Persecution against Christians in Nepal has steadily increased in the last several years and is driven by a rise in Hindu nationalism. “Anti-conversion laws have created an atmosphere of intimidation,” one leader of an assisted ministry leader said. “Over the past six months, our greatest challenge has not been the remoteness of the villages or the harshness of the terrain, it has been fear within the hearts of some believers and leaders.”

Despite the increasing risk of following Christ, the Holy Spirit is moving. People are becoming more open to the gospel, and missionaries are working hard to encourage and comfort believers in this time of persecution. “We remind them that God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control,” a ministry leader said.

Hearing the Gospel for the First Time

Amrita*, a woman raised in a Hindu family, is one such example of a life changed by the power of the gospel. One day, while her husband was working abroad, a local missionary visited her. As they spoke, the missionary told Amrita about Jesus. “We are only in this world a short while, but there is everlasting life full of joy and without sorrows,” the missionary told her. “To receive that gift, one has to follow Jesus and be forgiven.”

The missionary gave Amrita a copy of the New Testament, and as Amrita began to read, she desired to learn more. Together with her son, she began to attend a local church.

“I stayed firm in my faith.”

But when she told her husband of her new interest in Christianity, he grew angry. “He spoke harshly to me and accused me of many unwarranted things,” Amrita said. “But I stayed firm in my faith. I had done nothing wrong. In fact, I had done something right. I had simply found the truth and love that my heart longed for.”

Amrita began to pray for her husband, and a miracle happened. When he returned to Nepal, his attitude had changed. “The man who once opposed my faith no longer did,” Amrita said. “He told me he had researched Christ and met with other Christians. He found them to be very decent.”

Now, the couple, as well as their son, have given their lives to Jesus. “I am deeply thankful to God for saving my family,” Amrita said. “We have repented of our sins. To God be all the glory.”

Support Gospel Work in Nepal

Please consider supporting ministry in Nepal with a gift today. Your generosity will not only help missionaries with their gospel work, but it will also remind them they are part of the universal body of believers who are praying for and encouraging them from faraway places. “Please pray for boldness and wisdom for our brothers and sisters,” a ministry leader requests. “The fields remain ripe for harvest, and we believe the Lord will continue to strengthen His people.”

*Name changed for security