After a bunch of super tough goodbyes and a few long days of travel, my team and I have made it to Nepal!! We are enjoying the change of pace and flashing lights. We have had 2 days of work here so far and they have been very different than Swaziland but they have been amazing.
Today we had the opportunity to to go to a drug and alcohol rehab center to fellowship with the people who stay there currently. As soon as we arrived there, the man who owned the rehab center spoke briefly about his testimony. I was so intrigued by his story I made it a priority to spend some time with him and hear how he came to know the Lord.
This is his story: “So about 15-16 years ago I was an addict myself. I used to be involved in political things during election season we would do something for them, you know? For money I used to kidnap you know just fighting or anything for money because I was an addict so, how do I get money? So I ended up staying in a rehab center just like this one. I stayed there for one year and thirteen days. I got back out and then after two months I relapsed. In 2006 my wife left me, I was married in 2002 and my family thought that if I got married I would be changed but I did not. At that point I thought she was the woman I loved and she didn’t love me so I thought why should I live in this country or even this world. On that day I died as a man but never tried to commit suicide or anything. I had also been in custody a lot and many times the police were beating me and I had many charges for kidnapping. At that point in 2006 I just decided to move to India but then I became wanted in Mumbai, India because of fighting and many things. So then I moved back to Nepal with my moms sister. Then one of my friends became a Christian and so I just went by his house one day and he was just sharing the gospel with me on a Friday and then the next morning on Saturday he invited me to go to church with him. At the time though I really hated Christians but I had no peace or anything because I was an addict and my wife left me and yea. My feelings my pain, I couldn’t sleep or anything no? On the very first day I came to church then all the sudden during worship I just felt something start to hold my pain out of nowhere and I just wanted to cry but I couldn’t because the first time ever in church if I was crying what would people think hahaha. After a long time I finally came to know that it was the Holy Spirit that I was feeling. All my pain went away and I felt free. Then god gave me a vision that I could have a rehab center to help people like me, I fundraise for a few years and then in 2010 we started the center. I had no idea how to start anything I was just an old drug addict that just met the lord But we just tried and started and then came in one client and then two clients and since then we have expanded and had over 38 people become baptized and over 200 come to know Jesus Christ through the center.”
The Lord wants badly to free and redeem us of our sins and this story right here is just one example of how wonderful and deep his love is for us. Please keep this rehab center in your prayers as they continue to do ministry and also Nepal is not the easiest country to be a Christian in.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
