Made this trip over with Ray Centarri….great Paul and Barnabus team.
Be a Stepping Stone
The flight seats were arranged but last-minute changes put me in middle of 2 Hindus. Nothing like 10 hours of uninterrupted flight time sharing the Gospel with the searching. Many questions were answered and at the end of lengthy discourse one of them said, “ This was the most beautiful conversation I have ever had". God will have to water the seed as it was certainly planted. I would like to say that we all should be a stepping stone, so others can take one step closer to Christ.
T was our contact and shared that in 1950 there were 6 committed families to Christ. They decided to go to different cities to share Christ. Even though outlawed and numerous individuals imprisoned the Gospel spread and now there are close to 800 churches thriving. Recent laws say as of Aug 1st it's jail time for 5 years if someone converts due to witnessing but they local Christian’s welcome the times they are I and say we are willing to do whatever it takes to share. In visiting the home of T, he lives simply with his wife in a 2 bedroom flat above the church but has a daily radio station reaching 80,000 per day and has cameras on compound to prevent attempted bombings.
Opportunity to Bless
As we looked over the valley on top of the antennae station you could see millions of homes as far as the eye could see of condensed homes most living in darkness without hope which is why David Chung Ministries chose this area to do a outreach. So much of culture is wrapped around caste system which depreciates the value of individuals and puts Christians at the low end called untouchables. One of the pastors where I gave my projector (pastor had been praying for years for a projector unbeknownst to me) to do church and street outreach had his wife died from beating of a mob who came to beat up the husband.
Training Pastors and Preaching
I had the opportunity to train 80 youth pastors on effective youth ministries and feed them as well. Never a good meeting without good eating! They were so hungry to learn and enjoyed the interactive lessons to connect. Each had around 15 students in youth group and I encouraged them to grow WW11. This was my bridge to share Jesus and I gave him a tract and passed out numerous Bible. The hotel guard finally received Christ at the end of my stay as well as the main desk attendant.
Before I left Nepal I had the opportunity to do the church service for a packed church and spoke on identity. The powerpoint added so much to the visual impact as well as my simple object lessons. (Available to download soon) Would love to follow up their offer to hit the regions outside of the city for broader area outreach with the local pastors but am waiting to see how the new law plays out.
Pray
Pastors and churches as they grow and reach their own
Ray is going back in Oct to teach and train pastors
I left with many goodbyes and prayers along with financial contributions to some churches, pastors and needs. They all live with very humble means but their love for each other and God is so obvious to the onlooker.
The abundant life is not what we hold on the outside but what we possess on the inside. Fill me up Lord.