Joel Vestal

Want to know the facts of the Tsunami?  Follow this link to 2004 Earthquake

We have established the ServLife Asia Tsunami Relief Fund to be able to respond to the horrific tragedy and loss of lives from the Tsunami in Asia.  Donate Now

A few brief highlights of this fund

• 100% of donations will go overseas in helping people
• We will respond in Thailand first and possibly India as resources allow
• We will be working with and through indigenous churches and Christian organizations to serve the victims of this tragedy
• We will be updating our ServLife web site and my blog to keep you informed on what transpires as our efforts begin.
• All of our efforts will be contingent upon the amount of resources that are raised
• We will ensure to report and keep all donors informed on how funds will be used.
• We will be offering immediate relief and look to establish some development projects in helping people to rebuild their lives.
• Our priority and commitment is to work with grass roots, local indigenous churches and not with government agencies, the United Nations, or large bureaucratic NGOs (Non-government organizations). These entities do provide substantial aid and do amazing work. However, we are committed to respond both in word and deed. We believe the local church should be empowered and assisted to offer aid as well as share the love of Jesus Christ.  What an opportunity to help empower the indigenous church to articulate the hope that is in the gospel and also help offer practical aid to those who suffer the greatest.  Our grass roots relationships and network is pretty extensive and we have already been approached by several relationships for help. Please pray that God will give us wisdom. 

My family sat in a hotel room on the India/Nepal border awaiting a flight to Kathmandu when we first heard the news of the catastrophic earthquake that has hit Asia. We have wept, been confused,  overwhelmed as we have seen what has happened, as many of you have experienced as well. I believe it is no accident that God opened the doors for our family to base out of Phuket, Thailand this year for our ministry and work throughout Asia As you are aware, Phuket was hit pretty hard. We have been told that the damage in Phuket was the first images to hit the US media.   The King of Thailand’s grandson was killed in Phuket along with thousands of others.    Our house is just ¼ of a mile from the beach. We do not know for sure but were told on the phone that it sustained no damages.   Thank you for so many for your emails of concern for my family and many of you wanting to give to ServLife as we begin this campaign.  "His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known…" Eph 3:10

Click here to DONATE NOW

Early Christmas morning I awoke in the bitter cold air wrapped in blankets and sleeping with several layers of clothes. All 3 of us were sleeping on the same bed together to keep warm in Raxaul, India, at our ministry center. My wife turned and asked me, “Do you want your Christmas gift now?” Half asleep, I said “yes”- She handed me a blank white envelope. As I opened it, I was shocked and filled with tears. It was a birth certificate of our second child. Yes, Elise is pregnant! We prayed and wept together. As you may have already have read, we had a pretty rough time down in Raxaul, health wise, and it came at a time (for me) that was marvelous news — While we were in Kuala Lumpur a week earlier, Elise had purchased a pregnancy test and was waiting until Christmas day to tell me. I still cannot believe she waited as long as she did. She could not have surprised me more. I know what some of you are thinking, “Why did you not share this in an earlier entry?” Well, we just came to the decision to share this great news with the world, so sharing I am. Needless to say, Elise is experiencing a good bit of morning sickness. More details to come — I guess I need to start thinking of a new name for my blog site! Any suggestions? Oh, here is our Christmas card photo (future family of 4) If you did not get one, sorry - You can see it here.

Well today I spent several hours at the doctor’s office here in Kathmandu lettting an American doctor (Yale Med school grad & real nice man)  look at Zayd. Poor little guy, he has an upper respiratory infection and we picked up an inhaler to open up his air tubes. his cough was really concerning me.  He also has a bit of bacterial diarrhea and is not getting down the anti-biotic real well.  His energy is still real good (probably too good for his condition) Please do pray for him.

Political unrest and the conflicts between the Maoists and the Government still continue here. Today driving around there was an amazing scene of hundreds of small containers lined up as people were waiting for fuel. Because of the continuous strikes, fuel imported in from India is not getting in.  One line had over 100 people lined up at 1 store, probably waiting hours.  More than 10,000 people have been died during 8 years of internal war. Hundreds and thousands people have been internally displaced. The Amnesty International has recorded more than 250 disappeared cases. Nepal is still failing to make progress in its politic, economic and development.  Hope for the peace and development is still seemed to be away from the reality. The country is getting more and more poorer.  More and more people are dying every day. Hundreds and thousands of people are still leaving the country to seek for employments abroad.   Unemployment is increasing.  According to the source of Nepalnews.com on 30 November 2004, “The Asian Development Bank, has said that Nepal is the world’s 12th poorest country, with an annual per capita of US$ 241 - the lowest in the South Asian region. About 38% of its 23.2 million population live in poverty. More than one million Nepalis are estimated working abroad, with 105,000 leaving the country in 2001/2002. Remittance sent by Nepalis working abroad-mainly in the Gulf countries -is the main source of foreign exchange in the country”.

First, we are all fine. Thanks too many of you for your emails and for your concern for my family from the Asia disaster. We were on the Nepal/India border when the earthquake happened and tucked away in a remote hotel, laying low because of Maoists activity and waiting for a flight back to Kathmandu. . We watched with great horror of the reports coming in around the world, as I am sure you have as well. I am still overwhelmed about this tragedy (as most  in the world are) and ask you to pray as we have some opportunities and open doors ahead of us to minister in and through this tragic event that is touching thousands of people with pain, horror, and suffering. As many of you know, we are basing out of Phuket, Thailand — and the island was hit pretty hard. I do not think our house was impacted—– Our time in Raxaul was a bit challenging with all of us being pretty sick. Zayd had a bad cough, Elise’s allergies were really bad, and after Imodium and some local stuff, nothing was able to “plug me up” (I was bending over with a stomach something the first 24 hours. It brought back many memories of the “early” years of wandering around India eating everything set before me. I have for sure paid my dues in plenty of stomach problems through the years. Despite our sickness, it was so wonderful to be with all the children at the children’s home & the ServLife family & Albert and Pushpa. Zayd really dominates the crowd and is a little leader and is exciting to watch- We are back in Kathmandu for the rest of the week and going to have a busy week and celebrate the New Year here. Check out the new photo album!  more to come…

we delayed our journey down to india day due to my back pain, zayd waking up coughing, elise’s soar throat, and continued strikes called by the maoists. it was much welcome day of rest! W e had a great day of rest and walking around town, looking at a duck pond, finding a swing set, reading together,  and sharing some tea time with Isu and Laxmi Karki. Isu is a pastor  here and some of you may remember his young son who committed suicide last year when we first moved to Kathmandu. I was at the hospital the night it happened.   Zayd really took a warming to them both -  Here are a few photos of our day:  ENJOY!

Our arrival into Kathmandu today was a ‘welcome home’ feeling for both of us. i love this place. there was a strike by the maoists and so most everything was shut down. zayd slept for 2 hours on the plane from bangkok, so we were loving that.  we set out in kathmandu to buy winter clothes, spending a whopping $20, to get us all warmed up for our few weeks here. It gets down to the 30s at night and no heaters.  Zayd got lovin on the Nepali violin, no I did not buy him one, altough i came real close to after seeing his smile.    we are off to India tomorrow.  thank you all for your prayers and emails. it does mean a great deal.

Been meaning to get a tri-pod for my camera for a while so I could do some night photography. I finally got one!  Thought some of you would like to see our house at night w/ our few Christmas lights that Elise put up in front of our small place here! other photo is our street, and our front yard plants(not too big) and a photo of our family!   We are the only ones around with lights! All of our neighbors stop and look at them.

There are two cities in Asia that come close to being my favorite: Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) & Shanghai (China) - We were with Sivin Kit (photo on left) and his church, Fathers House, this weekend in Kuala Lumpur. Our time in KL might push me over the edge to liking more..   I preached this morning in his church and was in intense back pain, probably the worst I have ever had — I pulled something and could hardly walk. I had to have help to get up to the podium, feeling like an old man– It was really encouraging to be with a community in Asia that is primarily young (20-35) and really asking great questions on being contextual and relevant to those in the city,  particularly younger folks. KL is an amazing diverse city of Malay, Chinese, Indian, and others co-existing-  English is the primary language of education and business in the city.    Please pray for them and visit their web site — I do believe it was the beginning of a strategic relationship.  A few more photos:

Elections were introduced in Nepal in 1990, Nepal has had 14 different governments. In the last two years the Parliament has been dissolved and King Gyanendra, an unpopular King who only raised to power when his brother was killed in a palace massacre, has hired and fired 3 prime ministers.   Sound pretty unstable?  This is one of reasons the Maoists have such appeal throughout the country.

Yesterday, Zayd and I sat on the small horse and had this photo taken! Pretty good shot, hegh? Also, last night as I was praying with him he said “Jesus” for the first time or atleast attempted to say it - It was a good day, indeed.

I took half a day off today (which means I did not have to sit in front of my  computer and work on my book)  and took my family to the zoo!  It was a great day!!! and not too hot.  Saw a cool monkey show and crocodile show. Zayd loved it.   I took lots of photos of the monkey show but I suppose most of you are more interested in seeing the little guy!  Here are a few shots — The monkeys were my favorite.