Pray for Nepal
The following information comes from Patrick Johnson, Operation World, 7th ed.
Population 29.9 million. Christians 2.8%. Evangelical Christians 2.8%.
Largest Religion Hindu.
Fastest Growing Religion Christian.
• The Nepali Church grew through many trials. The first church started in 1952 with 29 Christians. It grew to 200,000 believers by 1990, and persecution was very strong. By 2010, 850,000 followers of Christ gathered in nearly 10,000 groups! Now all 75 districts have at least 1 church. Growth came through prayer and the willingness to suffer for the gospel. Praise God for the Nepali believers’ courage to evangelize, even though they risk fines or prison. The law guarantees freedom of religion, but non-Hindus cannot spread their faith. Opponents of the gospel claim that Christianity is a foreign religion, but the large majority of Nepali Christians worship and fellowship in indigenous structures and networks.
• The next generation of Nepali Christians must build on this good foundation. Pray that the first generation of Christians will hand over leadership well to the second generation. For years, no formal training was avIndiaailable. Now over 15 Bible colleges and seminaries exist, and some churches and agencies offer training courses. But the fast-growing Church urgently needs more leadership training. How can a Church so poor release enough pastors to serve the flock? Some look for foreign donors. Pray that leaders learn to be tentmakers, and that congregations learn to support their pastors. Pray for perseverance for the believers, and that no laws or threats will keep them from sharing the gospel!
• Social needs remain a huge challenge in this beautiful but troubled land. Despite much progress, Nepal’s poverty, political struggles, geography, and caste system leave many people suffering and oppressed. Pray that the Church takes this opportunity to engage with the needs in Nepali society.
• Around 2.6 million children work as child labourers. 70% of them work more than 9 hours a day. Until Nepal gets children out of the workplace and into school, development for the future is impossible.
• Up to 300,000 Nepali girls work in the sex trade in India, the Middle East, and elsewhere. Traffickers target poor and lower-caste girls. Nepali Christians reach and rescue some of these girls in Nepal and in Mumbai.
• Millions suffer from preventable diseases. Lack of basic sanitation causes over 80% of diseases. 30,000 child deaths each year result from malnutrition. 90% of trafficked girls who return are HIV-infected, and AIDS has rapidly spread.
• The impact of the caste system continues to leave many oppressed, especially Dalits. Discrimination based on caste is illegal, but still very common.
• Holistic ministry powerfully demonstrates the love of Christ in practical and spiritual ways. Foreign agencies work in hospitals, leprosy treatment, agriculture, education, and with society’s most vulnerable. Nepali Christian NGOs also work to address high unemployment, illiteracy, environmental problems, and dependence on foreign aid. Praise God for greater unity among Christians, and for greater cooperation between Christianity andother faiths. Christian Efforts for Peace, Justice, and Reconciliation formed in 2003, and later joined a peace-building process with representatives of all other faiths. Pray for all Christians to include social transformation as a key part of evangelism.
• Pray for the less reached. Around 55% of the population are unevangelized, and 309 peoples/ castes remain unreached. William Carey (the well-known British missionary to India) translated the New Testament into Nepali in 1821. But only 8 of Nepal’s 80 languages have a complete Bible translation.
• The high-caste Hindus (more than 30% of the population). They respond more to the gospel in Nepal than in India, but Hinduism keeps most in bondage. Few openly proclaim Christ as Lord.
• The Awadhi and Bhojpuri speakers on the Indian border.
• The mountain peoples, who are almost entirely Tibetan-related Buddhists. The famous Sherpa of the Everest region do not have a single Church, and have only around 50 believers.
• The increased number of Muslims, mostly Bengali, Kashmiri, or Urdu-speaking farmers or labourers.