*Christian based organizations in Nepal frequently face violence and threats. For the founder's protection, I will only reference the organization rather than personal names.

Trucks blare their odd "only overseas" musical horns. Street peddlers hawk their wares. Me? I sweat. Profusely. "What on earth am I doing here?" I wonder as I bounce down the roads heading towards the facilities of GAN Nepal. I'm in Nepalgunj - unaffectionately labeled the "armpit of Nepal. It is hot, dusty, poor and chaotic. Although Nepal is home to the Himalayas, Nepalgunj is a world away from the beautiful high peaks located less than 20 miles away.

It's 2003 and I'm about to meet the Nepali couple that runs what will become one of my favorite organizations in the world. I first heard of GAN Nepal on a trip to Nepal in 2001 when I was 17. The small group I was with had spent several weeks traveling in the Himalayas and near the end of our trip our translator told us of a great organization operating in a remote corner of Nepal. The leader of our group took a short trip to the town of Nepalgunj to check out this organization. He returned a few days later very impressed! It's now 2003 and I am here to visit them myself.

Our truck continues to bounce through the chaos of cows, rickshaws, and small children running across the road, dust filling my nostrils. Suddenly, out of the chaos we turn down a quiet side alley. A gate opens and the chaos instantly turns to order. Green lawns replace the dust. Cleanliness replaces chaos.

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During this trip I personally met and spent several weeks with GAN Nepal and was blown away. The founders, who are Nepali, as is their entire staff, are amazing. They are genuine, full of integrity, vision, discipline, and passion. They've created an organization that works in the most remote, difficult to access parts of one of the poorest countries in the world. Every day they operate schools that provide top-notch subsidized education for the poor, they care for widows and orphans, they run medical outreaches, provide emergency humanitarian aid, and combat sex trafficking at the India/Nepal border. The list goes on and on!

Since my first trip I've visited GAN Nepal five more times and I unreservedly recommend and support the work they do. They are excellent stewards of resources and are a true force for good in the midst of never-ending need!

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