Everyone has a story to tell, in Nepal

Nepalis are friendly to strangers to Nepal, which makes it easy to strike up conversations with them: their faces light up as you try to use your limited Nepali to communicate.

God’s love for the hurting

“As I walked up to the old lady, she was crying and could hardly breathe. I asked her what was wrong, and her son who was accompanying her, said that she was sick.

I began to tell her the good news about Jesus, and told her: “Jesus can heal you!”   Still she went on crying, barely able to catch her breath to speak. I sensed she had a big fear and sorrow inside her.

Laying my hands on her shoulders, I began to pray for God to free her from fear and give her peace and faith in Him. I finished praying and looked into her face. She had stopped crying and her breathing was totally calm. There was no longer any fear in her eyes.”

God dries the eyes of the frightened, and gives new life to hurting souls.

Consideration from the outside

“I visit a Nepali family every week. When I first met them, they seemed to have decided about me. Maybe they thought that I was a rich tourist just here to enjoy the nice parts of Nepal. It was also difficult when we talked because I wasn’t able to say anything to them about my motivation for being there. They sometimes complained about their house and other things, and I felt like this was to try and make me feel guilty for ‘being rich’.

One day, the wife in the family said to me: “You have good clothes and good skin. My skin is so dark and old.”

I was just wearing normal casual clothes, nothing special to my way of thinking. But in her view, I was dressed really nicely. I felt so sorry for her. I realized that if she thought we were very different from each other, we wouldn’t be able to build a good friendship. So whenever I visited them, I made more effort about what I wore not to stick out and look like I was any better than them. Also I tried to understand her and listen her talking.

As time has passed, we have developed more of a relationship. The wife has started to open her mind to me, and she tries to share food with me even though she doesn’t have very much. And when I talk about God’s love, they listen more carefully, even though they still believe in the national religion.

It’s hard to imagine them changing their beliefs. But I trust God will show them the way and make changes in them. I wait to see what God does in His timing.”

The prayer-answering God

Five years ago, when I was in a Tibetan area of the world, I promised God that I would take the chance to share about Him to Tibetans, if He gave it to me. I then forgot about it. But God remembered.

Recently, I came to Nepal, where there are many kinds of people groups. One of the biggest groups is Tibetans. So, what do I find myself doing?   Making friends with them! But it started so simply.  

For the last year I have been praying inside a refuge camp. At first, I wondered what on earth I was doing there. Although I know it’s really important to pray, I couldn’t see any results. I felt very frustrated; I was thinking of something much more outwardly dynamic, not just praying – for three months!   I just couldn’t see the importance of prayer in that situation.

But now I can honestly say that if I had not prayed at the beginning, I would not have been able to see where God wanted me to focus. Not only am I prayer walking, but going into school, older people’s houses and the women’s carpet factory in the refuge camp. 

I have been able to experience how God opens situations in His way and how He can change the impossible into the possible; as well as inspiring me to spot where I can lend a hand. This is such an amazing lesson in not leaning on my own ability.

I still do prayer walks inside the refuge camp; it is now my favourite activity. God has changed my perspective: now I know everything started by prayer grows well from prayer; I have really realised some of its power.

OM’s role in the Church is to mobilise people to share the knowledge of Jesus and His love with every generation in every nation. OM pioneers and leads initiatives to redeem lives, rebuild communities and restore hope in over 110 countries.