Sabbath at Scheer Mem. Hospital

Dear Family and friends,

Today we had a first again. The first communion service here. it was a little confusing as the location was not well understood. However, Carlyle and I met someone as we were on our way to church who said the service would not be in the school, but in the church meeting room as usual. So we went there. Found we were the only westerners there at first. Carlyle was supposed to have the lesson study for the english group. They found a place for us to meet but the english group did not know about it. They came in little by little.

But the more interesting part was the communion. When they separated for the foot washing, men on one side (outside) of the church and the women on the other. It was raining a little but they had set up basins around a flower bed which had a concrete border around it. The women sat on that. Never mind that it was a little wet. the basins were more than symbolic. They were ample in size. The water was cold, of course. They gave us two little towels. I wondered if we were to use one for each foot but I was not sure so used only one and then gave my partner the other one for my feet. I participated with a guest from Africa. The basins were bright orange color. After you had finished you then stood on the sidewalk while others sat to wash. Those on the sidewalk sang as we waited for everyone to finish. It still was raining a bit. We prayed together and then returned to the church. There was no problem with nylons etc. as folk here all wear sandals or flip flops for foot wear.

The remainder of the service was very similar to how we do the wine in the states. Although they ran out of wine cups in one of the trays and instead of just handing the next tray to the server, they put the little glasses into his tray and then he finished serving his side.

It was a very nice service and did not seem so ritualistic as it sometimes does at home.

In the afternoon we foreigners served lunch to the guest and there were quite a number. Then at 4 pm I agreed to hike up the mountain to the little home at the very top of this hill where they sing and tell a couple of bible stories to the children. It takes an hour to get up there going up hill almost all of the way. One or two slightly plateau areas but mostly uphill on very rocky road/path. Before we got to the top some small children came running out to us, fighting over who could hold our hand as we climbed and talked (or yelled) at us and then giggled as we walked. I finally convinced them there was another group coming so they abandoned me and went back to the other group. They sing some children's songs and tell a couple of stories. They finished just about sundown and we hurried down the mountain. It was quite dark by the time we were home again. I have tentatively agreed to take care of the story time next week as the woman who usually is leading will be with the pathfinders for the afternoon. I plan to leave at least a half hour earlier so we are not walking home when it is so dark. The road is not smooth or easy to walk on anytime and especially in the dark.

So this grandmother felt like I had a full day and I am ready for a bath. Now that is a little problem too. After Carlyle finished showering last night and it was my turn, I discovered we had run out of gas and there was no longer any hot water. I filled a bucket at the kitchen sink _ that water is heated with electricity but in the bathroom it is a gas in line heater-- took that bucket of water to the shower and had my 'bath'. Guess it will be the same tonight. Hopefully, we can get a new gas canister tomorrow. I was fearful that we would also run out of gas while heating the food at lunch time as one burner seems to have stopped working but we managed to get everything heated.

Tonight I whizzed up the left over peas and potatoes and gave Carlyle split pea soup,. I ate the juice from the beans at lunch time. So that was easy.

On the way down the hill I walked with one of the young women who works for the other family. I asked about her history. Her english is not always so clear but as much as I could piece her story it sounds like she want sent down to Banepa area to be a maid for one of the women who happened to be Christian. The girl was Hindu, as are most of the Nepali. Apparently the lady liked her and decided she should marry her son. The girl's brother was happy for this arrangement. Her mother was a third wife so the girl never knew her father and apparently the brother was the acting head of the family. Anyway, the marriage did not please the lady's son. He had a different girlfriend. He was 24 or 26 and this girl was 14. They were married but he was not good to her for a few years. She says now he is good and the girl friend married someone else. She seems like a very sweet and thoughtful girl. She was very kind and generous toward the young girls up at the story telling house. She had her first baby between 15 -16 years of age and from her story it was quite difficult and neither she nor the baby did well at first. She says her Christian mother-in-law prayed and prayed for us and then my baby got better and now I am strong. She is 24 or 26 years old now and has two sons..

That is the end for today.

Lora