Ministry Mission: House Fellowship
I have been in Nepal for six days and this place has already left a lasting impact on my heart. This country is beautiful with mountains surrounded me in every direction. The people here are very friendly and I am constantly greeted with “namaste”, a smile, and a bow from strangers as I walk down the streets. Most of the people here are Buddhist or Hindu and there are very few Christians. The Christians that are here live a life of faith like I have never seen before.
Our ministry this month is house fellowship, aka, house church. My team and I hike to different villages and join house churches that range from 2 people to 40 people. We meet in people’s homes, which are usually one room, not much larger than my bathroom back home. The floors are usually dirt and the only piece of furniture in the house is a hard bed. They always provide mats, or bags for us to sit on, and we always take our shoes off at the door no matter where we are. At the end of each house church, the host brings us juice or Nepalese tea (which is incredible!) and cookie crackers.
Compared to back home, these people have very little, but after you see them worship and hear them pray, I started to realize that they have so much more than any amount of material possessions could ever compare. Their faith and their love for Jesus is so real and lived out.
There is a quote that says, “When Jesus is all you have, you realize He is all you need”. As an American, I have never experienced that kind of desperation for Christ because it’s so easy to turn to material things and resources back home. Many of these Nepalese people don’t have that option. They rely on God and trust that He is their healer, provider, and protection.
As the minority, Christians are looked down upon in Nepal. Many of the people I have met have been shunned from their families because they have chosen to follow Christ. Unlike in America, Christian persecution is very real here, which makes my respect for these Christians so much greater. They are standing up in their faith and for the truth even when the cost is great and it means they will have to sacrifice much.
To describe their faith in one word it would be “passion”. When they pray, they cry out desperately for God. When they worship it’s joyful and carefree. Their hope is in God and in Him alone. At one home church we went to, there was over 40 people crowded into a room that could comfortably fit about 5 people. It was hot, it was sweaty, it was dirty, it was smelly, but it was a beautiful honor to be worshiping with all those people. I saw that no matter what the circumstances, they wanted to fellowship together and praise God.
It has been such a blessing being able to share our testimonies with these people and encourage them in fellowship and through the Word. I have had the opportunity to lead worship in these house ministries and share my testimony with many Nepalese Christians. I can’t wait to see how God continues to work in the lives of these people and in my own heart.
Please keep my team and the Nepalese people in your prayers
