In the mountain villages of Nepal, we see the cohabitation of life and death. It is not hard to identify the spiritual death: when someone is sick, they seek witch doctors; and for spiritual healing, they seek Buddhist priests and Hindu temples. It is a bleak situation for the inhabitants of these villages.
But there is also life and beauty to be found. Aside from the mountains – majestic, and speaking of the glory of God – there are also faithful believers who have chosen Jesus whilst counting the cost.
Conversion to Christianity in Nepal can result in imprisonment. But in the villages, those who become Christians face societal pressures. There is social ostracism – they may be refused the joy of being included in family functions, be rejected by their community or even be asked to leave their village. They are not allowed to use their own property, are not provided with loans and are often unable to find employment. Separation from family and society can also put financial strain on believers. Furthermore, due to the high cost of land, there are few church buildings, which means churches are less visible and accessible.
Just a few months ago, through the generous support of faithful believers, VOM provided believers in the mountains with Bible Plus packs, containing a printed Bible (or an audio Bible for those who can’t read), a blanket, a pressure cooker and a pot for cooking. Many came to the distributions, which amazed us when we considered the journey – it took some of these believers as long as two hours on foot to come to the place of distribution.
Recipients of Bibles Plus packs walked hours to the place of distribution.
Imagine having to walk a round trip of four hours for resources like blankets, kitchenware and the Scriptures. If we want access to a Bible, we can visit a local bookseller and select a Bible from the sea of translations, choosing our preferred binding and having access to particular editions with study notes. We could drive to the bookshop, order one online, or even access the Bible on a mobile app. But not so for the believers in these mountain villages – accessing Bibles is particularly difficult.
When greeting the believers in Nepal, they would have their hands in the praying position and say, “Jai Masih”. This is a phrase that combines two Hindi words: Jai, meaning praise, and Masih, meaning Messiah. In their greeting, they lift up praise to Jesus. In the spiritual darkness of these villages, with empty religions devouring God’s creation, the light of the believers shines. They shone with particular brightness when, after their long journey to the distribution, they began with a time of praise and worship. They sang worship songs together, glorifying God for His goodness even when life is hard. They have a reason to lift their praises to God – a powerful picture of the value and worth of our God.
A large percentage of those present at the distributions were women. This was the case because the men were working, some having to leave their families in order to make a living. By providing these Bible Plus packs, the believers can have access to hot meals, warm blankets and the Living Word of God.
Those who helped to distribute these resources were not only those from outside of the mountain villages. A local pastor offered his time and energy, and even offered his home as a distribution point for the Bible Plus packs. He, too, has experienced the immense difficulties that come with living for Jesus in the mountain villages of Nepal. When he became a Christian, he faced severe rejection – when he walked down the streets, people would shut their doors, and at times, some would even show their rejection of him by spitting on him. However, with time, he has seen some come to accept him – those who would ask for prayer and recognise just how quickly God would respond to his prayers. Having experienced hard times for his faith, he is willing to help others endure the same hardship.
Those who live in villages can face verbal and physical abuse, rejection from family and the community, and even be asked by the village leaders to leave their homes if they wish to continue in their faith. The Bible Plus packs are able to lovingly provide for daily needs and, in placing Bibles in their hands, provide spiritual food for their hungry hearts, minds and souls.
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