“Indeed, all who desire to live a Godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” -2 Timothy 3:12
Since meeting Jesus for the first time at a youth group my freshman year of high school, I have heard about the persecution of Christians. I thought I understood it, I thought had a grasp the concept. But every idea I had of what persecution is and what it looks like was shattered when I traveled to a little mountain village in Nepal.
It started with a three-hour (that turned into an eight-our) Jeep ride up the side of a mountain. As we drove further up, it became evident how far we were from the city, both in distance and in culture. When we arrived, we all tumbled out of the hot, cramped car onto the lawn of a one-room church. The building was surrounded by fields of wildflowers, goats running free, and open skies as far as the eye could see. I breathed in the fresh air, and the village girl I had become in Rwanda felt right at home again.
The pastor came out to greet us, and after brief introductions we sat down for a meeting. We found out that our ministry in the mountains was visiting Christians in their homes and encouraging them. I was excited, but not thrilled out of my mind. At the time, I had no idea how much weight a house visit could carry and how meaningful they were to the believers in these rural areas. That would soon change.
Once we started getting to know the pastor and the community, we began to see what life was really like for the Christians there. The pastor shared with us that up until recently, Nepal had been a closed country where it was illegal to share the Gospel. Within the past few years it has been become open, but the government in now trying to close it again. He told us stories of believers in the community who had been tormented, threatened, beaten, and cast out of their families.
As we visited our brothers and sisters, we saw their faces for ourselves. We heard their stories. We became familiar with their circumstances. These are the people who pay a huge cost to follow Jesus. They are the ones who are hated by the world around them. They are the ones who give up everything. We saw that they were poor, that they were hated, that they were worn-down, and that they were cast out.
But we also saw that they were steadfast, they were hopeful, they carried peace, and they exuded love. The circumstances of this world didn’t matter to them because they weren’t living for this world. They were inspired by our words, our prayers, and our loves, but I’m sure I didn’t have even close to the impact that they had on me.
I live in a country where following Jesus is normal and accepted. I can go to any coffee shop, any time I please, and read His word right out in the open. I can talk about my Savior whenever I want, wherever I want, however much I want. If I so pleased, I could stand on top of buildings and shout truth from the rooftop. I can live for Jesus without fearing for my safety, my household, or my community.
These people can not do the same. But no matter what obstacles they face, they stand firm in Christ. They rejoice in their sufferings. They love their enemies. They live out Paul’s words to the early church. For the rest of my days, I will remember them. I will be inspired by them. When I don’t want to speak up, I will speak up for them. When I don’t want to be bold, I will be bold for them. When I don’t want to be merciful, I will be merciful for them. When I don’t want to love people who are hard to love, I will love with my whole heart for them. I will seek to be imitators of them, because they are imitators of Christ. Knowing them and knowing their stories is a blessing that I will carry for my entire life. Thank you Jesus for these beautiful people, in this beautiful country, following your beautiful self.
For the Kingdom, Ellen
Also, thanks for taking the time to read my blog, friend! The love and support is much-appreciated. If you are interested in helping me continue on this journey and supporting me financially, I am still in need of about $600 by May 1st. You can donate through this blog. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
