Mary Durkin- Nepal Mission Trip- Part 2

 Reflections of a Midwestern Girl 

on a Midwestern culture

During my time in Nepal I was blessed to worship 

with the Christian church of Kathmandu, Nepal. 

 We walked from our guest house 
to the small church

 located about a mile away.  

As we traveled down a rocky alley way,

 I spotted the church next to a marshy rice field.  

The building was weathered, worn, and dated. 

 It lacked adequate power supply and plumbing.  

The windows did not close 
and the toilet did not flush. 

 It was unexpected for a house of worship.  

 However, what I was about 
to experience was beautiful.

We entered the small, dark, damp church. 

It was raining outside.  

The windows were open but there was no breeze.  Kathmandu is not a mild climate. 

 It is hot and humid, much more humid 

and warm than this Midwest girl
 had ever experienced.

  The monsoon season came early this year,
 lucky me.   

The church was segregated by gender.   

Everyone sat on the floor 
on faded oriental style rugs.

  The carpet underneath was old and worn.  

There were osculating fans mounted on the ceiling

 that seemed to taunt me by randomly 

turning on and off throughout the worship. 

 So, we sat on the dirty oriental rugs
 at the back of the church, stagnant heat,
 awkward smells, 

and rising emotions.  
Families were arriving.  

Children, teens, fathers and mothers 

all filled up the small room.  

Each family that walked in 
greeted us with shy smiles 

and bowing as they walked past.  

When worship began,

 there were approximately 
50 people in attendance. 

They took their places on the appropriate sides

 of the church and devoted their attention to the front.

  The music began.  It was loud!  

The electric piano and guitar blared 

and the singers sang with a volume and level

 of enthusiasm I had only seen at professional concerts. 

 The congregation joined in!  

All of these Nepali people were on their feet,
 dancing, singing, and praising the God of all Creation. 

 The presence of the Holy Spirit arrived and expanded 

to fill every single heart in that little church 

next to a rice field.  

The room transformed from being uncomfortable 

to a holy place of worship!  

All of the songs were in Nepalese 

but we knew that God was present 

and His children in Nepal were praising Him. 

 After several worship songs,

 the preacher began to preach.  

His sermon text was Isaiah 40. 

 The chapter begins

40 “Comfort, comfort my people,”

    says your God.

² “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem.

Tell her that her sad days are gone

    and her sins are pardoned.

Yes, the Lord has punished her twice over

    for all her sins.”

 These words are so precious 

to the Nepali Christians 

because the country

 is radically changing.  

There is a new constitution declaring that Nepal 

is a non-religious country. 

 It is a country that does not condone religion.

  Unfortunately the main religion

 being attacked is Christianity. 

Their only comfort at this time is their Lord.   

So, as the pastor continued, 

tears began to fall down the faces 

of the men and women in the church. 

 I could see and feel the hurt and persecution

 they were feeling as tears 

streamed down my cheeks. 

 The struggles they deal with on a daily basis

 to keep their church open 

was beyond my comprehension.  

But, as the pastor pointed out to us 

was God is sovereign, he is powerful, 

and He cares for his people.

^{Isaiah 40:10-11}

¹⁰ Yes, the Sovereign Lord is coming in power.

    He will rule with a powerful arm.

    See, he brings his reward 

with him as he comes.

¹¹ He will feed his flock like a shepherd.

    He will carry the lambs in his arms,

holding them close to his heart.

    He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.

God will rule with his powerful arm!  

He cares for His faithful people.  

He will carry them.  

He will carry me!  God is powerful.  

At that moment, His love and power 

was revealed to me.  

God truly is everywhere.  

He is alive and well in Midwest

 of the United States and He lives

 in a little church down an alley in Kathmandu

 and in our Northern Virginia metropolitan area.  

My worship experienced 

changed me that day.  

God is ever present.  

He carries us all close to His heart. 

 As worship continued 

and we were on our feet,

 raising our hands praising God,

 I knew that He loves us, He loves us all.  

 Contributing writer - Mary Durkin

Mary Durkin is a member at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church

 in Springfield, Virginia.

 Born and raised in Illinois, she is a Midwestern girl at heart. 

She is a wife to John Durkin, DCE and mother of 2. 

Mary has been teaching for 17 years, 16 years serving Lutheran schools. 

She currently teaches for Fairfax County Public Schools.

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