Back from the ends of the earth
OM International
Electrical wires hung from the ceiling and partially-painted walls of the classroom in the unfinished training centre. But that didn’t damper the enthusiasm of the twenty-some Nepali Christians crowded together in white plastic chairs and cushions on the floor. Those believers were involved in a one-year training program. They lived at the centre and participated in intensive classes interspersed with practical outreaches.
A few days ago the students had returned from three weeks of team ministry in remote areas of Nepal. They worked in partnership with isolated local churches that had received little training, encouragement, or support. In addition to sharing their faith directly, the outreach teams distributed Christian literature, performed dramas and skits, built relationships, prayed for and encouraged believers, and helped to strengthen the churches. That afternoon they were gathered to share stories of what God had done through them.
One team helped to start a youth fellowship, children’s ministry, and women’s fellowship in a church. Believers had been too timid to engage in direct outreach, but through the work of the team, they gained confidence and a vision for reaching their community. Many local villagers were interested in the gospel, and nine accepted Christ during the three weeks. Please pray that this church would be able continue the newly established ministries and disciple these new believers.
In another small village a team met a man who cannot speak. He lives with his daughter, but his wife has left him because of his disability. When the outreach team arrived in his village, God touched his heart. Since he couldn’t talk, he used his mobile phone to write out a message to the team: “I want to accept God.” The team prayed for him and both he and his daughter accepted Christ as their Saviour. The man still could not speak, but he cried tears of joy. Eight other people in this area were interested in learning more about God, but weren’t ready to accept Him. Pray for this man and his daughter, that their faith would remain strong and that through their testimony many others would come to know God.
In some villages, people were interested in Jesus, but afraid of what it would cost them if they believed. One of the outreach teams built a relationship with a woman whose husband left her and their two children years ago to work overseas. She didn’t know what had happened to him, or even if he was still alive. She was excited to meet Christians, but afraid to come to the outreach meetings. Without a husband’s salary she could not afford to send her children to school. Other people in her village were paying for their education, and she was afraid that if she accepted God, they would withdraw their support. Please pray that this woman would find hope and forgiveness and trust God to provide for her and her children.
These are just a few of dozens of stories shared by the teams that afternoon at the training centre. They talked about the hard times, too – about the challenge of working in an area that speaks a local dialect rather than Nepali, about opposition to their message, about sickness, and about discouragement. But mostly they talked about the joy of seeing God work through them and the opportunity to apply their training in areas in such need of the gospel. Now they are back in the classroom for the next module. Please pray that the teaching they receive will equip them for fruitful ministry. Pray that they would never forget the joy of sharing their faith and being used by God. And pray that God would continue to develop in these students a passion for reaching even the farthest corners of Nepal.
Credit: OM International
© 2010
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