An Update from Nepal 2024
/Jai-mashia! (Glory to the Messiah!).
This is the greeting used by our Nepali brothers and sisters. The common Nepali greeting is “Namaste” (I bow to the divine within you). Being a predominantly Hindu nation, there are many gods to choose from in Nepal. Most believe in the idea of a ishta devata (a “personal god”). This is the god with whom you share the strongest spiritual bond. One is called to look into himself to find his personal god. It is therefore not surprising that “Namaste” is the common greeting.
Religion is indeed a culture-shaping phenomena. This is why RBS has been partnering with HeartCry to bring the truth of Christ into a land full of idolatry and superstition. In 2018 RBS started a certificate program for a group of around 20 pastors and their assistants in Bytwel, Nepal. The men come from a 3-hour driving radius on their motorbikes and stay in the city for a week of training and fellowship. There are very few healthy churches in Nepal, and even less theological Christian literature translated into the Nepali language. Our goal is to give the men the fundamental tools they need to rightly divide the word of truth, shepherd the flock of God, and scatter the clouds of darkness with the light of the gospel.
The program is now coming to a close. I recently returned from Nepal teaching a 5-day modular course on the survey of the New Testament. The modules are fast-paced. Considering that we teach with an interpreter, there is only so much that can be said within 5 day and 24 lectures.
Even though there is very little solid teaching in Nepal, it is most encouraging to see how well the men have been established in the faith over the past years. Their eagerness to learn and serve the church is both a motivation and a rebuke to my soul. June was one of the hottest and most humid months in Bytwel, Nepal. Most homes do not have air conditioning. The nights are hot as well. Many are forced to sleep outside in their mosquito nets to have at least some air to breath. When our sessions started each morning I could see the heavy eyes from the lack of quality sleep. Still, they all came, ready to learn. Each day began with a short time of worship, including prayer, Scripture reading, and song. My soul was warmed to hear the men lifting up their voices in songs of praise, reminding me that Christ indeed is gathering a people for Himself from every tribe, people, and tongue!
Please join us in praying for the work of the gospel in Nepal. Pray that the men would cherish the Scriptures and be able to retain what has been taught. Pray for perseverance in the faith; for courage to reach the lost; that their love would not grow cold, and that they would continue to grow in godliness. We also have two more modules left, planned for 2025. Please pray that God would help the men in preparing the teaching and make it effectual to the souls who will be receiving it.
For security reasons, we do not publish the names of the brothers, and have been asked to have their faces blurred. The name of the city has also been intentionally misspelled. The vowels are u and a.
Vadim
