The next day (the 2nd day of camp), I led worship again in the morning. It felt good; I think it was a key moment for me to really step out in leading the worship on my own, and not just playing or singing with someone else there to handle the actual worship-leading part. We hung on the last song for awhile, as people worshiped and prayed. It was lasting a long time, but I kept feeling like I should keep playing; I definitely didn't want to stop early and keep someone from getting the chance for prayer or pressing in even further in worship. I was praying for God to show me when I should stop and let the service move on to the message portion when I noticed a girl standing at the back of the church, by the door. She was Nepali, and probably about 17 or 18. She was obviously lost in total worship - hands out, eyes closed, singing to herself, and I felt in my spirit that she was really pressing deep into God's presence, even beyond what I could see. So I told God that I would stop when she did. She remained that way a long time, oblivious to anyone around her, pouring her heart out to God, and when she finally dropped her hands and left her post at the door, I wound the song down and stopped playing, right as Shailesh was starting to come up to the front to introduce the sermon. It felt like the right time; I was grateful to God for supplying the sign I had asked for.
I didn't know it at the time, but some of the prayer going on in front of me was pretty intense - one of the local church members knew of a demon-possessed woman who lived by a river near there, and he had brought her to church that morning. Shailesh and some of the other people in our group prayed over her; she apparently was recoiling noticeably at the name of Jesus. I really wish I had known, so I could have joined in with their prayers, but I was lost in worship at that point and wasn't focused on the specific activity going on around me. Maybe God had me that way for a reason...
Robert gave the message, and after lunch the Indian youth group had a skit, showing Jesus taking on people's suffering (walking up to a limping girl and taking on her limp as the girl began to walk smoothly, that kind of stuff.), and eventually being crucified and rising again. It was really well done and powerful; these kids had obviously put in a lot of time preparing for their creative expressions during their trip. The rest of the day was pretty low-key: I went to the bank with Shailesh to change money, and then talked with him for awhile. Later, I walked around with James, Kristen, Kelly, Myriah, and Lauren while James shopped for Nepali clothes and the girls bought shoes. I got some fake Oakleys for about five bucks, and found out the guy selling them had a brother in America. That night, I went back to the Little Lamb school for dinner with Ama (Bishnu and Prakash's mom), the Ghimires, and Melissa, and then talked with Prakash, Shailesh, and Shailesh's mother about Prakash's work situation. When I say talked, I mostly mean listened to them banter back and forth in Nepali. Shailesh filled me in enough to understand the basic conversation, and it was cool to sit in on a random, everyday conversation in such a different language and setting. Even though I didn't understand much of it, it made me feel at home, and closer to them.
I didn't know it at the time, but some of the prayer going on in front of me was pretty intense - one of the local church members knew of a demon-possessed woman who lived by a river near there, and he had brought her to church that morning. Shailesh and some of the other people in our group prayed over her; she apparently was recoiling noticeably at the name of Jesus. I really wish I had known, so I could have joined in with their prayers, but I was lost in worship at that point and wasn't focused on the specific activity going on around me. Maybe God had me that way for a reason...
Robert gave the message, and after lunch the Indian youth group had a skit, showing Jesus taking on people's suffering (walking up to a limping girl and taking on her limp as the girl began to walk smoothly, that kind of stuff.), and eventually being crucified and rising again. It was really well done and powerful; these kids had obviously put in a lot of time preparing for their creative expressions during their trip. The rest of the day was pretty low-key: I went to the bank with Shailesh to change money, and then talked with him for awhile. Later, I walked around with James, Kristen, Kelly, Myriah, and Lauren while James shopped for Nepali clothes and the girls bought shoes. I got some fake Oakleys for about five bucks, and found out the guy selling them had a brother in America. That night, I went back to the Little Lamb school for dinner with Ama (Bishnu and Prakash's mom), the Ghimires, and Melissa, and then talked with Prakash, Shailesh, and Shailesh's mother about Prakash's work situation. When I say talked, I mostly mean listened to them banter back and forth in Nepali. Shailesh filled me in enough to understand the basic conversation, and it was cool to sit in on a random, everyday conversation in such a different language and setting. Even though I didn't understand much of it, it made me feel at home, and closer to them.
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