Preaching the good news and healing the sick
in New Zealand, Nepal and the world
Nepal is beautiful, and we pray you get a glimpse of the fabulous Himalayas! But it is also a developing country. This means that often things don’t work, the power is off, or there may be strikes. General organisation is not as good - things is less predictable that in the West.
Life happens in your face and on the streets! People are everywhere. You will come face to face with extreme poverty, which is always a shock. Not everyone is poor, of course, but those who are have very little indeed, surviving on a few cents a day. We cannot change the system overnight, but we can love those in need. Check out Cleone’s Diary!
Where will we stay?
We usually use good local hotels and guesthouses. Rooms are often simple, with ‘wet’ bathrooms, and firm beds! The staple diet is dhal baht, meaning lentils and rice. The food is spicy, Indian style. It is usually safe, but don’t drink the water!! We make sure we have bottled water at all times. An electric travel jug or kettle is a very useful extra.
Weather
Nepal has three main regions - the plains, the hills, and the mountains. The southern plain, or Terai, is very hot in summer (high 30s/low 40s), hot in spring and autumn (low 30s), and pleasant in winter. The hills can be hot during the day, but cooler at night. Kathmandu is at 1800 metres, but polluted. The Himalayas are high and cold.
Nepal - What to expect?
We try to find reasonable hotels, but we have to be adaptable because we’re often off the regular tourist routes.
BELOW: Our team preaching and praying for the sick.
Dress
Mostly light clothing, but a jacket or sweater for evenings is usually OK. (Padded jacket in winter or mountains!) People cover up more than we do in the West, so bare armpits, calves and cleavage are unacceptable! Usually Christians wear something smarter for church on Saturdays (which is their ‘Sunday’! Trousers are good for ladies.
Health
We suggest contacting your health advisor about immunisation. Malaria is present though uncommon. But we go to trouble to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes!
Ministry
There will be opportunities to pray for the sick, and often to preach where appropriate. We are open to the leading of the Holy Spirit, who may give words of prophecy for people or situations. We usually see many miracles, and every team member is used by God!
Before we go
We meet two or three times as a team to pray together, get to know each other, and have a vital ‘briefing day’ when we share our expectations, get ideas on what to bring, and learn other tips.
We also have a ‘debriefing’ afternoon when we return, to help readjust to ‘normal’ life and hear the stories!
Selected Nepal links:
Nepal Partners:
Latest News:
Her full diary of March 2011 gives an outstanding feel of what a trip is like!