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Showing posts with label Nepal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nepal. Show all posts

Monday, May 15, 2017

Are You Ever Too Young To Take a Missions Trip? Not according to Abigail Bethany Colby

Himalayas 


Guest Post by Eighteen-Year-Old Abigail Bethany Colby
Church Service in Kathmandu, Nepal

Why?
   

“Why?” is a question I hear way too often.

“Why do you want to go on a mission trip so badly?”

“Why do you care?”

I never understand their whys. As a Christian, we are commanded to care for people and share God’s love with as many as possible. If I work hard enough, I know I can raise enough money to go on a mission trip. Even those out-of-town outreaches on Saturdays

I don’t have anything to do a lot of Saturdays, so, of course, I’m going to go. “Why not?” I find myself saying so often. The opportunity is there, and it makes no sense not to take it.
No, I don’t think I’m too young. There is no such thing as too young to serve in the best way possible and do God’s will for your life.

“Do these things when you’re old enough to appreciate it,” they say.

I know I’m capable of appreciating it now. God has put an overwhelming love in my heart for people now, so why not put it to use now? If I waited until I was older, what would I do now? I’m not waiting until I’m older because I’m capable of making a difference now.

I’m not doing this to have a good experience, or to better myself, but to better other people. Until I have ministered God’s Word to people who can give me nothing in return, I have not lived.

“God, please use me now. My life is yours; do as you please with it.”      


© Abigail Bethany Colby   

Monday, January 5, 2015

Thankfulness from Ten Thousand Miles



As we start the new year, my New Year's resolution is to be more thankful. After the trip to Nepal and sharing John 3:16 books with the orphans, I realize more than ever how much for which I have to be thankful. 

When I finally got around to emptying out my suitcase (yes, it took me two months), I found the note below from some of the children we met. We stayed at one of the orphans' houses and they must have put the note in my suitcase when I wasn't looking. I want to share it with you and encourage you as you start off the new year. 

While our outward circumstances may not change our perspective will. God will add a heavenly filter to our limited worldly view, and somehow, someway, we will see the world with a different perspective, with more joy, with more hope, and with more patience. The Lord knows, I need more patience:)

Because it's a little hard to read from the scan, here is what it says:

Romans 12:12

Rejoicing in hope 
patient in tribulation 
continuing steadfastly in prayer

Dear Lorilyn Auntie and Sister Joylin,
We thank you for your hard work by bringing us the book. We usually don't get such books even in the market. This book will strengthen our spiritual and English level. We appreciate your prayer and  hoping to read such book in the future, too. Thank you for reading the book for us. Thank you for your love and everything. We were blessed from your visit. Keep in touch!

Ram Hari, Grivson, Bishal, Aaron, Ajit, Ayusha, Kinv, Akriti, James, Sagar Anusha, Dipesh, Sibani, Ginita




Monday, November 3, 2014

God is Doing Awesome Things in Nepal Through the John 3:16 Marketing Network

Mount Everest
Author Lorilyn Roberts
October 31, 2014


We are back from Nepal. 

Joy and I returned from Nepal three days ago after spending 22 hours traveling on three planes and racking up almost 40 hours of travel time with layovers in three airports. The 14-hour plane trip from Abu Dhabi to New York was LONG. God answered my prayers:  We didn't get sick, we lost none of the books entrusted to us, and we were able to meet with many Nepali children from sponsored homes and more at church on Saturday.

The kids loved receiving the books and the bookmarks, which made the trip all the more worthwhile. I shared with Shanti (Silas's niece and youth leader at the church) the Kindles, and showed her how to use them. I look forward to hearing how God uses the hundreds of ebooks on the Kindles in the future.

Please pray for healing for one young girl we met at Ram's house (Silas' brother). God promised me I would see amazing things. The young girl, around twelve, didn't make an appearance until the day before we left. Ram explained to me that she had been with them for almost four months. Her mouth was grossly disfigured as well as her ears and fingers. However, the worst disfigurement was emotional scarring. Her birthmother had died and her father had left her with a distant relative who gave her minimal care. She had quit school because the other kids shunned her, and no one had bothered to take her to the doctor to find out what was the cause of her horribly disfiguring malady.

Ram asked her family if she could live with them for a while, and he and his wife, who have adopted nine children as well as have two biological children, took her to the doctor for diagnosis and treatment. The treatment has only helped partially. The doctor diagnosed her skin disease as a fungal infection. I am praying for healing. Please pray with me. I am claiming God's promise of seeing amazing things in Nepal. An amazing promise would be to see God heal her completely.

Her condition reminds me of leprosy-I found it difficult to look at her, not because of the disfigurement, but because of her embarrassment, her humiliation, her hurt at being so ugly and different. Ram and his family love her as one of their own, but healing from God will also heal her heart and make it a fertile ground for receiving His unconditional love. I don't want a healing that will take many more months. I want a miraculous healing that can only come from the power of God. James 5:16 states, "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." I believe we can pray this young girl to complete health in Jesus' name.

I have asked myself since returning, how has the trip impacted my life? What do I think God showed me or wanted to teach me? This requires some introspection, but I will share a few thoughts that have struck me.

1. God's kingdom is expanding. Despite the evil in the world, God is greater. Give God fertile ground to grow-in my heart, in my mind, in my emotions, in my words, in my deeds, and in my soul. Why do I doubt? Why do I give so much credit to the enemy? God is exceedingly capable of doing all that I want or ask if I ask with right motives and a pure heart. Quit making God too small-He is big enough for every task and every problem that comes before me. Let Him be God and quit trying to do it all on my own. His ways are better anyway.

2. Love more. Take time. Slow down. Listen. Be kinder. Be gentler. Be more patient. The only thing I can take with me from this world into the next is relationships. Give God the most. Don't sweat the rest. Life is too short. Keep it simple. Live each moment to the fullest. Don't hurry.

3. Be thankful. Give thanks in everything. All that I have is on loan to me. I don't own it. Be content with less and remember my brothers and sisters on the other side of the world who have so little. Look for opportunities to thank God, even for the hard things.

4. Enjoy life more and work less. I have God's permission to swim, read, go for walks, and enjoy the ordinary. I don't have to live in the fast lane. In fact, I shouldn't.

5. Make time to write. God gave me that desire. Don't let anyone or anything take it away. Keep smiling. Good is everywhere if I look for it and make sure that "good" starts in my own home. Love my daughters unconditionally. Spend more time with friends. God is God of all-put Him first and expect His blessings. God is not stingy. He desires to give me His best. Give God my best. Spend quality quiet time with Him each day. Make it the best part of each day. God deserves it and I do, too.

6. Don't waste time feeling guilty about all of my failures. God doesn't hold them against me and I shouldn't either. Instead, look ahead, start each day anew, and be content in all situations. Quit complaining. Set an example for others. Live with a spirit of forgiveness and a short memory of wrongs suffered. Have a gentle response-and see the difference. With God helping me, I know I can do it!

Author Lorilyn Roberts
Enjoy a short two-minute video highlighting the children receiving the books. Click here. 
Children reading books.
Thank you for your prayers, donations, and encouragement. God used you in a mighty way as I could not have made the trip without your help. Please continue to pray for Nepal, for God's hand in the affairs of the nation, to raise up Christians, and to protect the children from exploitation. God is at work and reaching new believers in massive numbers. Pray that our books will be read and re-read for years to come and draw many more to Christ. 

In Jesus' precious name,
 

Lorilyn Roberts
Author Lorilyn Roberts

Monday, September 29, 2014

Twenty Years Later - Lorilyn Roberts Returns to Nepal to Take Books To Orphans

This inspirational work of nonfiction follows a woman who turns her own shattered dreams into life-changing hope, relying on God's redemptive love to overcome impossible odds and adopt two destitute children from one of the world's most remote regions.

I (Lorilyn Roberts) will be traveling to Nepal soon to take books to orphans - children who have been rescued and adopted into Nepali homes sponsored by Child Hope International.

Please consider making a donation of $34.95 to help defray the costs. In return I will send you a signed copy of my best-selling memoir Children of Dreams.  

For the next three weeks, I will be publishing on my blog my adoption memoir, to encourage you to pray for Joy and me, for travel mercies, and for you to "taste" the country and experience what I felt when I was there before. God gave me my first of two "Children of Dreams" twenty years ago. I arrived home from Nepal on Mother's Day, May 8, 1994, with Manisha Hope.

The costs will be around $3,500 for Joy and me to travel and stay six days. Our time will be spent helping many of the kids with English and reading. About $1,500 has been donated so far. I am hoping more people will donate toward the trip so I don't have to spend the next several months paying off my credit card when I return. 

Imagine what the possibilities are with the two hundred plus Christian books we are taking (as well as two Kindles a member of the John 3:16 Marketing Network donated). These children are among the few, particularly the girls, to receive an education in Nepal. They are the future leaders, the future teachers, doctors, and nurses. Over two hundred abandoned children have been adopted in-country by Nepali families sponsored by Child Hope International. Today many are in college. One orphan sponsored by Child Hope International is now in medical school. 

I would especially appreciate your prayers. Donations can be made through Paypal.



If you would enjoy reading Children of Dreams as an ebook, in celebration of the trip, I'm offering a free coupon through Smashwords for the length of time Joy and I will be in Nepal. Joy is my younger daughter who I adopted from Vietnam. Manisha, who is 23, will be staying home and taking care of all of our animals. 

Here is the information to get your free copy of Children of Dreams in Nook or to read online. It is also available in Kindle on Amazon by clicking here.

Promotional price: $0.00
Coupon Code: XT77R
Expires: October 29, 2014    
 



From James 1:27:  Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.  

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TO VISIT MORE SITES ON THE BLOG TOUR, CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW


Lorilyn Roberts
Sept. 8
Michelle D. Evans
Sept. 9
Cheryl Cowell
Sept. 10
Laura J. Davis
Sept. 11
Judy Lair
Sept. 12
Krystal Kuehn
Sept. 13
Violet James
Sept. 14
Emma Right
Sept. 15
Pearl Nsiah-Kumi
Sept. 16
Randy Kirk
Sept. 17
William Burt
Sept. 18
Kimberley Payne
Sept. 19
Cheryl Colwell
Sept. 20
D.K. Drake 
Sept. 21
Jill Richardson
Sept. 22
Dana Rongione
Sept. 23
Robin Johns Grant
Sept. 24
Elizabeth Paige
Sept. 25
L. Shoshana Rhodes
Sept. 26
Michelle D. Evans
Sept. 27
Sharon A. Lavy
Sept. 28
Lorilyn Roberts
Sept. 29
Dana Rongione
Sept.30
William Burt
Oct. 1
Laura J. Davis
Oct. 2
Kimberley Payne
Oct. 3
Emma Right
Oct. 4
Val Newton Knowles
Oct. 5
Elizabeth Paige
Oct. 6
Jilll Richardson
Oct. 7