Well friends, we’ve returned safely from our mission pilgrimage to Nepal. And what a trip it was! The Lord guided us, protected us, granted us special opportunities, magnificent vistas, and revealed himself in many unexpected places. Our second trip to Nepal partnering with The Anglican Relief and Development Fund was a huge blessing for everyone who participated.
From Kathmandu to Pokhara and back again, we saw the beauty of God’s global church in spades, and specifically the incredible leaders he is raising up to guide and grow his church. We found moments of rest by quiet lakes, on rooftops, and on mountain tops. We were able to see the slums of Pokhara and Kathmandu first-hand and also witness the hope of the Gospel being injected into them in the form of joyful Christians serving diligently and prayerfully in places that would otherwise be very dark and desperate. Our trekking team spent time meditating on the majesty of creation in the Himalayas, surrounded by testaments to God’s grandeur at every turn. We have more stories and pictures posted in blogs about the trip, Part 1 and Part 2.
We heard story after story of God reaching into a heart through dreams, or visions, or miraculous healings, and turning a life towards him in one quick movement. And in all of these cases, that heart has never looked back, no matter what the cost. Many of the people whose lives have been changed by Jesus have had to give up their families, successful careers, and assume a great amount of risk in their calling to minister to people in Nepal. It is not a country that is hospitable towards Christians, and imprisonment and severe punishment are possible outcomes of evangelizing in-country. Spending two weeks worshipping in a room full of unabashed believers who assume risk in their worship completely reoriented me on my own involvement in church. I will not forget praying together in our respective languages, praising God to tunes we all know, and being united in the Holy Spirit together with my brother and sisters in Christ across the world.
Not only is God raising up these courageous and committed leaders, but they are walking all over the country to bring the Word to those who haven’t heard it, just like the book of Acts. Though cars may exist in these modern times, over 15 million people in Western Nepal live in remote villages that can only be reached on foot. And so, these people walk for days up steep inclines into the hills and remote lands, so that every tongue might have the chance to confess the name of Jesus.
All of us return to our home countries with a renewed sense of commitment to praying for and assisting God’s global church. And each of us was challenged in our own faith by looking at the example of the amazing people doing good work in hard places. Wherever we are though, we’re always on the journey.
P.S. If you’re interested in learning more about these churches, or the people working in Nepal, there are ongoing opportunities to partner with communities doing great things for the Kingdom. You can contact ARDF directly or get in touch with us and we’ll help connect you.