Sherpa

Men, if they are honest, as a rule hate to stop and ask anyone for directions while lost in unfamiliar territory. They would prefer rather to just keep driving around in circles in the slim chance of finding their way to their destination. Stopping the car and simply asking someone for help shows weakness and is not an option. Now, while I don’t claim to understand the psychology of why men travel through life in this manner, it is a proven fact that it is a male behavior. Have you ever noticed that most men have to be in the driver’s seat while driving their family around town? One of my greatest personal breakthroughs in life came in recent years when I stumbled upon the fact that my wife was smarter than I was, and that I could save a lot of aggravation if I only listened to her suggestions. 

Some of you have been following my adventure in Nepal and know that I mentioned I went trekking in the Himalayan Mountains. Trekking anywhere in Nepal for anyone other than a Nepalese National requires a permit and a Nepalese guide with you at all times. Early on in the trek you wind through miles of bamboo forests where it would be easy to take a wrong turn and wind up over a steep cliff, step on the wrong side of a prayer wall or even desecrate a Buddhist sacred area. In fact, there was one peak near to us named Melungtse that no one is allowed to climb. If you are caught climbing this peak it is an immediate death sentence no matter who you are. Also, there are Nepalese military check points set up at different points along the trail to Kyanjin Gumba. Your guide carries your permits and you don’t get past checks points without them by your side (Not to mention the fact that the soldiers are carrying automatic weapons).  

My guides were Amir, a 23 year old Nepalese Sherpa, and Kumar, a 21 year old Nepalese student in training. Kumar, while still in training, has been over7000 meters or 22,965 feet in elevation. Amir was close behind him at 6500 meters or 21,325 feet. My personal best comes up a little short of both these two young men at 4984 meters or 16,351 feet. The Nepalese word “Sherpa” actually means “One who guides” and the more experience in both high altitude climbing and mountain terrain a guide gains, the more valuable and famous he becomes.  

The day Amir explained to me what the word “Sherpa” meant in English a light bulb turned on in my head. I thought to myself “What a great way to explain Jesus to the local villagers”. These people practically worship people who climb over 8000 meters and of course they worship the Himalayan Mountains just by themselves. So in my mind describing Jesus as the ultimate “Sherpa” had some zest and zeal to it. And, besides, none of my seminary professors where trekking alongside me anyways. If you think about it, Jesus said Himself in the gospel of John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” 

I like the idea of explaining God’s plan of salvation in this way to a culture of Buddhists who have never left the village of Kyanjin Gumba. The truth that Jesus is the One and Only Sherpa, the Father’s Son, who can guide them back to Father God even if it means traveling up and over Mount Melungtse then just maybe they can begin to grasp what it is to have a relationship with God and how very much He loves us all. And you know, they just might chose to receive the free gift of salvation and begin walking with Jesus. As their relationship grows they will become bright lights in their own communities drawing even more villagers to God. Salvation really is much simpler than we tend to make it. For Buddhists the idea they can get to God without working towards it is so freeing, unfettering and breaks their bonds to man-made religion. Jesus said the truth shall set us free! And having a relationship with God through the redemption found in the Son is just what these lovely people needed to hear from us. 

There is already another trip planned to the villages of Langtang and Kyanjin Gumba in the Himalayan Mountains during the month of October of 2013. Pray about coming along with me. If you absolutely can’t come but you want to help by supplying toothbrushes, clothing, water filters, medicine or your love then send your support to P.O. Box 771, Alpine, CA. 91901 in c/o Dean Kellio. You can buy these items yourself or send support in the form of a check filled out to Global Outreach International and I will deliver them for you. I plan to continue writing about my adventure in Nepal in next week’s column.