Music Monday #5: In Wonder

This song is definitely an oldie but (I reckon), a goodie.  I'd almost forgotten this song existed, but have just rediscovered it in the last week or so (thanks Spotify!)  

I love the Newsboys.  Unashamedly.  I can't help but be drawn to their pop-rock sound, and Peter Furler's distinctive vocal tones and fantastic energy!  But most of all, I love their lyrics.  I love the way they use new, thought-provoking words and imagery to express gospel truth.  

There are so many Newsboys songs worthy of a blog feature.  But, as I said, this is definitely the one that has made a happy home in my head and heart - at least at the moment... 

"In Wonder".

It's a song that ponders the overwhelming magnificence and beauty of the world around us.  Rejoices in all that God's hands have made, and the way that all creation is drawn to stand in wonder at the God behind it all.  Songs about the wonder of the universe have always struck a chord with me... God of Wonders, Indescribable, Psalms 8 and 104...  I find it pretty easy to look at this incredible planet and out into the atmosphere, and stand in awe of the God who made it all.  (I'm probably not unusual in this!)  But more that that, I love "In Wonder" because it doesn't stop there - at a God who makes pretty things... even if they're big and amazing pretty things!  It points out that the God who is so stunningly powerful and imaginative to have made all this, actually cares about us - to the point of sending his own dearly-loved son to rescue us from the mess we've made.  He gets his hands dirty in his own creation, even though he has never been obliged to.  Such is his glory, mercy and love.  

Whenever I hear this song, and am reminded of these truths, I want to stop whatever I'm doing, and join in as all creation sings in wonder... every sea, every creature, every star!  God is worthy of our songs, and I'm thrilled to be one of the many voices which belong to him and sing with love to him.  

Will you join me?  

(Even if you're not a fan of this particular song! Great as they are, you sure don't need the Newsboys, or any band, to worship God...)

Such a wonder... ordering time and tide

Such a wonder... bridging the great divide

I consider all that you had, all you gave

All that you endured from this rebel world

What a wondrous cross you chose to bear

What a wonder you would even care

Refined Through The Flame

This has been a hard post to write.  To be honest, even now, it seems a near-impossible task to choose the right words for all that has happened.  But I'm going to try, knowing that it won't be perfect, and that's OK.  And that how we feel about our experiences, and what they teach us, continues to grow and evolve with the passing of time.

As my last post indicated, our time in Nepal as a team had been wonderful.  Filled with old and new relationships, being greatly encouraged and challenged by the faith of our Nepali brothers and sisters in Christ, as well as the missionaries over there, and absolutely overwhelmed by their open arms in sharing their lives with us, both the joys and the struggles.  We had our eyes opened to life in a culture significantly different from our own, and were able to see even a glimpse into the amazing things God has been, and is, doing in Nepal - particularly over the last 60 years.

We also grew very close as a team.  We shared jokes (so many!), songs, sickness, tiredness, stories, food, games, thoughts, encouragements, fun... we shared life.  Trips like this can be such a joyful, intense experience of closeness and shared experiences.  This was certainly what we found!  I found myself growing so sad to leave Nepal once again. Sad to stop living with the people in our little short-term team that I'd so grown to love.

We'd had a week in Surkhet and a week in Pokhara.  On January 13th, the five of us hopped onto a mini-van for our trip back to Kathmandu, where we'd spend a few days, and then back to Australia.  It had been a good trip!  Everyone was feeling well, and we were taking photos, laughing, singing songs and having little naps.  But at around 3pm in the afternoon, our mini-van was hit by a bus coming in the opposite direction.  It hit the right side of our vehicle, just behind the driver's seat.  Two of my friends on the team were seriously injured, and one of my friends died.

The few brief moments after the impact are still so clear to me.  A huge smash of glass, followed by a confused and almost eerie silence.  The engine had stopped, so suddenly.  No one was crying out.  It was only when I spun around to my right, to try to even work out what had just happened, that I started to realise.  From that moment, there was a lot more noise and chaos, and by God's grace alone, surrounded by his provision and his arms of comfort, we were somehow able to get through the strange, grief-filled, unreality of the next five days. 

It's hard to put words to the events, thoughts and emotions of the last five months.  Deep sorrow at the loss of our beautiful, sweet, dearly-loved friend.  Yet knowing comfort, peace and a deep, rich joy in the certain knowledge of where she is.  Sharing what would have been her 24th birthday with her family, really struggling with the fact that I was there and she wasn't.  Sadness in watching my other friends on the team come to terms with their injuries - physical and emotional... yet such thankfulness and encouragement at their strong faith in their Saviour.  Weird feelings of sadness and guilt that my life has somehow returned to being mostly "normal" after all that's happened.  Knowing that her beautiful family still deeply feel the absence of their treasured daughter and sister every single day.  Feeling like every day I now live is on borrowed time... then realising I've been living on borrowed time all along. I just know it now.  Knowing in a much more visceral way that God is in control.  All things are in his hands... and he loves us.  I've seen anew the power of prayer.  God hears, and answers.  We've felt God's arms around us, comforting us, and reminding us of who he is.  And he is good.  

Unspeakably, unceasingly good.

But I think the biggest thing I've learnt is the gospel.  All over again, and so much deeper.  This is a sad world, broken by sin... and none of us knows the number of our days.  My friend was beautiful, smart, kind and full of promise.  We all feel deep down that death is wrong.  Horribly wrong.  But that is why Jesus Christ came, lived, died for us, and rose again.  And because he is risen, my friend who trusted in his name alone, is with him right now.  She's with Jesus, free of sorrow, pain and suffering, and will be forever and ever.  This is why we tell people about Jesus!  This is the beauty and hope of the gospel.

We sang Brooke Fraser's "Desert Song" a lot on our trip.  Not everyone on the team even knew it at the start, but it seemed to become a really special song for us.  I'll always remember my friend's sweet voice singing it.  We were singing it together in a hospital room a couple of days before heading back to Australia...  It was emotional, but we were reminded that, as children of the living God, "this is our prayer in the fire; through weakness or trial or pain - there is a faith proved of more worth than gold.  So refine me Lord, through the flame."  

It's exactly five months today since the accident.  

Sending you our love, my precious friend, and sister in Christ.  We all miss you so much, and will always remember you.  I'm so thankful to God for you, and all he did in and through you.  I am so looking forward to the day when I see you again.

All of our lives, in every season, he is still God, and we have a reason to sing... 

we have a reason to worship.  

We really do.

A Week In Nepal

How that week has flown!  It's hard to believe that we've already been in Nepal for just over a week.  Yet, at the same time, I feel like we've been here forever.

We spent the first week in Surkhet - a district in the hills of Western Nepal.  We had the opportunity to see around the INF clinic, which specialises in treating and rehabilitating patients with leprosy, as well as disabilities, particularly spinal cord injuries.  Many Christian Nepalis work there, as well as a few expats.  Leprosy treatment and rehabilitation is a long road.  Often there is permanent damage, including loss of sensation and nervous function, as well as damage particularly to the hands and feet when people with leprosy continue to function despite loss of sensation.  INF does a fantastic job of rehabilitating patients. After and during the long months of antibiotic treatment, people are taught to care for their hands and feet - including how to soak them daily, and check them over for ulcers or other damage, as early detection makes a huge difference.  The clinic also has a small room set up like a typical Nepali village house, so patients can practice learning to cook and do household work again.  They are also taught handicraft and other skills, so they are able to run their own small business selling things, so they can have an income again.  Sometimes, it must just seem like such small, slow achievements, but it makes all the difference to a life - to a person, a family and even a community.

There's a little board on the wall in the office at the INF clinic, where a few of the staff members have shared stories that have touched or encouraged them.  One of the staff members shared a story of a man with a high level spinal cord injury, who had been told he wouldn't be able to work or live without assistance again.  After long years of physio and rehab treatment, he was finally able to start doing things, including feed himself and work with his hands and arms.  He started to cry at breakfast one morning, and this staff worker asked why.  He answered, "I never thought I would be able to eat like this again.  Thank you so much, sister!"  The staff worker commented that in Nepal, the little things can mean EVERYTHING.  I think we've seen a lot of truth in that..

Something else that has been really encouraging is to see the community response to Christians, even out in more remote areas.  Nepali people have been referred to the INF clinic by their friends because "they are Christians, and they will listen to you and take care of you".  There is a reputation of care and compassion - even when there's not much that can be offered in a health sense - non-Christian Nepalis are seeing and responding to this.  Praise God!

We've also had the wonderful opportunity to attend a devotion/Bible study at the clinic, youth group on a Friday afternoon, a ladies Bible study/prayer meeting and a small Nepali village church on Saturday.  These have been precious times of fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ, despite language and cultural barriers. Maybe even more special because of it. At all of these Christian gatherings, one or more of our team was invited to share a testimony. Their desire to share their lives and stories with us, as well as wanting to hear stories of how God has been working in our lives has been really touching and encouraging for our whole team. I remember a blog post on my church's website following a similar short-term trip, about the beauty and value of "mutual encouragement". That's been a really significant experience for us, and we're so thankful to God for the way that he enables and works through his worldwide church that that might happen, for his glory.

Thanks for all those faithfully praying for us! Thankful for your partnership with us. Much love to you all!

P.S. Would love to upload some photos! Just can't work out how. Hopefully soon!