Global DAWN

It was with a bit of unease that we, along with our co-workers Ted and Judy, accompanied by seven other ministry partners, jammed ourselves into a dilapidated, rented vehicle in Kathmandu for a five-hour drive to our teaching/training consultation in Hetauda. We had just learned that the possibility of a "strike" (protest) on any road in Nepal could happen at a moment's notice if, for example, a bus or car hit a chicken, a duck, a goat or other animal. A stirke could block the roads for hours as the village people sorted through the blame. The road we traveled, one-lane only, though meeting hundreds of like-minded vehicles, hair-pinned its way through the foothills of the Himalayas, out-rivaling any 4-wheel trail you could find in the Rockies. Our packed van, luggage strapped to the top, dust covering our clothes and filling our mouths, traversed village after village, terraced field after terraced field, through river bed trails, over 10,000 foot passes, steering clear of chickens, ducks, goats, cows, dogs, young boys wanting rides, and small children selling flowers.
A prophetic word came to mind as we were traveling: Three years ago, God used a woman at a simple church conference to speak to us. She pictured us riding in a vehicle through high and beautiful mountains somewhere, not in the U.S., with other folks in the car but Jesus was at the wheel... There was a moment when our young driver on the road to Hetauda started to lose control of the van, and we began to speed backward down the road. He wisely backed us against a rock wall, putting quite a large dent in the fender, but stopping the downward momentum. Jesus was at the wheel!
Upon arrival at our destination, 60+ pastors and church planters were ready and anxious to hear the Lord through what God had instructed us to teach. God did not disappoint. The Holy Spirit moved and these precious, dedicated folks were motivated to reach out to the lost peoples around them. Most of the attendees were first generation Christians. The Lord had brought them out of their Hindu and Buddhist religions in miraculous ways and, even though persecuted for their faith, had given them a passion to reach back into their families and villages with the Gospel. We taught them the orality/storying concept, simply telling Bible stories to their non-literate cultures, and we instilled the vision to use that tool and others to plant churches and grow disciples. Pray for these new friends of ours...that they will keep grounded in the Word and be reminded daily that God is their strength and provider.