Nepal 2019
Day 8_Tuesday

Yang and Henna

Fuelled By God

We’ve reached the last day of the youth camp. Over the last few days, the team has been toggling between two churches at Ropheka and Janagal. Throughout the camp, we had the privilege to put aside our medical mission uniforms to simply enjoy and show love to the company we were in— praying for the youths and spending time with them, to cheer them on in their faith and also to encourage them to dream.

We wrapped up the youth camp today with a talk on social media—an ever-pressing issue, followed by lots of heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the leaders that have helped run the youth camp smoothly. The visitors also got a little gift from the church and lots of applause from the youths. 

We personally have been blessed tremendously by the youths in the last 3 days, especially by some of them who went up on stage to share their testimony with such boldness. To hear of these searching hearts of fertile soil share of the goodness of God, and also their reflections and thoughts from the various topics shared over the week (influences of social media, music on their mind, body and soul, and the importance of forgiveness) was such an encouraging moment for us. It is great to know that God’s truth have not only penetrated their minds, but now they desire to actively walk with Christ, by changing their habits and ways of life too! 

At the very end, we had some time to pray for the youths, and once again, many of them came up to be prayed for, desiring to receive blessings and truly wanting heaven gates to open!

During that time, we got to hear more of their personal stories, struggles and dreams, and we were glad to have the opportunity to pray over those who came forward.

“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for,  it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.” Matthew 18:19

For many of us in the team, we have been to youth camps. Some of us grew up in Christian homes and churches, and attended youth camps, even serving in them in later years. Being able to serve in a youth camp 4000 miles away from home felt at times, surreal. Growing up, I personally have not been to a youth camp, but I know how special they can be in marking one’s life as a believer. I know of many close friends that came to know God through youth camps, many more had powerful encounters with the living God in camps and have their whole Christian life redefined. Understanding that, my heart is for the young people in this town to encounter God themselves. We believe for great things over the young faces we have met here, that the Lord will indeed heal their pain, remove any shame and give them a mighty future!

That evening, we had the honour of listening to Pastor NP’s testimony of his journey with God and how he started the church here in Banepa. Pastor NP has a distinct and contagious laughter and a heart of gold, he carries himself with such humility, love and kindness. He shared that he came to Christ in his youth, and was chased out of his Hindu believing family. He went on to Kathmandu and served as the senior pastor’s assistant, and never dreamt of being a pastor.  All he wanted to do was to be a pastor’s assistant and help carry the pastor’s bag. However in his late twenties, his pastor sent him to Banepa to plan a church, in which he obediently moved the whole family to this town which we were staying in. At that time they had a vision for their new home, and that was to plant 200 churches by the year 2020. Holding onto that vision, the family faithfully served the community, helping the poor and sheltering the young and old. Their “home”, which effectively is the church is also an old folks home and houses 10 over teenagers who were either orphans or troubled teenagers. They also planted a training centre to train up Christians who have the heart to grow the church, and subsequently sent out to different parts of the region to start new churches. 

Since then, 20 years have gone by and the vision of planting 200 churches came to fruition 2 years early, in the year 2018 (when I first met them). In a country where Christianity is persecuted, what God is doing through these willing and faithful hearts is beyond inspiring. It is indeed amazing to witness for myself, what a willing heart can accomplish when the vision is fuelled by God. 

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”” – Matthew 28:18 -20

The team and I were truly blessed hearing the stories of what Pastor NP and the family has been through the past 20 over years. Personally, I left Banepa not just with amazing stories and powerful testimonies, but also a renewed heart for the Great Commission.