Christian Greetings From Where?
11/30/2017
Kul and Minu invited me to their home for a time of dinner and fellowship. I gladly accepted their invitation. It would be a good break for me from my usual time of lectures and teaching. And besides, they have one-year old Joyce, whom I met earlier, and she is such an adorable baby. She has the prettiest smile and would respond to my questions when prodded. It did not matter that she understood my questions, or if I can understand her gibberish baby talk. Her giggles and passionate monologues were always fun to watch. I looked forward to meeting her again. Moreover, I heard they were going to serve good Nepali food. So, I am happy to accept their invitation.
Last November 2017, I was in Kathmandu, Nepal to resource our Free Methodist pastors as they prepare for their ordination. It was a five-day Pastors’ Training Seminar on “Wesleyan Thinking And The Bible.” It was here that I met Kul and his wife Minu. Both are attending the Himalaya Free Methodist Church (HFMC) in this city of Kathmandu. Kul is one of the Assistant Pastors of this local church. Minu is the ICCM Director (International Child Care Ministry) for Nepal FMC. It was such a joy for me to spend time with this family and get to know them better. Of course, it helped that their daughter, Joyce, endeared my heart. If ever I return to Nepal just to see this family, it would all be worth it.
What about our FM work in Nepal? The work is growing. And in response to what God is doing in this country, we, our FMWM leadership team members, are preparing our many local church pastors and getting them ready for ordination. This year, 2017, we had three training seminars headed by different FMWM leaders. My time in Kathmandu was the third one for this year. In the coming years, I plan to visit Nepal again and provide some more seminars for our pastors. Rev. Abraham Lama, our Country Leader, is heading our Mission District in Nepal. We are currently focusing our work on the 18 DL (District Leader) pastors. So, how many pastors, how many local churches and church members? We do not know exactly the answer to this question. One thing is certain though. God is working and FMWM is harvesting in this region of Asia.
Meanwhile, I prepare my lectures and training materials, and on the side, I learn a few Nepali phrases. “Jaya Mashi!” This means “The Joy of the Messiah,” and this is the way the Christians greet each other in Nepal. So, whenever I see Joyce, I say this greeting: Jaya Mashi. She smiles and responds in some beautiful baby language. Hopefully, the next time I visit Nepal I will have more words to say to Joyce, and have the courage to carry a conversation with our Nepali brothers and sisters. Dyanyabad! (Thank you.) Thank you for praying.