Hopeful Nepal

Nepal is like an little gem nestled between the two giants called India and China. Two weeks prior to boarding a flight to Nepal I knew very little about the country except that Mt Everest was on the Northern border and that several of the worlds highest mountains reside there. I knew that it had been closed off to the world for many decades and that only in the last several years have they had any semblance of freedom. Nepal is primarily a Hindu nation with a little bit of Tibetan Buddhism in the mix. But to be honest the only exposure I had ever had with either religion was in an Asian Art history class many years ago. You could say this was a very educational trip. 

Nepal is a landlocked nation but has a very diverse terrain and population. The southern plains area is flat and very hot. The people are dark and look very much like those in Northern India. A portion of the border is above India's Bihar state, said to be the graveyard of Missionaries and a little bit of that oppressive influence crosses the border. The mountainous north is extremely difficult to traverse but the views are amazing. When there are roads in the North, they are treacherous. Most travel by charter plane or on foot, sometimes for days at a time. There are several Mongoloid tribes that live in this region causing the people to look very Chinese. The central area is very hilly and contains a wide combination of people and tribal groups. The people are very gentle and polite. The children are inquisitive yet shy.

The OneHope program in Nepal is brand new. They received newly translated Books of Hope and The GodMan film the early part of 2011. In March 150 leaders all across the country were recruited and trained. They were then send back to their areas to train more people. In homes, churches and on local cable tv's the gospel is going out in video format. I was privileged to visit several of these people in four different areas of the country and see for myself the early impact. I cannot wait to hear the stories that will come from this. The pastors are very eager to use these tools as it has helped them in networking and getting close to the people. The children love watching movies and are sure to watch this one again and again. It is said that where there is no Christian context they must see the film at least three times to truly understand that it is not just a nice story but one that will change their lives forever.