All week we had been praying over this issue of the rain and landslides. Early Sunday morning we decided to take the bus to Nepal. We prayed for a safe journey, not knowing how very soon we would need God’s help. As we wound our way out of the Kalimpong hills, the road seemed suspiciously quiet. No vehicles were coming toward us. Finally around one corner we saw it—a fresh landslide! The rain was pouring down, and the mud and small stones were still falling off the side of the mountain. In the middle of the road were huge truck-sized boulders, a few trees, and LOTS of mud. The bus turned around while some people went to survey the situation. Finally, some made it across and said there was a bus waiting on the other side! Maybe we should just climb over the slide and keep going? We didn’t know what to do.

Some of the ladies on the bus had already gone. We felt we should be able, too. But there were six of us, one broken umbrella and two raincoats, and all our luggage. Finally I grabbed my backpack, the slide projector in its bag, and a raincoat. The rest came along, and we started to climb over the fresh landslide.

I have never had very good balance, and several of my students know this. “I don’t care if I get my sneakers wet, I just don’t want to fall,” I thought to myself. Looking to the left, I saw that the edge of the slide dropped more than 50 feet down to the raging river below. Above us were stones and more mud that could break loose any moment. I came to a place barely wide enough for my feet on the edge of the drop-off. To my right were some big boulders. I wanted to turn around and go back! With a prayer I pressed ahead, not stopping to think.

After finally reaching the other side, I headed straight for the bus. I put my things in and then came back to see how the others managed. Praise the Lord, everyone made it safely. By the time we all reached the bus, we were trembling from reaction, dripping wet and muddy, yet praising the Lord! A couple of our group had narrowly escaped sliding down into the river. We were thankful to be safe.

Looking Back

The last month of classes had been full and rewarding. The team of young people from the Malaysian Health Center had been such a blessing in teaching hydrotherapy and massage. Their help with the cooking brought new taste experiences, with a mixture of Nepali, American and Malaysian foods! Their two weeks with us were special ones, and we were sad to bid them farewell.

Because several students had missed the first classes, I continued a week later catching them up with the other students. It was a challenge taking all six classes, plus leading out in the program. A case of intestinal problems took its toll also, but God’s grace brought us through it all.

At first I wondered why we should have to stay at the school an extra week, instead of going out into the field as planned. I soon learned the answer. As the rainy season began, the three rooms we were eating and living in became extremely musty. Two days before we left, we were able to move our things upstairs to some new, freshly-painted classrooms that were not musty. We moved the kitchen to the least moldy of the rooms and left with lighter hearts, knowing everything wouldn’t be destroyed by mold before our return a month later.

Continuing to Nepal

Now, back to our trip to Nepal to pick up my mother. We arrived safely in Nepal, but found everything in commotion. We learned that none of the busses were moving until evening, so we booked a place on the night bus. It was difficult finding transportation, but finally we arrived at a friend’s house in Kathmandu.

As we traveled throughout the city, we saw newspapers being burned on the street corners, people with shaved heads as a symbol of mourning, and lines of people waiting to give regards to the deceased Royal family by leaving flowers and writing their names in memorial books. We soon learned there would be a strike (which means no traveling would be allowed) in a few minutes, so we had to make a hasty plan of escape.

Our group quickly dispersed—some toward home, others to friends’ homes. I picked up my motorbike, which was stored at a friend’s home, hoping to get out of Kathmandu quickly and spend some time with some of my students. Guess what? My motorcycle was out of gas and all the filling stations were closed. Finally, I left my motorcycle behind and took one of the last busses to another city.

I spent the next couple of nights at a friend’s house, since Kathmandu was under curfew. Everywhere was sadness and tension. Many of the village people worship the king as a reincarnation of the god Vishnu, and now he had been murdered. Out on the streets slogans were being chanted, “Find the murderer! Kill the murderer!” Most of the men had their heads shaved. All the shops and schools were closed. There was nothing to do but sit, wait, talk, and speculate. The local TV played mournful music and showed a dreary temple most of the time, with only a few short news broadcasts. As I watched I thought about how unjustly problems are dealt with in Nepal. The cruelty of Satan’s rulership is so disgustingly terrible.

But time was running out. My mother was on a flight coming into Kathmandu. How was I going to get to the airport to meet her?

Getting Out!

There was a planned strike for Wednesday, so I knew if there was any chance to get into Kathmandu, I would have to leave at sunrise. Two of my students escorted me to make sure I got safely to the bus station, and praise the Lord, there was a bus I could take. In Kathmandu I ate breakfast with some friends and headed for the airport before the strike started. Right on time, my mother arrived! It was so good to see her after two and a half years of separation!

We spent a few days of rest and fellowship together, and then headed to one of the villages where three of the students live. Satan has continued to try one of our Laymen Ministries workers to his limit. When he arrived home, he learned that his infant son had died of dysentery three weeks before. We tried to bring a little comfort and hope to their family. Our worker’s father had despaired of finding a Christian of his own caste to help with a Christian burial—so he had slipped back into his Hindu customs. As we tried to give some comfort and guidance, the father really seemed to appreciate it.

It means so much to the villagers for a leader from the church to visit them in their homes and speak a few words of counsel, guidance, comfort and to share the Scriptures with them. Our dedicated worker has had to meet so many trials and afflictions in his few young years.

Visiting Students

The next morning we began the long, hot hike to the home of one of our students. We spent a few enjoyable days there, and were treated royally. Everyone would like to have stayed much longer. They loved my mother, and wished they were able to communicate with her better. During the night some unwanted guests came and left more than a hundred red marks on me before morning--fleas!

When things calmed down a little in the country, the schools opened again, and we were able to do a program on the Eight Natural Doctors in one school. My mom and a couple of students went to southern Nepal to present health programs in the schools and community in that area.

In one place several drunks really caused a
disturbance. We could have held more community classes, but “market days” cater to the drunks, and we didn’t want more trouble. Yet even there we found earnest seekers for truth about health.

The next Sabbath my mom and I went to visit another student’s home and small church. A new member came from a nearby village. He had been a witchdoctor for many years, and had many followers. Sunday morning we went to his village to visit with him and several new SDA believers there who had been baptized only the previous week! They really appreciated our coming. They had begun holding services in a rented room nearby. The church in this district is one of the most active in Nepal, and no wonder. The lay pastor regularly visits his members and others in the area who are interested, and also regularly uses the natural treatments that he learned in some of our previous seminars. Praise the Lord!

Witchdoctors and Scorpions

Then it was back to India to our training school. Our group began to gather from the different parts of Nepal as the time drew near to begin classes again. What rejoicing as we heard the wonderful testimonies each brought back. From one village it was reported that they and their church members had been taunted by the witchdoctor, who said, “You leave us and go follow the Christian religion now, but when snakes and scorpions bite you, you will come running back to us.”

We have taught the use of charcoal in the treatment of poisonous bites and stings. Also, God is more powerful than the superstitious threats made by any witchdoctor! One church member had been climbing a tree, cutting leaves for his animals, when a scorpion stung him. One thing the witchdoctors say is, “You should never kill the scorpion that stung you, or you will die. You should never drink water after being stung, or you will die.” So this man killed the scorpion and came quickly back to the village and met with a sister from the church who knew how to use charcoal. She applied a charcoal poultice and gave him some charcoal water to drink. Within an hour or so he was well.

A couple days later at a cottage meeting, a member greeted everyone with “Praise the Lord!” Then he put his hand on a beam in the house, and was immediately stung by a huge white scorpion. This man had been questioning whether the witchdoctor or God was truly stronger. Now he had a chance to see firsthand. Immediately his hand started to swell. He put a constricting bandage on his wrist, but the pain continued up his arm to his heart, and he felt a burning sensation in his stomach. He knew he would die soon. Immediately this same sister killed the scorpion, quickly cooled hot coals out of the fire and ground them to a powder. They made a charcoal poultice and put it on his hand, and gave him charcoal water to drink. He was sure he would die from drinking water. But with the charcoal and prayer, by the end of the church meeting, an hour and a half later, he was completely well.

Training School Continues

All but two of the students arrived back in India just on time. Everyone had thoroughly enjoyed the previous classes, and didn’t want to miss the next session. My mother took a full load of classes, beginning with Daniel and Revelation in the morning, Nutrition after breakfast, Christian Home and Music in the afternoon, and God’s Gift to His Church in the evening. All the students now call my mother “Mommy.” They really enjoyed how simply she presented the book of Daniel. They feel equipped to go back to their churches and share this knowledge. They are begging for a book in their language on Daniel and Revelation so they can personally study more.

Our translator fell through at the last minute, which left everything on my shoulders to translate all the classes for my mother, and have a class of my own as well. What a challenge to translate into Nepali after being less than three years in the country! Sometimes, by the end of the day, my mouth and feet were so tired I felt like not speaking another word. But everyone looks to me to keep things organized, so the work goes on.

One of our students gave a touching feature talk in Sabbath School recently on Christian love. I wish each of you could have heard it. It has been such a blessing to see this woman grow in God’s love and grace. Our two older male students brought their wives to take the nutrition class my mother conducted. One, even though she doesn’t read or write, is faithful in all the classes—always smiling—a master of the kitchen, and sweet mother to her children. These precious students are much like the disciples of old, each wanting deep inside to be a growing, living, loving Christian.

Continue to keep us much in prayer, as prayer is the only key that will continue to make this program a success. Thank you so much for every one of your prayers, and your heartfelt support. We could not have come this far without you.

[Ed.—If you haven’t seen our video, #26 We Shall See the King, you will want to order it from our office. Some of the footage in this program was filmed just weeks before the King of Nepal was killed.]