The Buzz in Nepal

For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future…

Jeremiah 29:11

The Himalaya Mountain chain is a thing of beauty, towering above six nations with peaks, valleys, and cloud-draped splendor. From afar, it is a portrait of God’s majesty, worthy of paintings, poems, and photographs. This is certainly true in Nepal. As with many things the up-close view—although still amazing—holds hardship and heartache for those who live on the slopes. Poverty is the unifying factor across the region.

Small, isolated churches fight to survive and bring the gospel message to a culture that has not grown up with Scripture. Young pastors and their wives struggle to make the Savior real to those who are more concerned with what they will feed their children and where they will sleep at night.

One of those churches came to the attention of SEAPC through a Nepali friend who visited them. The people had no way to make a living. The harsh mountain weather and rocky land did not invite a great deal of farming. Isolation led to hopelessness. Donations of money would be a short-term fix. They needed more.

Help came by way of four-legged, bleating, male and female goats purchased for the village through donations in order to help sustain the church. A relative of the pastor’s, Aita Kumar Tamang, built a simple enclosure and fencing; he became a goat farmer. His herd went from thirty to one hundred goats in only two years. As the goats thrived, the church began to flourish as well.

Once the herd became established, Aita sold twenty goats to other families. This gave them the ability to improve their lifestyle. With the proceeds, he bought enough chickens to set up two chicken farms in the village. And he planted seasonal vegetables, not just to eat, but also to send a portion to market. In this area, where there are no services, shops, or supplies to be had, Aita set up a small grocery store in his home. Villagers can now stop in to buy oil and other necessities. And to enjoy community.

Across the ridge in an even more remote area, a devastating earthquake hit a village. Before they could regroup, flooding caused landslides that washed away every home, all possessions, and the small church. The people went into the nearby cornfield, living without shelter, food, or clothing.

Through donations, supplies were provided: rice, pots and pans, clothing. In addition, the church and homes were rebuilt. Life went back to normal. But for these Chepang people, considered to be “an isolated tribe who lives in the midst of the big jungle,” it remained subsistence level at best. Social outcasts, they had no hope of prosperity. To survive, men left their families to make money in the city; great hardship came to the women and children. The local church faltered, as absent leaders sought work.

Donations were raised to set up two bee farms for neighboring Chepang villages, as a way to provide sustainable economic advancement. The SEAPC medical team visited in the fall of 2019. Before leaving the city, bees and supplies were purchased. Arrangements were made to transport them into the mountains.

The team went off-road, over rocky unpaved paths, through a river, and to the top of a mountain. They trekked straight down a steep, craggy hill and ended at the rebuilt church. People walked for many kilometers to access care. Poverty, hopelessness, and resignation registered on each face. Most were young women and children or the elderly; they were the only ones left at home.

Soon after the team left, SEAPC friends in Nepal transported the bees by night in open trucks to the villages. Santa Praja and Dil Kumar Praja received teaching on how to manage the bee farms. By the end of 2019, the men were already able to stay with and support their families, support their ministries, and be involved in church work. Families are reunited, happy and thankful to God and to those who donated to improve their lives.

Provision of physical help illustrated God’s plan and purpose for people who live in the center of His splendor, but who have experienced generations of poverty and need. Because this help came from SEAPC and its partners through the local village churches, God is being given the glory. His perfect plan for His people to prosper is being realized. And in return, they are experiencing hope and the promise of a future.

Goats and bees. Love and commitment. Hands and feet. Today, on a misty mountain in central Nepal, the promise of Scripture is being fulfilled.