Serving Christ in the shadow of the Himalayas.
Few places on earth offer such dramatic geography as Nepal. The Himalayan mountains provide one of earth’s most awe–inspiring natural wonders. Capturing the imagination of hundreds of thousands each year, Nepal draws adventurers from all over the world with many keen to conquer the heights of these mountains. Yet, as majestic as these mountains are and as powerful as their testimony might be regarding the One who set them in place, millions living in the shadow of the Himalayas have no knowledge of their Creator.
Of Nepal’s 30 million citizens, 89% are considered unreached. The majority of the country’s inhabitants are Hindu, reflecting the close cultural and geographical ties with neighbouring India. With Tibet also nearby, it is of little surprise that a significant Buddhist minority also exists. In the capital, Kathmandu, enormous Buddhist stupas such as the famous Monkey Temple tower over the city. Indeed, the Buddha was born a prince in the southern plains of the nation.
For those ministering in Nepal, recent years have seen new challenges. Heavy restrictions throughout the pandemic limited outreach possibilities, whilst new legislation which specifically prohibits evangelism has ended a period where the gospel could be shared freely in public.
Despite these challenges and the vast numbers who remain unreached, gospel progress has certainly been seen. Many have followed the leading of the Lord to serve here over the years and by the grace of God, small church fellowships have sprung up over much of the nation. Evangelists are seeing the Lord transform people’s lives through the saving power of the gospel as they work carefully and discreetly for the Kingdom.
Praise God for all those who serve Him in this increasingly hostile environment, and for raising up new workers for the harvest here. Our great hope for Nepal is that every individual who gazes upon the majestic Himalayas would know that the God who formed these mountains has, even more incredibly, made it possible to receive salvation in Christ Jesus!