Mountain Child.

You will soon learn that my heart beats strong for a few awesome things. First and foremost, for Jesus. Secondly, for the things he cares about. And third for things that make this world and this life more beautiful.

I have found a lot of that in MountainChild. I have recently gotten involved with and its become one that i stand behind and one that i am passionate about!

It is truly an awesome organization doing some awesome work in the Himalayas. Led by folks who are more passionate about helping people than advancing the name of an organization. I dig that. More, obviously to come on that.

However, i wrote up a short piece tonight, about MountainChild for a small contest. And while it boasts of the awesomeness going into the Himalayas (enough in itself to win the darn thing)-- it also boasts of awesomely dry humor. Fruit, possibly, a long overdue writers block. Maybe it's because i wrote it and it's late. But dang, i think it's funny!

So, enjoy!

A Donkey.

The selling price of a donkey was foreign to me. I never really had a reason to inquire, why would I? Southern California doesn’t exactly entertain a booming market of farm animals, and I’ve never once considered one for a childhood pet. Actually any animal for that matter. (But that's besides the point.) Donkey’s were, and still kind of are, beyond my periphery of interest-- I think understandably so.

That is until I traveled to Nepal. Trek with me for a moment.

Donkeys are hands in Nepal. In a place as rugged and remote as parts of the Himalayas, the only way in -- to the heart of the truest need-- is on foot. Many, many days on foot. Which is perfectly fine for simple trekking. Strap on a pack, lace up your kicks, enjoy some dal bhat, and hit the trail. (It’s a little harder than that.) But, how do you deliver bulk medical supplies? Enough to stock a medical post--efficiently? How do you deliver a new school’s worth of school supplies? Or the materials needed to build one? What about the supplies needed to build a clean water project? Pipes? Concrete? Tools?

It’s a crazy and rather impossible task on the backs, or in the hands, of people. Obviously so. I can hardly unload a bag of concrete from a truck. Trekking with it days on my back is hardly in the question. Oh, but load it on the back of a strapping, dark haired ass- reared for the mountainous trail- and the task of delivering tangible hope is feasible. And that, my friend, is awesome.

That’s what Mountain Child is about. We exist to carry hope to the children in the Himalayas. Simple. Clean water. Medical aid. Education. We’re passionate about it and will do whatever it takes. However, with limited drivable road access and human limitations, delivering the supplies needed is a rather weighty task.

So you ask me, what would you do if money weren’t an issue. Who would you help? Where would you go? Where would you take the gospel? Well, I’d buy a donkey and all the friends, toys, food, and iPods needed to keep him happy and kicking. I’d load that donkey (and a few of his burly fellows) with all that was needed to carry the hope of a sustainable, life giving future to a village in the Himalayas. Hope in education-- possibly for the first time ever. Hope in medical aid and health support through a functional medical post. And hope in clean water-- an easy cure for the leading cause of childhood deaths in the Himalayas.

That load of hope, on the back of those donkeys would carry with it a free picture of Jesus. A God who cares graciously for his chosen and provides a way-- doing so abundantly! The beautiful Gospel. I want to take the Gospel to the Himalayas. And if God can use an ass like me, he can use a few more!