Bucky and Carole serve in Nepal with the Nepal Baptist Church Council which was established in 1994 and has grown to 115 churches and several hundred fellowships. Bucky works as the international relations coordinator for Human Development and Community Service (HDCS), a non-governmental Christian organization based in Katmandu. HDCS is committed to holistic mission in Nepal, and focuses on the great need for social ministries such as health, education, and community development. Carole also works with HDCS, helping to coordinate language and orientation of the international staff who come to work with HDCS. In addition, she teaches English and a discipleship class in a 12 week training program. Bucky and Carole relate informally with individuals and churches in the rapidly growing Nepal Baptist Church Council, in areas of discipleship and leadership development.

Carole writes: The monsoon arrived right on schedule this year—the middle of June—which was a relief to the farmers. It has blown northwestward, up from India, arriving late in Nepal for the last several years; thus creating a shortage of rainfall, resulting in the rice crops being planted later than they should be. Nepal so badly needs a good monsoon this year. But the prospects of a good monsoon, lots of rain, however, are not without its own problems.

With the monsoon and its rains having arrived, we make a point to never go anywhere without carrying our umbrella. The monsoon rains bring muddy roads… and hopefully vehicle drivers slow down as they drive through the potholes full of muddy water so they don’t splash the pedestrians, including me, as we’re walking around the potholes.

The monsoon rains also play havoc with internet services in Nepal (don’t ask me how!). And, sadly, the monsoon rains means that the cuckoo bird is gone. So, instead of hearing the song of the cuckoo bird, I hear the sounds of gentle rain falling. Monsoon brings mangos, sweet juicy mangoes, which are a wonderful reward during the rainy muddy days.

One day this week my devotional reading was Psalm 72. Verse 6 spoke to me during this time of monsoon rains and muddy streets. The Psalmist David says the following about the Lord: “He will be like the rain falling on the mown field, like showers watering the earth.” That, I thought, is a good way to think about the monsoon rain and the muddy streets and inconsiderate drivers. God is like this monsoon rain coming down ever so gently, bringing water for the rice fields, bringing life to the land, and so to its people.

David ends the Psalm: “… May the whole earth be filled with his glory.” Wherever you are, may you find symbols in your everyday life of God’s glory filling the earth, as the rain does for us here in Nepal.

• Pray for Bucky and Carole as they serve the people of Nepal in the name of Christ.