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yhongers-blog-blog · 10 years ago

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yhongers-blog-blog · 10 years ago

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While in Nepal: Earthquake here, earthquake there, God is in Control!

It’s hard to believe that I am experiencing world’s trending earthquake again. Yes, I was at Kathmandu, Nepal doing my outreach in YWAM together with other missionary volunteers during earthquake.

Saturday, April 25, 2015. We were at the coffee shop for our rest day to use internet to contact our family. 11:55am strikes, when I felt the shaking. I immediately rushed to the door to go out. But I was doubting to go out or not because I saw the glass door slowly breaks and then suddenly the man behind pushes me to go out. When I look back, I saw shattered glass already. I even didn’t knew how did I get out of that door. I remember also about my experience in Bohol earthquake that I was pushed also by a man outside the hospital I used to work before. Same thing what had happen in Nepal. We were on the road looking at that shattered glass. Feno and Chester one of our team left their slipper inside. They ran outside the coffee shop with their bare foot. We left our stuffs inside. Our bags, ipod, passports where in there. Feno from Madagascar don’t know what’s happening and she wanted to go back inside. The police officer told us that we need to go to the football field for evacuation. When we were in the field, we were so worried because Orvil, one of our team went somewhere else and we cannot find him in the crowd. At that moment, I really want to borrow a phone from the locals to call our staff and inform them we’re safe and check our friends at the guesthouse to lessen our fear. But, we just prayed as a team and ask God for peace and to take away our fears and worries. Chester, went outside the field to check on Orvil. When they came back at the field, my heart filled with joy seeing Orvil and our staff Kristina. She told us that everyone was safe and the guesthouse building was alright. My heart filled with joy and peace knowing that news. As we were waiting in the field to wait some stability, we still felt the tremor for the aftershocks. There was screaming that time and people gathered ran in different direction, some people were climbing in the fence already. We asked the local what was happening, and he said a tiger just escaped from the zoo. So, there was a zoo inside the fencing field. Once the crowd calmed, it became clear that there was no loose tiger and the reality was produced from a wire post falling to the crowds. That was the cause of hysteria. It reminds me the story about “Chona Mae/tsunami” way back in Cebu earthquake. I shared that in my team to laugh amidst the situation. After some time, we went to the road next to the coffee shop to wait for the building to be declared alright to get in and get our stuffs. When we got our stuffs, we walked further and waited out some remaining aftershock in the open field. After couple of hours of staying outside, we decided to go back to the guesthouse since the building was safe to stay. We were instructed what to do and where to go if aftershock comes. We prayed and wait for the night to come. That night all of us had a sleepless night for we were alert the whole night to get up in the bed and ran at the safe places.

That time, the people in Nepal were really in need. We praise God for His goodness and protection in our team for we were able to do and continue our ministry there. We were able to connect with the church organization as well as the United Nations to see where and how we can serve best in Kathmandu area. We also raised funds to supply the needs for the victims. We were able to give tents, help packed dry goods and distribute it to the tent city or to the villagers. We helped moving bricks out of the road and houses, buying food lamps and more.

Tuesday, May 12th. The day came when we say goodbye to our host and to our new friends in Nepal. When we were at the airport to hand our passport to check in, shaking came once again. I was expecting this time to pass for we experienced so many aftershocks already. This time, it was big the power line went off and the shaking didn’t stop. I saw people running outside and my teammates grab their heavy bag packs and ran outside. For me, I was just standing right next to my luggage and thinking if I can carry it and run fast outside. But the officer was there he was calmed and relax, and told us to leave the bags behind and to carry the important one, which is our passports. I was inside the airport with my leader. We remain calm until it stops. When I was connected to the internet, I immediately inform my dad that I am safe. We even didn’t know if we can fly that day but we checked in, went to the immigration and wait, wait and wait for the announcement of our flight. Our flight must be at 3:25pm. We saw planes were regularly flying but ours was still delayed. At 7pm, an announcement for our flight says that our plane will arrive at 10pm. Finally, our plane landed. Our layover was in China for 13 hours. I was so excited to go back home and meet my dad and family in Chiangmai after surviving the earthquake.

Funny it seems that everywhere I go, there’s an earthquake? Well, it means that God is in control of everything. And it is indeed a testimony for me on how God protected me in every way and everywhere I go. My mom called me that I should not go everywhere but to stay here because the quake loves me, lol.

Nepal would be forever in my heart. Please continue praying for the people there. Those who were grieving over the loss of loved ones. Pray for lasting peace for Nepal and for its people who suffered so much to find time healing and restoration in Christ. Psalm 147:3 “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” I am so excited on how God would bring new life, new beginnings and restoration to the people of Nepal.

#prayfornepal #thereishope #love #peace #restoration

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yhongers-blog-blog · 10 years ago

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yhongers-blog-blog · 10 years ago

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What if we can't do mission trips?

Not everyone is called to mission trips! But if you are called, don’t wait! Go! :)

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