The harvest is great, but the workers are few.

"So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields."  Please, Lord Jesus, send more workers into your fields!  One week ago, I was in Rampur, a village about four hours away from Tansen, where regular medical care is not available.  I went with five other doctors, a dentist, two nurses, the hospital social service director, and a medical assistant.  We saw patients for two half days; over 400 lined up for medical and dental care.  It was a busy time.  We ended with a prayer service.  I hope we blessed and helped these people; who knows when they will have another opportunity to recieve medical care.  Did you know that there are so many restrictions and hardships for doctors in this country (particularly financially) that 95% of Nepal's physicians work in the inner city of Kathmandu?  That leaves only 5% for the rest of the country, and some of those only show up occasionally.  Did you know that sometimes political unrest leads to the closure of hospitals for indeterminable lengths of time?  I had no idea how many people simply suffer, with little other choice.  It is no wonder that the appeal to demons (spirits with at least some power) is so common.  To whom would you appeal if you lived in Rampur?  I must put in a word about the church in Rampur.  The Christian church there hosted us for this medical camp (fed us, housed us, gave us a place to see patients, prayed for us and ministered to the patients in countless ways).  Now, back at Tansen Mission Hospital, the days are busy and stressful.  You see, three of our long-term doctors are away right now (on home leave, to deliver a baby at home, etc.) and the truth is, it takes two or three short-term doctors to replace each long-term doctor/servant.  There is simply so much to learn (language, culture, common illnesses, medicines available, etc.) that none of us new doctors is nearly as efficient as the long-term doctors.  And not many Nepali doctors choose to live out here.  Please pray to the Lord of the Harvest to send workers to the hinterlands of Nepal.

Dave and Nick just took a trek out to the Chepang area with our other two colleagues.  Nick said that the highlight was the village where he saw people read their language for the very first time.  They suddenly felt that they might have more worth than they originally perceived...for their language was actually written down.  And then they heard their songs on the mp3 player...what a thrill!  Nick says they played them over and over and over again, through much of the night.  Nick did so well on his first trek out for Chepang project work; he was the team photographer.  He carried his pack, hiked uphill for six hours, waiting long periods of time for food, endured diarrhea, and didn't complain once, so I am told.  He is growing into such a fine young man.  Please pray for him as he discovers just which niche God made him for.

One final note before I use up my time on the computer (more electricity cuts these days and only one computer in our home that can access the Internet)...PLEASE PRAY!  A 14-year-old girl delivered a baby girl at the Tansen Mission Hospital this week.  Last night, we got a call asking if we would like to explore the possibility of adopting this girl.  Her mother has decided to leave her baby at the hospital.  The laws are always changing here, and we don't even know if the country will allow us to adopt.  We would love to raise this girl and love her with a bucketful of love from six Beines.  We know that if this is God's will, He can move any governmental/social/religious blockade to see His will accomplished.  On Monday, the hospital's social service director will inquire about the possibility of an international adoption for this little girl.  To our knowledge, the mother has not signed the release papers yet, and what other hoops must be jumped through, we can only imagine.  Our hearts are content to wait on God, and our biggest request is that this girl will find some home where she can be loved and cared for, and brought to the feet of the Father who made her (she will likely never meet her biological father).  We love this girl already.  We trust in God.  We wait.  We are advised not to go to the hospital to see her.  We have peace in our hearts as we pray from our home.  Will you please pray with us?

When the guide that you follow is the LORD Jesus Christ, you're always on an adventure...thank you for following with us!

Loving the adventure,
Kimberly, for the six of us!