She chose love.

Amaa

How can someone ever trust 

in the existence of an unconditional divine love 

when most, if not all, of what he or she has experienced 

is the opposite of love - fear, hatred, violence, and abuse? 

 They are not condemned to be victims! 

 There remains within them, hidden as it may seem, 

the possibility to choose love. 

 Many people who have suffered the most horrendous rejections

and been subject to the most cruel torture

 are able to choose love. 

By choosing love they become witnesses 

not only to enormous human resiliency

 but also to the divine love that transcends all human loves. 

 Those who choose, even on a small scale, 

to love in the midst of hatred and fear 

are the people who offer true hope to our world.

Henri Nouwen 

Keep on keeping on...

On my way to Pokhara, Nepal! The mountains were beautiful to drive through...

Visiting the patients in INF's Green Pastures hospital. These are two leprosy patients

Well, I'm coming closer to the end of my time here. With a little over 2 weeks left in Nepal, I'm feeling ready to come home.

But I'm not coming home just yet...Today I am in Pokhara and for the rest of this week, I will be working with the Partnership For Rehabilitation center. This is the part of INF that really displays God's beautiful work of reconciliation. Patients from the hospital with diseases or disabilities are normally not accepted in their communities because of their condition. Many of them come to the hospital bringing along with them a kind of rejection most of us will never experience. Because INF has one of the only (if not the only) leprosy ward for a large portion of Nepal, most of the patients are leprosy affected.

Leprosy deteriorates the nerve endings, which often causes a loss of feeling in their feet and hands. Because of the damaged nerves, hands get burns, fingers fall off, feet get ulcers and in some cases legs or arms have to be amputated. This results in the patient having a disability and major difficulty in providing for themselves or families. 

The bags that I sold to help raise money for my trip before I came were made by women in the rehabilitation handicraft center. I've seen the women and witnessed their hand woven craft being made in person! They're employed by PFR and have been trained in the craft. Another really cool part about the rehabilitation center is the farm. There's a farm on the grounds with chickens, water buffalo's, goats and gardens. Because 80% of Nepali people work in agriculture, INF created a place for the outpatients to integrate back into working in the fields. PFR also works with the government for the rights of people with disabilities and they educate community leaders to help break down stigma of disabilities.

It's great to see it all in person. And great to be living with a family who, both the wife and husband were patients in Green Pastures 30 some years ago...More on that story later!

I love and miss my family and friends, but especially my mom...

With all my heart,

Susan