From Skeptic to Servant: A Missionary's Journey to Nepal

Join Daniel Mamora and special guest David Cruz as David shares his transformative journey of faith, from a skeptical upbringing to a passionate missionary in Nepal. Discover the power of humility, reliance on God, and the profound impact of serving in a foreign land.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_04 0:01

Welcome to God Stories, the broadcast ministry of Ingater National Relief, where our mission is to share the love of Christ with others around the world. We disciple and raise up leaders to preach the gospel to unreached people groups, minister to the inner city and poverty-stricken areas in the U.S. and abroad, provide support to local police and relief organizations in response to natural disasters. We work to train up chaplains in the police and civilian industry. And we assist churches in training teams for mission and disaster response. We hope you're blessed by what you hear in this next half hour or so about what God is doing through this ministry.com uh is uh joining me here. Thank you, David, for joining us. Um as we're speaking now, Pastor Gary is uh driving here uh from Colorado. He actually made a little pit stop at St. George, Utah, uh just to rest up a little bit, and then he'll be here this weekend. And um, but David again, thank you so much for coming. I didn't even know you I totally forgot that you went on this trip to um Nepal, right? And so yeah, and uh we're gonna talk about that and just kind of like you know, share with you guys um with what's happening over there, what the Lord did over there. Um and David was actually one of the guys that went. And uh I just wanted to, well, first before we get into the trip, just kind of like share a little bit how you came to the Lord and just so people have a little background. I haven't heard it personally, but so I'm I'm listening as well as everybody else is. So go for it, David.

SPEAKER_01 1:50

Well, first of all, thank you, man. Thanks for having me. Um yeah, again, it's it's a pleasure, and um it's always an honor to to talk to other brothers. But uh yeah, I've been at South Um South OC for about a year now, so not a whole lot of people have heard my testimony, um, or you know, kind of how I came to the Lord. So um, but I did thankfully I did get a chance to to share that while I was in Nepal with some of the youth. And um, you know, for me, I was um I I was a prodigal son, man. I was a prodigal kid, you know. Um I I grew up uh I grew up knowing some about about the Lord. Um, you know, grew up in a Catholic home, um going to church, uh doing catechism. I did my first communion when I was seven years old. Um so I knew I knew a little bit about uh who who God was uh and Jesus. Um but uh you know even even at a young age, it it kind of felt um like something wasn't right, right? Um I was again I was seven when I got my first communion, and and I remember in those classes, um, you know, you're learning about the traits of the Lord, right? He's he's omnipresent, he's omniscient, he is omnipotent, right? And um I remember thinking uh this when I was six, like if he knows everything and he sees everything and he is everywhere, you know, then then why do I have to go and confess my sins to the priest? You know, um so it's even like when I was a little kid, I it just didn't make a whole lot of sense. Some of the things that were teaching me didn't make a whole lot of sense. Um so as I grew older, you know, um, and I and really it happened when I got my first job, you know, when I was like 15, 16, I started making my own money, church kind of became an option for me, you know. Um my mom, uh my mom who was the one who who would always take the whole family, drag the whole family to church, you know, kind of um kind of let that that grip kind of go. Um and so uh when it became an option for me, I was like, I'm not going. You know, I I didn't see um much benefit to it, honestly. You know, it's kind of sad to say, but you know, most of the time I would be sitting in mass, so I would be just kind of looking at the clock, like, okay, it's time to go, you know, um try not to fall asleep half the time. And you know, but I think what thinking back on it, I think what um was most impactful or or unimactful uh was that I didn't see I didn't see any changes in my own family. It was it was rough. It was like something that we just all did to kind of check the box. My my grandpa, you know, he was a a devout um a devout um Catholic minister, you know, he loved the Lord. I can see that now, you know, but it wasn't anything that that impacted us as a family. So again, you know, because of all those things, it was just like, I'm not as soon as I was 16, 17, I was like, yeah, I'm not going. You know, and so from that, from then on, you know, until uh really until my really early 30s, late 20s, early 30s, is is when uh I I was kind of just doing my own thing. You know, I was out living in the world, um, you know, chasing chasing the wind, literally. I can see it now, you know. I think uh we I thought that I was having fun, you know, I thought that I was um you know living living my best life or whatever you want to call it, right? Like I joined the army right out of high school, uh trying to you know do something, you know, with my life, um, and that quickly turned. You know, there was a lot of um just uh I don't want to get into too much detail, but yeah, there was a lot of drugs, a lot of alcohol in my life. It was a lot of, you know, uh just just as the word of God says, you know, the the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, the pride of life, um, all of that really, really was where I was where I was living, you know. And um, you know, thinking back on it now, you know, now I see you know how dark my life really was, you know. And um it wasn't like I said, until my late 20s, man, that um that the Lord just came into into my family, man. Like my my mom and my dad, they they became they were saved, you know, they they found the Lord, you know, and uh growing up, my dad was a really um he was a very um tough man, you know. He was tough, you know, very short-tempered. Uh it was hard to kind of deal with, you know, there was a lot of hurt there. There was a lot of hurt there on my part, you know. Um there's you know, some things, words, man, words can really cut deep, you know what I mean? And and they can they they can have they can leave you wounded for for years. And those things are can sometimes be really hard um not just to not just to you know live with, but even just to let go, you know. So um I saw the Lord, you know, come into my dad's life and I saw him, and uh and and I couldn't believe it at first. I I was just kind of waiting, waiting, dude, like kind of just watching him and just like, is this is this real? You know, like uh and and I had there was a lot of skepticism in me, you know. I just I couldn't believe it. I was like, man, this guy's this is just an act, this is just a phase, you know, it's gonna it's gonna pass, you know, this is it, this can't be real, right? Um, because I knew who my dad was, you know. Um, but watching him over the years, um I started to really like I was like, wow, you know, one year born back, I was like, okay, yeah. Two years, okay, whatever. You know, three years, like, well, okay, like this is this is different, you know? Um he would talk about the Lord, you know, he would have Bible studies, and you know, he he really loved him, you know, and it was that you know in his word all the time, and I was just like, who is this guy? Why is he keep listening to all this Jesus music all the time? Yeah, you know, what is this? What is happening? And and that, you know, coupled with what was going on in my own life, you know, uh the Lord just sending people to in my life to tell me about him, right? Uh I can see now he was orchestrating things, right, to just kind of break me down, right? To call me, to like make me to humble me, right? Um and all that just was seeing my dad as like, okay, you know what, like my my life wasn't going that great all, you know, for me, you know, uh doing my own thing. And uh I slowly became just kind of willing, willing really to to he soften my heart, you know, to and just to say, like, you know, maybe, maybe Jesus is real. And maybe Jesus is real, you know, and um, and yeah, dude, it that's how it happened, man. Like all of a sudden I just uh I met uh I met a friend and uh she invited me over to a Bible study at Calvary Chapel, Foot Hill Ranch, and she said she called it Calvary Chapel because they always had food. I was like, all right, well, uh I'll come check it out, you know, come check it out. Yeah. And uh it was just a young adults meeting, and I it showed up one day, and uh I remember walking through the doors, and mind you, like I hadn't been at a church or anything like since like I was 16, you know, like I was just out there. And I remember coming in through those doors and uh meeting some of the guys, and I I I remember I uh the lead, um, I guess at the time he might have been a youth pastor, he's just uh he's saying I was like, hey man, like I've never been in a place like this. Um I don't know what to do. I don't like this is kind of honestly if I'm being honest, kind of a little weird to me, you know, but um uh and then one of the other guys uh he he just came up to me and he put his hand on my shoulder, looked me right in the eye, and he said, brother, we're all sinners here. You know, and and bro, like that, that just like broke my walls down. I was like, oh, wow, this is different, you know? And and that's kind of how it started. You know, that's kind of how it started. Um I started to come in not consistently right away, uh, but rather like I would I would come in once, once a month, maybe once every few weeks. And as I started hearing um the word of the Lord, like bait faith comes by hearing, right? Um as I started to hear, man, like I was just like, huh, this is this is actually okay, you know. Like I'm I'm listening, I'm listening, and and I still had a hard time getting past the worship. You know, they were dimmed on the lights, they put on some worship music, everybody would pick up a spot and start praying, you know, spending time with the Lord. And I had to meet that was like, this is interesting, you know. And and now that's one of the that's what I love, you know. So yeah, uh, but yeah, in the beginning it is it was slow, it was a very slow uh softening of my heart that the Lord was doing, you know, and he he brought in uh a lot of new people into my life. And you know, one of the things that I always remember uh is that I remember uh when I was still, my mom was still telling me, she's like, you know, you're the Lord is calling you, the Lord, you're gonna come to the Lord. He told me, I was like, Mom, you're okay, whatever, you know. He's gonna give you a new friend, she says, He's gonna give you new friends. That's what they told me. He's gonna give you a new friend. And, you know, and and I was like, You're gonna love him. And I was like, okay, fine. Like, my friends are waiting for me outside. I'll I'll see you later. You know what I mean? Yeah. And um and man, like the Lord, you know, really did some things in my life that at the time were really difficult to deal with. But now I see that uh that was all part of a transitionary phase, you know, where he took a lot of old friends away and he brought new ones into my life, you know, people that love the Lord, people that uh genuinely cared for me, you know, that didn't want to just put a drink in my hand, you know, that didn't want to just uh you know hit me up when it was it was time to go and just waste time in life, you know. Um people that genuinely cared, man. And you know, the interesting part is that nothing um nothing in me changed. I didn't change addresses, I didn't change phone numbers, I didn't change anything. They just kind of disappeared and I had new people. And and in three and seeing all of that, uh I think I finally became, you know, uh a believer in the Lord, hearing the word, I finally was just like, you know what? Maybe this is I alright, Lord, I get it. You know, it's just like alright, Lord, I get it. I can't do this on my own. I tried time and time again, and every time I do, I fail. I fall on my face. Um so here I am, you know. At the time I was battling with alcoholism for since I was 16, 17, so probably around half my life at that point, you know, and um I I hit I hit a place where I I realized like he finally showed me, you know, like I I can't I can't let go of that on my own. It's got a power over me that I just I cannot control, I cannot overcome. And I had to come to a place of of surrender, you know, before him and really just say, Lord, I please help me. Because if you don't do something, this is gonna kill me. I know it. And man, God did a miracle in my life and he removed that from me completely. It's been probably about 10 years now that that's gone. It's not no longer part of who I am. And he's completely done a new work in my heart and my life through that. You know, there's no desire to go back to it, there's no uh curiosity, there's no uh what if, there's no like uh oh well it's been so long, maybe it's okay. Like there's just absolutely it's absolutely gone, you know what I mean? And and that's something that I can't say um I did, you know. Um he had to put me in a place and and put me in circumstances where it had to be him, and it is him. You know, there's no other way, there's nothing I can say or do or explain. And I tried, even to my own siblings, you know, it's like God did this for me. And I'm like, uh well, you know, you put in the work. I'm like, no, no, it it you don't understand. Like it it happened like that, like unexplainable from one day to the next, it's gone. And and you know how long I struggled with that, man. Like it, it's um, it's amazing, it's it's God, you know, and uh and so I gave my life to the Lord, bro. I was like, you know, here I am, Lord, take me, you know, uh send me, you know. And I'm at that point now. But yeah, and that was again like 10 years ago, and it was a song, and even then, after coming to Christ, man, things get better, but the battles always come, you know. Uh there's growth, uh, but the Lord always always continues to work in me and to show me uh that there's just more to do. You know, there's more work to do, you know.

SPEAKER_04 15:08

So I love how you mentioned just kind of like you, you know, church was kind of like an optional thing, it wasn't necessarily when you started working and earning money. And I think that's kind of like the uh the tendency for most Christians, so to speak, here in America. It's like, okay, hey, you know what? I gotta make sure I make all this much money, or like where can I find you know money the most? I was kind of reminded of a sermon that a good friend of mine down in San Diego was saying, uh, how we don't prioritize our spiritual well-being of ourselves or our family, and we prioritize, okay, hey, we will make the move out of state or whatever, to kind of like, okay, hey, you know what? And at least if I don't find a good church for me, at least I got a good paying job. And I think too, I think that's where I'm glad that you kind of mentioned that because um it's you know, the spiritual well-being, I mean, a job, where how long are you gonna do it for? For about 40 or 50 years, if the Lord gives you. But the spiritual well-being of ourselves and our family lasts for eternity. And so um and so I'm so I'm glad that you mentioned something about okay, hey, you know, what in your testimony how church is not an option, or church was just an option and nothing primary in my life. But then, you know, so I always tell people Psalm 92, if you're planted in the house of the Lord, you'll flourish in the courts of heaven. So I am so I so I'm glad that you mentioned that. And and even too, like speaking of being planted, because it's not just okay, hey, in the local church or anything like that, but you kind of felt the uh the great commission, so to speak, right? Either in Mark or Matt Matthew's gospel, Mark's gospel, go into the world and preach the gospel, Matthew's gospel, uh, go and make disciples. So before we get into the trip, what prompted you to go into this trip to Nepal? Because I mean, out of all the places, why Nepal? Why and and so again, whoever's watching Nepal, this is I mean, this is just I'm just hypothetically speaking. Um, what what made you it's like, okay, hey, you know what? Here you mentioned just now, here I am, Lord sent me, and all of a sudden he gives you an assignment to Nepal. Like, tell me that process. Like, what was going through your mind, and what was your prayer like, and what made you say yes to this to this trip?

SPEAKER_01 17:28

Well, yeah, well, just you know, to start, like it's it's been a journey, brother. You know, honestly, it has, you know, even after coming to the glory, like I said, there's been a lot of growing pains in that, you know, and there's still pride within myself that the Lord has shown me. You know, we can serve what we want, right? But if we're not doing it uh with the right heart posture, like it it's it doesn't it doesn't bring forth fruit, right? And so um I guess one way to start is is somebody just recently asked me, even when I was in Nepal, um one of the brothers out there, Rajiv, he asked me, he's like, So how long have you been uh you know walking with the Lord? And I was like, Well, well, maybe like probably about 10 years now, 10, 11 years. He's like, but but how long has he been your Lord? You know, and I was like, ooh, oh man, like uh like Rajiv, you're getting deep, bro, which is mad, you know?

SPEAKER_04 18:21

And uh and I was like uh knowing Rechiv, that's definitely him.

SPEAKER_01 18:24

So Yeah, and so um he's like well I was like honestly, it's probably been about sad to say, about 10, like two years, you know, um he had to break me down enough, you know, to and show me, you know, how how much of myself was still in in the areas that I served. You know, so it's been it's been a process. Um and through that, uh through that I've I've come to to really uh search the scriptures, you know, and and study Jesus' word, right? And and he calls us to be servants, you know. He says that whoever he the the last will be first, right? And the first will be last. You know, and that we should all uh wash each other's feet, right? And and that's been really kind of convicting, you know, in a lot of ways. You know, it's kind of really had a made me look at myself and the things I do and and why I do the am I am I serving just to to to be looked at, you know, am I serving to be perceived a certain way by by other uh other Christian brothers and sisters, you know? Um and so he's shown me a lot of that, you know, and he's shown me that um that that really meant we're all just really poor in spirit, you know. We really are, you know, we have so we're we're surrounded by so many comforts. And so as I was praying uh about going on this trip, you know, um I had heard about Nepal. And I had been to one other missions trip uh last year with my old with my previous church to the Philippines. And man, when you get to places like these, man, um the joy that you see in in believers out there, man, the the the faith and the love that they have for Jesus, bro, it's yeah, it's uh it's something else. You know? Um so when the opportunity came, I was praying about it, man. And and really again, bro, it's just like I I I was like, Lord, I want to go. I just started a new job. Um I don't have vacation time. If I'm being honest, I I don't know how I'm gonna be able to manage that from not just from a perspective of time, but just from financials. And but if if it's your will for me to go, I I will go wherever you send me. Um but you gotta make a way. You gotta you gotta make it happen. And I think when we come to him in in in humility, just uh from from a desire to truly serve him, you know, um, I think he always makes those things clear to us, you know, and then it's up to us whether or not we really want to go, right? Because there's always a little bit of fear, man. Like when you go into a third world country or a country that you don't know, you don't know the language, you don't know where you're going, you know, you you really have to trust the Lord to to be with you, you know, to to guide you and to make a way and to prepare the the hearts of people and even strangers, non-believers, um, that nothing would happen. You know, but I think that all that's all that uh just draws us closer to him. So um I guess to answer your question, man, it was just honestly just a posture of humility um and wanting to serve the Lord. Um and and having experienced that already uh in my trip to the Philippines, uh I I really was wanting to see um and to be a part of of of that, to be a part of I mean, because it's it's him, right? It's God who wills uh it who who to do it to work in us, right? Like it's not us. Like it's so just to be to have experienced that before, man. It it's anyone that's gone on a mission's trip will tell you the same thing, I think. You know, that uh it's just a blessing. You know, and when we always want to put words to it, people have asked me, how was it? I don't have words to it. All I can say to it was a blessing and it was amazing. You should go. You should go. Let's go next year. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 22:12

You know? Yeah.

unknown 22:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 22:14

And I love what you said humility, because it's like, okay, uh, I could we could do things, especially things like what we think is for the Lord, but for the wrong reasons. You know, to glorify self and not to glorify the Father above. And and even too, like regardless of ministry or trip or anything like that, when it comes to doing the works of the Lord, it's a calling. It's a calling. And of course, like that's why we always start with prayer. Ask the Lord, is this is where you want me to do? Is this where you want me to go? And so, and that's where, you know, I love that you mentioned humility. Humble yourself in the side of the Lord, and he will lift you up. And so you arrive in Nepal, you get out of that plane. What goes on in your mind? Tell me about it. Like what's like you you enter Nepal, and so like you see, okay, hey, you've been in the Philippines, I mean, you've lived here in the States, now you arrive in Nepal. What's going on through your mind? Like when you first get off that plane.

SPEAKER_01 23:17

Oh, I mean, uh, Nepal is a beautiful country. The people are beautiful. Yeah. But uh, you know, you can tell you're not in Kansas anymore. Let's just say that. I love how you just picked Kansas. You know I I don't know why I thought about the the Wizard of Oz, right? But we're like, we're not in Kansas anymore. You know what I mean? And uh it's it's uh it's a it's kind of a trip, you know. Even in the airport, man, they have uh they have um idols, you know, they have their gods or the Hindu gods, right? Just in in gold-plated statues or whatever, you know, and you're like, whoa, this is different. You know, they have shrine right when you get out, you know, as soon as you walk off the airplane and you walk in, yeah, uh man, you're like, okay, this is this is different, you know, this is very heavily influenced um by by something other than the Lord, you know? Yeah. But the people, man, they're they're they were friendly, you know, they they love to see visitors. And uh just from um a material standpoint, yeah, things are very different, very different than they are out here in the US, you know. Um, and I think for for some of us that can be a little fearful, right? Because we're so used to the way things are around here. But we're very incredibly efficient out here. Um, everything's beautiful, everything's pretty. Um, and you know, things out there are a little bit different, you know. They're not they're not like they are out here. Um, so a lot of more crowded, you know. But uh for me, dude, like I'm from Mexico. I grew up in Mexico. Um, I go there to visit. Um it felt like home for me, honestly. You know, like driving through the streets, going back, I was like, oh, they built stuff just like we built stuff. You know, they look like me. Yeah. And so like uh and again, dude, I think I think a lot of that stuff dissipates if you go out there with the right heart pressure, right? If you go out there uh trusting in the Lord and and humbling yourself and really relying in him moment by moment, uh, I think he makes all that stuff um a lot easier to deal with. And you just you just focus on on how he would see people and how he would be uh wanting you to be out there, right? We're we're his hands and his feet, we're his uh his representatives out there, you know. So for me, like I I got to Nepal and I was a little bit excited. I was just like, yeah, okay, we're here. Let's see what let's see what's out here, Lord. What do you have for us? You know, uh, and just kind of keeping that keeping myself um just reliant on him. And that that's what I love about these stress pairs. Like you have no choice. Like it it just makes it easier. Out here, there's so much comfort. Everything is nice, you know. I have a nice car, I go to the store if I want to, I I I know where everything is. Um it's easy to take things on myself, but when you're out there, man, and you get to Nepal and you see just the influences that are out there, um, you're just like, okay, it's your turn, it's it's your show, Lord.

SPEAKER_03 26:26

Let's do this, you know? Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 26:31

What are some of the so what the things that you've done? Give me like a couple stories as far as like the highlights of your trip. And um, even after that, it doesn't have to be a couple, maybe just one or or yeah, however you however many you want to share. But also too, like as missionaries, because I know, or even just as Christians in general, there's always gonna be tests of your faith. Can you just share with that like both like you know the highlights, but also like some some of the parts like in your um and again, we've never discussed like what we're gonna talk about, so this is literally just you know, for those of you watching or listening, um, we we never discussed what we're gonna talk about. I mean, kind of gave them an idea, but this is kind of my thought. So just so you guys have uh context of what we're talking about. But give us some like highlights of what happened during the trip and how what was the blessing, but also to like um the testing of your faith and what you've learned from it.

SPEAKER_01 27:34

Absolutely. Well, you know, I think for me, one of the uh most it's a couple a couple of memories, right? But one of the things I really enjoyed um was uh the fellowship that I had with uh with some of the well one like with the the leaders like like Rajiv, you know, Rajiv, you know, I I I grew really close to him very quickly, you know, and and you can't I can't say anything other than that's just the love of the Lord, you know, the joy of the Lord that dwells in that man, um his love for the people there, and and his desire to to truly serve, you know, and to to bless and to minister to others out there. Um because the the the influence of of Buddhism and Hinduism is very strong, you know. The church is really small, you know, even in in Swara up in the um the foothills of the Himalayas, you know, it's uh it's a very poor, poor area, uh very rural. Um, you know, the streets are there not nothing's paved out there, you know, it's just dirt, you know. Um but the people that are there, uh the believers that are there, uh their faith is is really inspiring, honestly. You know, it gives you I mean for me at least I came back with like, man, what do I why do I even trip? Why do I worry? You know, how can I doubt the Lord, you know, when um people people here love him and certain and just and they worship it with like you can feel the presence of the Lord in that little tiny church when they're worshiping, you know, you can feel the love of Christ in there. Um so there was like that. I I that was one of my most beautiful experiences is being in a church service with them, you know, and and thankfully they had interpreters, you know, but even if you didn't, man, you could you could feel that you could feel the energy in that room in the little tiny room, um, and just people humbly like kneeling before the Lord, praying before him, singing to him, singing in worship. You don't have to like understand what they're saying to know that they're like they love him, you know, to know that they they're truly just humbly, humble before him, you know, asking and depending on him for everything. You know, that's that's amazing, man. You know, like that's can I interrupt you there for just a second?

SPEAKER_04 29:54

Can we just a second? Because I love how you make that. It's like, hey, you might not understand what they're saying, but you could tell by you know how much they love the Lord. And I think too, it's important that you mention that you mentioned that because it's important to realize for people to realize that once we're one in spirit, you can tell the Holy Spirit is there, regardless of like, you know, because I think with the Spirit it makes us in one accord, and then you're just commune with them, regardless of, you know, and I think too um the point, the whole point of um interpreting another language right in the gifts of the spirit, you know, when it comes to tongue speaking, too, there's such a beautiful moment when it comes to that, when it's done in order. And I'm telling you, man, like when you surrender everything to the Holy Spirit and it's not of self, you just realize, okay, hey, that's the Lord right there. And and that, and I and I just want to make sure people understand how important that is to realize, especially when you're going out to a uh a different culture, a different country. You know, they might worship you differently because of the language, but when you're one in spirit, you know, you you could tell that the Lord is right there. But anyway, sorry, could see. I just want you to know that.

SPEAKER_01 31:11

No, no, I I I agree with that. Thanks for sharing that, bro. Yeah, yeah. So that's that was one of the things that I really uh enjoyed. You know, another another thing was the fellowship with with again, and that was mentioned with Rajiv and some of the guys that were with him, man. Um after a couple of days, bro, I just felt like I was at home. You know, I felt like I had known them for years. You know, there's a bond, a bond of brothers there, you know, that uh it truly is from the Lord. You know, we have after ministering uh one of the nights out of Suara, that day we we had go, mutton, they call it, and um we were uh we were up in at the base camp. Some of the guys were prepared preparing the fire to to barbecue. You know, we just started dancing, bro. We just started, they put on some music, you know, they were teaching me uh the Nepali dance, you know, and I I think I posted that on my Instagram. Um, but that's one of the most beautiful memories for me, you know, because I was just there with with my brothers, you know, just enjoying, you know, uh so a little bit of downtime after serving the Lord and really for me, for me, I felt like they were teaching me part of their culture, which they were, you know, and uh I really enjoy that. You know, I really enjoy uh having um uh just fellowship, you know. Um yeah and um and man, that that's one of the most beautiful memories because that was just it was me, Rajiv, it was Bikesh, the cook, and it was uh Krijjan, uh one of the other assistants that night, or uh while we were out there, and um and and somebody and our driver who we we try to convert, we tried to television Jesus. Yeah, we said Ram Krishna. If he's out there, uh I love that guy. Um he's uh he's man, just the people you meet, bro. That that was one of the most beautiful uh experiences that I've had. And man, and the kids, we got a chance to minister uh and bring out school supplies to the school, to the to the to let I think they're just elementary school kids and some of the young adults, some of them are in high school, but man, like you see these kids and the joy that they get from something so basic as just a few notepads and pencils, you know, and they're they're light up. No iPads, none of that. No, none of that, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 33:37

I just gotta point out the difference between the American school system and the school systems around the world. Right, like sheets of paper and pencils, you know.

SPEAKER_01 33:46

Uh they they just light up, man. They're so grateful, you know, and and and you can't like I don't dude, you you you you know, it really humbles you, you know, softens your heart, you know. It's like, man, like I have I'm so blessed. I have so much. I'm so yeah, and and then how do I why do I complain, dude? Like what what room do I have to complain about anything? You know, like yeah, other I don't know, like what was the last thing I was complaining about? Oh, my my car is giving me a problem. Dude, I have a car, you know, like I have a car, you know what I mean? County problems. It's silly, silly, silly problems, you know, and uh and that's when like those those things rem come to mind, right? It's like David, relax, bro. Relax. Okay. But man, the smiles in those kids, bro. I'm telling you, if you don't go for anything else, come for these for the kids, bro. The kids they soft.

SPEAKER_04 34:45

Don't get me started with like all the complaints I hear all the time when it comes to like, okay, things in ministry, or or just even like with people's complaining about what's going on in their lives. I'm like, dude, like what you said. I have I can't fix my you have a car, and um yeah, my cell phone's not working. It's like you know, there was no such thing as cell phones in the Bible day, right? And there's like and even cell phones back in the day, like let's just say the 80s, 90s, it was not on the phone. There was no social media, there was no FaceTime. It was literally you you actually were supposed to make phone calls. So and uh look at the people like a quote book, yeah. Look at like do you like do people know how to make a phone call these days? So but and everything now is Google and um chat GPT. Well, I don't know if people's infos are on Chat GPT, but yeah, you get the idea. You remember we used to have to remember phone numbers? Yeah, and there was no such thing as GPS. It's like, okay, hey, there's actually a large girl users as a Thomas Guide, bro. Thomas Guide. Thomas Guide. I mean, I know this is a piece of paper, but you kind of get the idea where it's like literally this wide where you're blocking the driver's view and just kind of like, no, okay. It's literally going from Fresno to San Francisco. So it's like, yeah. But I mean, man, look the things that people complain about, and especially Gen Z and younger. I mean, come on, like if you guys are watching, be grateful what you have, because I'm telling you, um, I mean, there is some good that you know these technologies have done. I mean, look, the technology that we have, this is good, you know, but there's also some things that that could that can ruin a generation, which I believe it is. I mean, if you disagree, please email at Gary.k at anchoredrelief.org. Uh and yeah, and just come and just write to him. That way he can take all the shit. He's in the 70s, so he can actually, you know, tell you and school you as a former cop, you know, and uh but um but anyway, getting back to our discussion, um was there like a testing moment in like during your trip um that happened, and plus like if so, what did the Lord teach you? And um maybe you have maybe you have answered it during that last question, but was there something um you know that has tested you during your trip that kind of like that tested your faith?

SPEAKER_01 37:32

Um tested my faith, you know. I I think, you know, for me personally, um the Lord has given me has put some desires in my heart that I know are not mine. And there's there's just there's just things that I I haven't really been um honestly, I really haven't felt worthy of, you know. I really haven't felt like uh it's one of those things where you know the Lord wants you to do something and and you're just like Lord, are you sure like you got the right guy? You know, like do you I mean come on, you know who I am. Like this is this is the guy you picked, you know? Yeah. Um and so going in going in in this season, honestly, not just this trip, um I've been I've been really praying about that and and seeking guidance and and wisdom from him, right? Like make it clear. Um there's still a lot of doubt, a lot of um a lot of uh insecurity, I think, is what is the word you can put to it, you know, um unworthiness, right? Um and in this trip, bro, like uh you you know, you you go on these trips and you know you hear about um you know what we're gonna be doing and you just like uh we went to the leprosy. We haven't even touched I didn't even talk about the leprosy colony, but the leprosy colony meant about it, you know. Um we we get there and they're like, hey, we're going to Leprosy Colony tomorrow. And it's like the day after the what the second day we're there, you know, and um and I remember I remember thinking within myself, dude, it was like, uh really, like can we have a couple days to like at least warm up or something, you know? Um there was there was fear. There was a little bit of fear in there. Um because you don't know, you know, you don't know what you're gonna see. Uh you don't know I think more more of it is like, am I, am I, am I, what's gonna my what's gonna be my reaction, right? Um I don't I don't want to offend anybody with just like a uh uh my own my own like just I don't know how I'm gonna react. And I don't want to offend anybody with that. And so I think I think maybe that was one of the one of the things that that really I felt was testing my faith. Am I going to be able to really truly serve and and be present, you know? Um and uh and so we get there, man, and praise God, bro, like he The way that the Lord works, man, when you when when you're put in a position where you truly like kind of just give everything up to him is amazing, right? Like we we always hear about having the joy of the Lord, we always hear about having the love of Christ, you know, and I think so often we try to we try to do that ourselves, right? I'm just gonna love and I'm gonna force you know myself to love people, you know, and I think when you I think when we start to acknowledge that like we I don't even know how to do this, Lord, I think that's when he really kind of starts working in us. You know, when we acknowledge that we are incapable of this thing, you know, whether it's humility or love or joy, I think that's when when we when we humble ourselves again, right? It's all about humility, right? When we humble ourselves, I think that's when we give him room to come in and operate, you know. And man, being in that colony and seeing these people that have been abandoned and forgotten, you know, and they don't see their own family. And not only that, they don't they don't have the means to have to have their basic uh necessities, right? Um it's it's uh it's man you see them not for what they what they what they don't have as far as like you know physical attributes, right? Because some of these people are scarred, you know, they're missing limbs, they're missing a pet, you know, they're missing fingers, they're scarred, you know. And I think I think sometimes we're afraid of like, oh my gosh, I don't want to, I don't want like that was my fear, right? Like I don't I don't want to react in a way where I'm just gonna I'm gonna hurt them, you know. Um and and it's sad to say, you know, and I'm like uh I was like, wow, David, really? For real? You know, like thinking back, I'm like, wow, dude, you you were really superficial, you know? Uh but you know the fact of the matter is that you know we're before the Lord, like He sees us as perfect, right? That's what the word of God says. We're counted as righteous, right? And and we're we're we're he sees us like how we're going to be, not how we are here, right? He's just as complete and perfect in him, right? And man, like you walk up into this colony and you see the people start together, and um you just I don't know, for me at least my own experience, like my heart was uh super softened and humbled, and and I could see them, you know, like you you can really like the Holy Spirit when he works in you, man, in those types of situations, it's it's it's the most amazing thing because you see people for uh who they really are, you know, which is my brothers and my sisters, you know, in in need of love and affection, you know, and and praise the Lord that He's given me an opportunity to be here with them. You know, you you can't like your heart just changes. And I think some of the other guys that went with me would attest to that, you know, Lonnie, like he he was so loving and so caring, like he was, you know, and we're all there dancing, you know, like in a little circle and and just worshiping, you know, and it's just uh man, like you come out of that, you're like, wow, thank you, Lord.

SPEAKER_04 43:36

Yeah, thank you, Jesus. Yeah. I think at James 1, right? You know, consider it all joy when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. Yeah, let endurance have its perfect results so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. And I think too, that's why you hear Pastor Tony always say if. Your faith is not tested, then there's something wrong with your walk. So um, but yeah, that which is why it's like, okay, hey, you know, you're going through these trials, you're going through like, okay, hey, um, wherever it is, like, oh, you're in the you're in the middle of Nepal, never been there, and all of a sudden, like, okay, what am I doing here? And then that's where you rely on the Lord. And like, yeah, of all things, what you always said during throughout this whole episode. Humility, humble yourself. Before we go, like, is there an encouragement like as far as like now you're back here at home? I mean, of course, you've been in the Philippines, but especially this after this trip in Nepal, like, what would you encourage someone that's thinking about a mission trip or just like how the Lord has blessed you or how what the Lord has done in you know throughout that trip? Like, can you just encourage somebody that may be watching or listening to it?

SPEAKER_01 44:56

Absolutely, man. You know, I think uh I truly, truly, truly believe that that the Lord speaks to us, right? And he's not, I think uh I think it was it was Jeremiah or Elijah, right? He talks about like he he's not in the thunder, he's not in you know the loud winds, right? He's in that in that still small voice, he's in the silence, right? And I think for any believer who is truly seeking direction or or thinks uh am I being called, I think they know. I think we know, you know, and um you know, but but the Lord has given us not a spirit of fear, right, but a spirit of of power, right? And love, right, and self-control. And so I think most of us know um whether or not the Lord has put a desire for us to be his hands and his feet uh in the missions trip. And I think I definitely encourage everybody, I think we all know that walk into that, you know, take a step of faith, you know, by just signing up by just going. And I promise you, I guarantee you that it's gonna change uh your outlook, not just on life, um, but also like it's gonna it's gonna draw you closer to the Lord, right? Because like I said earlier, right? Out here, man, like we live in such a beautiful place. We live in Orange County, bro. Like it's it's gorgeous. We have everything out here. There's no need for anything. Like we don't want and we don't need we have everything, you know, and so that can sometimes I think harden our hearts and and you know give us just a different kind of fear, you know. Fear is like, oh my gosh, like how am I gonna be out there without no phone cell phone reception? You know what I mean? Like it's uh it it but man, when you go out there, man, like and and anybody that really wants to to increase their like increase their or just their knowledge and and the dependency on God, man, this is the way to do it. Because you you have to you have to really uh not just humble yourself but rely on the Lord, right? For everything, for direction. I I I we had to trust that the Lord will get us from Kathmandu to the mountains in a in a narrow road that's probably like this wide with like semi-trucks and all kinds of traffic going through it, you know, and then and the weather out is nuts, man. Like it's it's it's I think all of that just helps you to to really truly know what it means to rely on the Lord. And and not only that, but to watch them work. That's the most amazing part. It's like once you do that, you have you can almost you it's tangible, you know, the stuff that he does out there, you can see that in people, you can see that in in in the spirit. Like we talked about the church, the way that they worship, right? We talked about the kids, the joy that they have, you know, the the the talked about the brothers and sisters in the leprosy colony, right? The desire for love and the fulfillment that they have. To be to have an opportunity to be the hands and feet of the Lord, man, it's it's an experience that would change you. Will draw you closer to the Lord. And we why would we not want that? Like he saved us, bro. Like he saved each and every one of us, you know what I mean? He he called us, he this infinite God, just I pick you, you know? I was like, oh, why why would we not?

SPEAKER_04 48:27

Yeah. Yeah. Like how you picked the Apostle Paul and to to be the uh the theologian of our faith. And so I mean, with all the mass murder he's done in the past when he was known as Saul, and uh and I tell you what, when you come back from Nepal or you're gone over a mission trip, you come back to the States, you realize, oh wow, Santa Ana is very luxurious. And and uh I mean, yeah, because it's like people like, well, Santa Ana is ghetto, but then also you come back, you're like, wow, you have like we don't know how good we have it, bro.

SPEAKER_01 49:04

Yeah, exactly. Even even in in what we think is is is the ghetto, you know, like or whatever, you know, like the barrio, like dude, even those places are are beyond what's you know, like some of these some of our brothers out there, bro, they don't well where we live, if we send them a photo, they we see them like dude, they'd be like, Well, they they you know they might see that in a movie, you know. Yeah if they get to see in the a movie, right? You know what I mean? Like it's right, it's wild, bro, that the differences, and there's nothing more beautiful, brother, than to to get out there and to and to serve the Lord and to really be just uh be a part of that, of his work.

SPEAKER_04 49:47

Amen. I know you gotta get going, but thank you guys for watching. You guys can contact us. You want to subscribe to our text, uh you can text the word air to 949-3849282. Again, that's 949-3849282. If you want to contact us directly instead of via text, uh that phone number is 949-432-6777. Again, that's 949-4326777. Even the first number I gave you guys, uh, you don't have to text Eric. You can literally text us your prayer requests or just anything uh that you have, and then we'll be able we'll be more than happy to respond to you. Uh, we won't spam you with anything unless you want to subscribe, uh, but that's not spam, that's just giving you updates. And so um you can also follow us on our blog anchoredrelief.blog, our website, anchoredrelief.org. And uh, we actually have another trip coming up in July to Uganda. So be praying about whether or not you want to join us in that. Please reach us, reach us, reach out to us if you wanna, if you're thinking about joining, or if you're just tied in funds and just need help or just need prayer about like, hey, I want to go, but I just don't know how to afford this. Please reach out to us. We would love to help you. Um, and because where there's a will, there's a way. And the Lord wants you to go to Hill and find a way to make you go. So um, and it's just like what David said, just you know, when the Lord's tapping you, yes, he's like, Hey, I will, you know, in Philippians 4, right? My God shall supply all my needs according to his riches and in glory. So uh David, thank you so much for joining us and uh sharing. That was definitely an encouragement to a lot of people out there, and um uh stay tuned, guys, and um we're gonna have um some some great uh things coming up here on God's stories. You don't want to miss it, especially September. September is National Suicide Prevention Month. We're gonna be working on um on some things right there to kind of like make that be the focus of the month. Um so uh but thank you guys for joining us. David, thank you so much for sharing. And uh please reach out to us if you ever need anything. You can also follow us on our Instagram, our YouTube, and uh any of our platforms. God bless you guys. Have a good day. We like to thank every single one of you for listening to God's stories. To connect with us, go to anchoredrelief.org and follow us on Instagram or follow us at our blog at anchorrelief.blog. You could also subscribe to our YouTube channel as well as our Apple Podcasts and Spotify. To subscribe to our text thread, text the word air AIR to the number 949-384-9282. Again, that's 949-384-9282. Or you can call us directly on our office line at area code 949-432-6777. That's 949-432-6777.

SPEAKER_00 52:44

The proceeding was a production and broadcast ministry of anchored international relief.