Late this October a team from Indiana went on a journey of learning and discovery. The trip’s purpose was to allow the team to open their minds and hearts to what God is doing in Nepal and India, and to afford the opportunity to build lasting relationships of support and encouragement with ServLife partners there.

When the team hit the ground in Kathmandu, Nepal they quickly discovered that each had specific gifts and talents that would enable the group to achieve their goals. While some of the group members were gifted pastors who spent time encouraging the staff, others showed love and affection to the children in ServLife programs. Some of the team taught in the pastor training school, and others led a VBS program for the children. Everyone engaged and used their individual gifts for the collective purpose. For instance, Executive Director Adam Nevins led the trip, kept everyone on track, and along with Pastor Todd Fisher helped the team process along the way. In addition, Lola Fisher and Olivia Sellke made the children at ServLife homes and schools feel loved and at ease while Noah Pappas and Jim Seeds and made sure that everyone was always smiling and having fun with their unique sense of humor.

After leading the VBS program for 150 children in Kathmandu, the group split, with half traveling to Raxaul, India and half to Nepalgunj in west Nepal. In Raxaul, the group led another VBS program for the orphanage and education sponsorship children there. It was the first trip where the team was equipped with comprehensive VBS materials, donated by Group Publishing. The children loved the memory verses, games, and object-lesson toys that came along with the curriculum.

Meanwhile, in west Nepal, the other half of the team visited Christian communities in remote villages to support them and their ServLife-trained pastors as they plant churches in areas unreached by the gospel. Pastor Todd Fisher encouraged the pastors and communities and was often called upon to present twice a day, preaching and teaching nearly 20 times throughout the 11-day trip.

The team re-convened to celebrate the graduation of 14 pastors from the training school in Kathmandu. It was the perfect culmination to a trip with the purpose of encouragement and building relationships. The team went home tired but exhilarated, knowing that they had made an impact on the lives of the people they met, and began lifelong friendships with them. “I’ve been touched for life by the people I met. I want to be there for them not just with my wallet, but really be there for them. To visit them as often as I can, to share the opportunity with anyone who will listen and to carry them in my heart and prayers every day,” Jim Seeds shared.