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Where it all began- "The Hill"

When I was in 8th grade my dad took our family (and a couple other students) on a three week trip to Nepal. It had always been a dream of my dad's to see Mt. Everest so the year before he took my mom.  It changed their whole world and he knew he had to bring us there too. My parents didn't save for our education or things that the world deems important. They saved to give us life changing experiences like this, that I would not trade for ANYTHING. I am so thankful to my parents for giving me the gift of travel to third world countries, there is no substitute for that.  It changed my whole world. I can say without a doubt that Nepal is my favorite place I have ever been. I can't remember a time when I felt more at peace, more alive, more full of joy, more purposeful. My favorite place of all time is "the hill". This is where my dad first developed relationships with some of the people (more stories on that later). We went 4 years in a row to Nepal and each time we would go back to visit "the hill", and "my girls". My special girls names were Mothula and Sushila. From the instant I saw them, my heart was forever changed. Every morning when we would walk down our hill from where we were staying, they would be waiting for us. They would each take one of my hands and we would walk silently up the hill to their homes. We could not speak a word of the same language (but would try to teach each other words:)) But sitting in their "home" (a mud hut with maybe one room for everyone, mud floors, animals etc), I felt completely alive. I felt like I could stay there forever. I didn't "need" anything. They gave us honey that actually had dead bees in it that they had collected for us. They gave us what they could and they did it with such happy heart.  We would braid each others hair. They gave me their bracelets and I gave them mine. We would spend hours together, not talking, but saying so much. I remember giving "my" family $100 on year. The mom cried and told me that would give them enough rice to get them through the year. I couldn't believe that. Each time we would leave, my heart hurt. We would drive away in our bus, watching their bare feet run after us, waving and smiling. Tears would stream down my face, because I LOVE them. My heart broke for them. I wanted to make a difference. I have not been back to Nepal since my junior year in high school, but a part of my heart will always be there. It was during this first visit that I knew someday I would adopt. Back then, the statistic was that one in every 7 children were orphaned. We would go on treks in the mountains and see infants sitting in a pool of their own diarrhea, dying; knowing there was nothing we could do. This was everywhere. These little children were everywhere. It was absolutely heart breaking and hard to put into words. But somehow, these kids on the hill- their smiles- they lit up my world. They stirred a passion in me that at many times all but disappeared, but God did not let the flame go out. He is reigniting that flame and has also put the passion in my husband's heart, for which I am so thankful. Each year when we would go back to visit, they would have pictures of us in their huts, tacked to their walls. They were their treasures. It brings tears to my eyes to remember these amazingly special times...times that I so hope I can one day give to my daughter and our other children as well. This adoption is just the beginning of the adventure that God is unfolding in our lives. The world may look at it as foolishness, but we look at it as the very cry of God's heart; and we are so honored to be a part of it.