Thursday, May 27, 2010

First full day in Kathmandu

Namaste,

Currently in the hotel the team is staying at. Its 9:45pm and I am exhausted! I feel that I have already been here a week, seriously. We arrived yesterday after days of flying. Airport was a little different then my norm. First people I saw were women carrying bricks on their backs building an extension onto the airport itself. It was hot, they were in flip flops, and the men were inside a) with guns patrolling or b) checking out our visas. It was a little surreal. We were picked up at the airport, Praise the LORD, and just walking to the bus involved refusing many peoples 'charged help' or 'paid labor' carrying our bags and such. The ride to the hotel was unbelievable. I felt that I was in a movie. I could never have imagined this. People everywhere, many roads are dirt, trash lines the streets in front of buildings that look like they have been abandoned for a hundred years except for the laundry line. There are no rules for driving, it is utter madness with buses, motorcycles, pedestrians, rickshaws, regular cars, bicycles. Did I say madness?! Truth. I would not drive here. Period. The hotel we are staying at is in great condition compared to much of the surrounding area. I feel completely safe and taken care of. There is a restaurant attached, therefore, in case of emergency we can stay at the hotel for a few days if necessary. There is beautiful garden in the back that is completely surrounded by giant buildings. I absolutely love it. I am rooming with Taylor & Angela, both wonderful, wonderful girls. We walked to dinner (I was slightly hesitant to say the least), but Rhoman was with us. Praise the Lord again and always. I have entered another world. I don't know how else to say it. Words could never describe the city of Kathmandu, Nepal. At the end of the day I wanted to go home.

Today, was a new day, new opportunities, new chance to change my previous attitude, and everything else. It was Buddha's birthday, a national holiday. We had tea at Rhomans (some of the best tea of my life) and proceeded onto breakfast, which was delicious as well (eggs, bacon, toast - you know, American :)). The afternoon consisted of visiting the Monkey Temple. There were millions of people there. You couldn't stay together in a group. It was hundreds of stairs that felt straight up. We were in the middle of a whole lot of worship to Buddha in a city stronghold that looked out over Kathmandu. To say I was slightly overwhelmed would be a lie. I was FREAKING out, I couldn't handle it. The darkness there was unbelievable and all of the people carrying so much oppression upon them and so little hope -hope they have is Buddha, who lets face it, is a dead man. If you want to hear more, we should have a one-on-one when I get back.

Next step was Tiny Hands Nepal. Amazing, AMAZING. Check out their website. All that they are doing is unbelievable. God is at work in Nepal even when darkness is just down the street. I want to be associated with this organization for forever. I hope that I can be apart of all that they are doing. It is altering the reality that is Nepal. They save over 1,000 girls a year from being trafficked into the sex industry of India.

I must go. Taken way too much time already. Hope to hear something back from you :)
Comments or email at cpaget08@apu.edu
My gmail is definitely not working here.
Love big

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Singapore Airport

We have made it to Singapore after a brief layover in Tokyo.
Its humid and it is the middle of the night.
One more flight and we will be in Kathmandu. Our contact picks us up from the airport and I think we will head to the hotel, but its really whatever he has in mind, though I know we are all very tired. Feels like a never ending day & sleep doesn't help, but to pass the time.

What feels like this morning (though it was the morning of the 24th and it is now morning of the 26th here in Singapore) we had a commissioning prayer time, which was so great! Lots of friends came to see us off and promise to be in prayer for us.

Last night we had a worship & prayer night at one of the Resident Director's homes in University Park. Jonny Liu. It was amazing and exactly what my team needed. The words that were shared, the promises made, and the prophecies proclaimed were mind blowing. God is so good and He has a lot of crazy things for us to accomplish while in Nepal.

All for now as I am about to be kicked off the computer due to time limits :)
Thank you for the prayers! Hope to update you again soon. Please pray for the city of Kathmandu and the political situation that is going down right now. Not ideal, but praying for a safe, harmonious outcome soon.

Love, Corinne

Friday, May 14, 2010

May 14th

Its May already and I have entered a whole new world :)

Graduation took place just this last Saturday, almost a week ago, so crazy. I am having some difficulty wrapping my brain around reality. Currently, I am home in Redding (I feel like I have 3 homes) writing thank you notes, spending time with family, and trying my best to prepare for my trip to Nepal, which is just over a week away. The missions work hasn't really set in yet either, I'm just in this in between delusional place. Its difficult because all of these are good things, but so much change is overwhelming to say the least.

My family came down to Azusa for my graduation (this included by dads parents, his brother, wife, and two daughters, as well as my mom's mom, mom's sister, husband, and their son David). It was a delight to have them all in town and help me celebrate, there was just so much going on that everything together was not manageable. I was moving to my new apartment in Anaheim! (thepromenadeatanaheim.com choose Broadway Arms) I will be living there with 3 other APU girls!! Two of which were my residents and next door neighbors: Dani Davis & Ashley Morgan, as well as Alex Tillapaugh, whom I have mentioned in a previous blog. I was buying and setting up new furniture, like you know, a bed, dresser, and everything that an apartment entails. I was checking out my 50 residents, super crazy. I was finishing up last minute papers as well as my last couple days of work at University Relations. I was trying to make time for my Nepal team and packing for that trip. I bought a CAR!! Tried to spend as much time with friends as possible and o ya, I graduated college. You know, my life's not psycho busy or anything. (BUT, I LOVE IT)

Anyways, I miss APU & my loves there way too much already. I have already had three of my closest friends leave on missions trips to Ghana, South Africa, and Cambodia, and more are getting ready to leave. Crazy good, but terrible to be away from them, but all I can do is pray. I have enjoyed the peace that home is. Redding is the opposite of Azusa. Like complete opposite and I love that I will always have the ability to escape away here.

I have been in conversation with my mentor, Jeremy at MHM. I am very excited for work (though no vacation days till Thanksgiving is a little depressing) and the first few months will be a make it or (well, I won't break it) period. I'm anxious to start there as I know that the Lord has called me for a very specific purpose in each of the lives of the individuals I will be working with. Every day will be my missions field and I am overjoyed at this prospect.

God's love reaches to the heavens, and His faithfulness stretches to the skies. His righteousness is like the mightly mountains, and His justice flows deep. How priceless is His unfailing love.  -Psalm 36 5-7