so pleased when Raju (the oldest boy in the home here; my disciple) decided that he wanted to be baptized. He asked me if I would baptize him and I gladly agreed. So he was baptized in a Rasbunchi village with the first believers of a new church there. I believe that this is a forshaldowing of his future in ministry. Please pray for him as he continues to grow into a minister of the Gospel.

I also had the chance to travel with Mike Babcock to the North in the hills near Illam to where Troy went last year, to encouage to some remote pastors and share with them my vision to train pastors like them in the remote village churches in these areas of Nepal and other countries. It was was excepted with much ethusiam and expectation. Please pray for more relationships to be built and more and more doors open to this work.

I want to presonally thank all those who came for their hard work and flexable attitudes. I look forward to ministring again with you guys, come back soon. Also thank you to all those who faithfuly scarficed and prayed for this trip to happen. The Lord moved very powerfully while they were here and he still is.

God bless!

Isaac Van Epps

Just a prayer request… I think I am dealing with a bout of Malaria.  Pray that the doctor would have wisdom in taking care of me.