Nepal Ministries:
What: This project aims to help nationals involved in pioneer work. Much of the ministry is conducted through environmental health, primary health care and non-formal education at a local centre and also in villages.
Why: Persecution is still a reality, though not as severe as twenty years ago. It is mainly from Hinduist extremists but also from Maoist terrorists and often from family relatives. Social ministries have historically done much in Nepal to demonstrate Christian values in alleviating poverty, confronting the caste system and challenging the trafficking of Nepali girls.
Target Peoples: The main unreached groups in Nepal are the Tibetan refugees and Tibetan-related Nepalese living in the mountains. Most of these peoples are Lamaistic Buddhists. Muslims with Kashmiri, Bengali or Urdu backgrounds are increasing but with only a dozen or so known believers among them. The Awadhi (0.5 million) and the Maithili (3 million) from the lowlands Indian border region have been generally unresponsive to any Gospel approaches. The Tharu (1.3 million) have an animistic rather than Hindi background and churches have been appearing among them.
Cost: Suggested £20 per month.
£25 buys 500 copies of John or 1000 copies of the "Life of Jesus" tract.
Prayer: Pray for this country, one of the poorest in the world. Pray for the government of the country. Pray for Christian leaders to emerge and assume positions of responsibility. Pray for national believers and churches within the country to be strengthened.
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Nepal has never been colonised in the way many of her neighbours have been. On the contrary, the country remained tightly closed to outside influence until 1951. Since 1990 there have been a series of destabilising influences in the country, ranging from civil unrest to the murders of the royal family in 1999. Nepal remains heavily dependent on foreign aid and especially on good relations with India. There are around 100 different people groups, the largest being the Nepali with 12 million people and then smaller groups like the Sherpas with between 100,000 and 200,000.
Nepal is a Hindu kingdom which allows people to choose their religion but prohibits the conversion of others. Hindu extremists are often violent in the opposition to the Church. Hindu extremists, Maoist guerrillas and even family members are sometimes violent in their persecution of believers. Nevertheless, the Church has grown and there may be around 500,000 believers today and there is also an indigenous Nepalese missionary society based in Hong Kong to send nationals to other fields.
Tibetan refugees and Tibetan-related Nepalese living in the mountains have just a few congregations springing up. Most of these peoples are Lamaistic Buddhists. Muslims with Kashmiri, Bengali or Urdu backgrounds are increasing but with only a dozen or so known believers among them. The Awadhi (0.5 million) and the Maithili (3 million) from the lowlands Indian border region have been generally unresponsive to any Gospel approaches. The Tharu (1.3 million) have an animistic rather than Hindi background and churches have been appearing among them.