People gather around a fire or around the outside kitchen where the logs of wood burn from a small clay hull in the ground which 'they' call a stove. There is no oven, but there is conversation. There is a lot of conversation, as I have observed from the outside. Life is different. Life to the Tharu is beautiful. They are beautiful.
Little boys actually skip when they run. And they also hold hands out of friendship because of culture.
I saw four boys playing catch with a ball of nylon string. They probably do not know what a baseball feels like, much less throw one they can actually catch. Instead their 'ball' lands just a foot from the receiver, because it's not a ball at all.
An elderly woman and a little girl were washing dishes and beating clothes on a cement slab outside by a water drawn well. Yes, the kind which is drawn from a bucket and a rope. These two precious Tharu people both took time to smile for my camera. I smiled back. They never looked away, until I was out of sight. Obviously, I didn't look away either.
Little girls jump rope barefoot and small boys climb trees barefoot. In fact, many are barefoot.
I saw many things in one day. Nevermind the little lambs in a pin who loved hearing my sister Rhonda talk her silly animal talk toward them. They baaaaaaa'd really loud when she walked away. But they too, smiled for my camera.
Life in Nepal is simply different. Life in the Tharu village of Nepal is heart changing.
A beautiful red rooster right outside my screen window woke me up at 4:30 this morning. I laughed as I wanted to yell back at him. But in my grogginess I just went back to sleep only to hear him again, 10 minutes later. You want to know why he was outside my window? He was on a 'leash'.
I asked about the little ole guy sitting on the ground beating on some grains of rice. I should mention it was harvest time for rice. (Many workers in the fieldstone with their sickles) The little guy is Hindu. His 'hut' is just outside the fenced area which is owned by Mohaun's sister, Sushma.
Mohaun, as Rhonda always speaks of him is the "most powerful Tharu in all of the people," in her opinion. After meeting him, watching him in so many different settings. I defined him as "all Man".....kind, loving, giving, strong, very strong, handsome and most of all, a servant of the Living God. He exemplifies and personifies power by being nothing but love. Love for His people in the mountains who acknowledge and respect him and the people down in the Armpit of Nepalgung who adore him. Now, I write about him. I feel privileged to know him.
Mohaun's wife died shortly after giving birth to their first son. They name him Derij which actually means Passion, in Nepali. His wife, on her death bed requested him to marry her sister. He did just as she asked. Together they have 2 boys making the 'tribe' even more powerful for the years to come. I am certain, as I type these words that this family will make history which will be known throughout the Tharu people.
Derij, already possesses his daddy's kind, compassionate heart. He has his smile (which is almost permanently placed) He also has a love for the drums and for music and he beats those drums with zeal and honor.
Day one of the conference, I was sitting on the floor in the front of the stage snagging some pictures. I noticed Derij sitting there in the mix with me and I lifted my camera to take his picture. In a synchronised motion we were both taking each others picture. I found him intriguing and I guess being white and blonde, he found the same in me. It was sweet. He is sweet and very well behaved and respected for a 11 year old boy.
The Tharu could teach us a thing or two, or TEN.
The Tharu could in fact be known to many in America as the unreached people. Until closely 10 years ago,they were considered unreached. However, 10 years ago, my sister and brother in law stepped foot in a Tharu village as the first Americans to touch their soil. This happened through their personal introduction of the Tharu, by the native Nepali's, KB and Sushila Bassel.
It's a long and winding road to the Tharu, but once reached, it's heavenly. It's beauty and scenery and it's change of climate are only the surface of the welcoming presence.
On October 18, 2013, Rhonda and David took their team of 16 and stepped foot into the Tharu village and in turn they walked into my heart. Before that moment, for me, the Tharu were stories that my sister so passionately has shared with me and others over the past 10 years. Today, I am writing about them right along side my sister, while sitting on an Airplane headed home, for a duration of 24 hours flying time, to have reached the Nepali people. This is the 18th time for Rhonda, and even more for my brother in law David. He's been approximately 21 times and he's already planning to go again February 2014.
Other things I saw while visiting the Tharu, were located in a house, in the 'town'. This house, needed a bed. All I could picture in my mind while observing this tiny abode was my most valuable and comfortable mattress I get to sleep on, when I go to crawl in bed. (Never mind it wouldn't hardly fit in this "home").....I won't even write about the pit in my my gut right now as I reflect.
A room is interpreted as his Home. 'He', Indradev, a Tharu pastor stood there smiling with humility as he and his family have "rented" this space for nearly 5 years. Baby number two is on it's way, Ruth is going to have a brother, I hope. Dad will need help in the future with his growing church. His first church building was a chicken house conversion and over the period of waiting....he now has an opened aired brick and mortar church. Now it's not the sort of brick you and I think of in America. His is modestly built. His has no chairs. His is about the size of many mens garages or workshops in their front and back yards. His has bugs and flies and even praying mantas, which one perched itself on my sisters back during the preaching message, on Saturday. Yes, they worship on Saturday. Thankfully, there were ceiling fans, as Rhonda lost her personal fan during one of the many baptisms we got to witness. (850 total)
The roof of Pastor Indradev's church was metal. Metal, like the sheep's pin. I sat there wondering what the sound would be like when it rained. I wondered a lot as I looked around.
As I stood in the doorway of Indradev's home, he says to Rhonda and me, "This is very wonderful, isn't it?" I thought to myself; "Is he serious?" The only beauty of the space were the colorful mats which lined the space like 'carpet'. I'm sure a Tharu made them. The other thing I noticed were the 9 clean glasses and pie pan (plates) sitting on a table. Humble, humble abode.
Indradev is so completely grateful and not at all presumptuous. He allows us to stare into this small, approximate 12x14 foot abode and I am fighting back the tears, and stirring my soul on how I can try and make this mans life better, since my $40 a month for the last 8 1/2 years may have helped, but, where? I stood there reflecting on my years of personal blessing, and his years of blessing. The two do not measure on any scale, whatsoever.
Yet, he smiles and shows us the way to the "kitchen, where his pregnant wife, Ramconchie is cooking chicken, over that stove I mentioned earlier. This kitchen is outside, where broken down concrete stairs that lead to know where, suffice for shelving to hold her minuscule kitchen "equipment." The kitchen itself is about 4 1/2 feet tall and the entrance is around 3 1/2 feet high. I bent down to 'walk' inside to make my way to sit by her side, where she's sitting, because there is no standing in this kitchen, unless you bend over. She smiles timidly for my picture. Such humble people. Such beautiful people.
Pastor Indradev, one of the first young Tharu to Pastor and the youngest to bravely take his village by love and offer to them, Jesus, not just week after week, but day after day. The attendance of his church, spoke volumes, except of course it's rice harvest and many workers were in the fields.
Rhonda tells a story about the time Pastor KB requested Indradev to come to a meeting in Nepalgunj. (it's a 5 hour bus drive from the Tharu village to Nepalgunj) By faith, Indradev took a rickshaw to catch a bus and before he got off the rickshaw, he said; "Lord, where will I get the money to pay this rickshaw driver?" Before he got off the rickshaw, he saw money falling out of the sky and asked the driver to stop and the money he picked up was in the total of 1000 Nepali rupees. (approximately $10.oo)
To have the faith like the Tharu and the spiritual boldness like them are gifts that few possess.
After spending time with them, I can say, I could stay among them for a time and still not cultivate what is ingrained on the inside of them. I pray a germinated seed dropped inside of me and is beginning
to grow as I type this out.
I do believe they are highly favored by God. I begin to compare their life against mine and I start to differ when I look at how 'Poor' they seem to be. Then, I realize, they do not know what it is that they need since they have never had it or coveted it. And that alone sounds like I am making excuses for myself and my material lifestyle. I guess I am. They simply use what they have and make the very best of it and then some. I on the other hand......always want more. My gut tells me to remember that I want more for the ones I say I support. How true is that? I hope to see.
Mohaun, Indradev, Romcanchie, Sushma, Derij and many many many more, are graced with abundance. "WE" go to bless them and find out that most of what we've got they already have in abundance......which is a deep rich Spirit that thrives from the living God on the inside of them. We are actually the ones that could use their insight. With them, it is not that way, they feel our presence is a gift and they long to welcome us back. In fact, they pleaded. Their words made me cry.
I assume I will go, again.
Maybe that seed is starting to take root within me after all.
