Nepal is a beautiful country nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas. It is most famous for housing Mount Everest and for being a popular destination for trekkers and outdoor enthusiasts.
I did a little research on the country, and while Wikipedia can hardly be shared as a reliable source, it does a good job of sharing tidbits of interesting information. When I first read up on Nepal, the following fact stuck out to be the most: “Hinduism is practiced by 82% of Nepalis, Buddhism by 9.6%, Islam by 4.4%, Kirat 3.1% and other by 0.9%.”* I’m not sure if you caught the same thing that struck me the hardest, so read it again. Now as an American who has traveled a good deal within Western countries, I’m accustomed to seeing diverse religious breakdowns. What I’m not accustomed to is not seeing Christianity listed.
In Nepal, Christianity is lumped into the term “other.”
That means there aren’t enough Christians in this country to make up a full percentage.
I don’t know about you, but I find that both alarming and humbling. In a country overflowing with examples of God as creator, a place where His majesty is tangible, Jesus is not known.
This month my new team, Fearless Love (just formed this month!), was assigned the ministries of “ATL” and “Unsung Heroes.” This means that we are to Ask the Lord for His will in our ministry for the month, while also searching for new potential organizations with whom World Race can partner. This is an amazing opportunity to truly embrace the opportunities in Nepal and to support the missionaries who are here at work.
In our two weeks here, we have already been so blessed. We’ve been able to work with a church and to visit a few of their more remote villages. We’ve visited a local orphanage and poured into the children there, as well as the youth at a residential home for street children. The team has served at a women’s development program, which helps to support women who would likely be otherwise destitute. We’ve prayed for the people here and for the nation as a whole. It’s been awesome to see what God will do when we open our time and ourselves to Him.
Despite Wikipedia, despite the minority of Christians in this country, God is at work here. His mighty hand is at work in a nation that is hungry for His truth. There are pockets of strong Christians who are praising Christ’s name as they serve this nation. There are nationals here who love Jesus and are witnessing to their family and neighbors. There are international missionaries in Nepal who are trusting God with visas, who are evangelizing underground so that they aren’t kicked out of the country, who are bouncing between countries so that they’re able to stay in Nepal for as long as possible without getting into trouble. Simply said, God’s people are here doing His work, and doing their best at it.
I’m so pleased that we’re able to work alongside them!
*Fortunately, since I first researched Nepal, Wikipedia has been updated and the percentages have changed, with Christianity now claiming a modest 1.4%.
