Journal from the Edge:  By Ivy Porto*

April 19
Just a little over a week after the elections, is as quiet and peaceful as it has ever been, perhaps quieter.  Life continues almost as if the elections never happened. In the days leading up to April 10, many people went back to their villages to vote. A few bombs went off at political rallies, but no one was seriously injured. The country was filled with political campaigns and protests for a free.

Election day was peaceful. The Tibetan protests ceased. The people walked to the voting booths because all transportation was banned for the day. Like most foreigners, my roommate and I stayed home all day. In the days following, it soon became evident who would win the majority of the seats in the new Constituent Assembly. The parties peacefully celebrated in the streets, flying their flags on buses, cars and buildings.

Many questions have been asked: What will happen now? What changes will the government make? How will this affect people hearing the Good News? Will this affect the religious freedom of the believers here?

Right now, no one except God has these answers. has an air of uncertainty about it. Many, believers and nonbelievers alike, seem to be hopeful that the new government will make changes that they believe the old government failed to make. The new government will be responsible for rewriting the nation’s constitution.

Throughout this time, believers here have been praying that God will have the glory in all of this. Despite the uncertainty that covers right now, we believe that God will use the change to draw the people of to Him.

April 21
This morning as I taught English to some women, we were discussing the meaning of peace and anguish. They had difficulty describing anguish. One woman explained that is at peace right now because no one is fighting. She said she didn’t understand anguish completely, but she thought that maybe anguish is the word to describe.

Many Nepali people seem to be hopeful that the new government will make several changes to bring development to the country. However, I have not spoken with any who have said this with a sincere confidence. At this time, is a country looking for a hope that only comes from the Living God.

April 22
This morning, we didn’t have water. ke garne? Most of the city was without power for eight hours at some point during the day. ke garne? Today I spent 30 minutes waiting in line for a bank statement, only to find out that I was in the wrong line. I must admit; I was frustrated by the time I reached the counter, but ke garne? Translated, ke garne means “What to do?” This is a common saying in . When something does not go as planned, ke garne? On days like today, this saying is a good reminder to not sweat the small stuff.

However, this saying is also a reminder of the Hindus’ and Buddhists’ worldviews. Both religions revolve around a cycle of lifetimes of good works in order to end the wheel. Many Hindus and Buddhists believe that this cannot be accomplished in one lifetime. This leaves some with a fatalistic outlook. If you cannot end the cycle of reincarnation this time, ke garne?

April 24
Today, my roommate and I were able to drop off our visa applications. We were told we should apply before the new government takes office because of the chaos the transition period may cause. We are praying that God will speed up the application process because we have a three-week trip to some villages soon. The process normally takes three weeks, but we are planning to leave next week. Many of our friends are trying to acquire new visas in the next few weeks. We are confident that God will provide the means for each of us to stay in.

This evening, my roommate and I were visiting a national believer and had an interesting conversation. The new government plans to abolish the monarchy. Many people are wondering if the king will step aside peacefully and become an ordinary citizen. The new majority party has said that if he doesn’t step down then he will be removed forcefully. Our friend was saying that it is very possible that there will be fighting in when the new government comes to power. He also said he believes people will be distracted by politics, and this will make it very easy to share the Good News with people without persecution. I believe that either way God will use this for His glory.

April 25
A couple of friends and I had an interesting conversation with a taxi driver tonight. As we began to speak to him, we were able to ask him which religion he puts his faith in. As many people in answer, he said that he likes them all. None of the religions are bad. He sees Buddha’s life and Jesus’ life to be very similar. He has read some of the Bible and liked it. Jesus was a very good man.

I have heard these phrases so many times since moving here. These people are very open to hearing what we have to say. They will quickly agree to how good Jesus is and that they like Him. However, they find it so very hard to discern between Jesus and other gods. In their eyes, one way reaches the same hilltop. They have trouble seeing that they are either worshipping man-made objects that cannot see, hear or breath, or they worship someone that is dead. Pray that God would open their eyes to who He is, the True Living God.

April 26
Today, I was able to get away for the afternoon and evening to spend some time in the Word. God reminded me that although we have a big task to reach more than 30 people groups, the work is not just up to my team and me. God plans to use the national believers to reach their own countrymen. We are to be faithful in sharing and discipling the people that He brings us, and then He will call those people to share with others. In the meantime, I need to be praying that the Lord raises up workers from both within and from outside the Harvest.

April 29
God answered so many prayers today and showed us how He works in our lives before we even see Him working. We received a call today that our visas were ready for the next stage. This is big answer to many prayers. The first step normally takes two weeks to process, but God moved it so that it was finished in four days. We have two more offices to visit, but we are confident that God will continue to answer prayers, and we will have our visas by the end of the week.

Another way God showed His authority is through an accident a friend of mine had recently. God placed a Nepali believer in the situation to ensure our friends safety. God also allowed us the opportunity and privilege to pray with him before we said goodbye.
 
Ivy Porto is a Journeyman serving on theEdge in Nepal of the South Asia region.

*Name changed for security purposes.