A Different Kind of March--from Shawna

I am thrilled to report some good news for a change on this Easter Sunday. This morning at 8am, over a thousand Nepali Christians gathered together to march in the name of Jesus. In Kathmandu's center, an area known for violence and protests, these saints marched together for peace--the prince of peace.

About a month ago, I had the opportunity to get out of Nepal for a short time, and I brought back with me two copies of the "Passion of the Christ" DVD. Your first question is probably, "How did you get a DVD of a movie that is still in the theatres?" Well, folks, this is Asia...the land of the pirated--DVDs, CDs, software, you name it. I even bought both DVDs for less than the cost of a movie ticket.

I have been able to share this movie with many friends. One friend showed this movie to the staff at his office. Only 25% of their staff are Christians, the rest are Hindus. This movie had a profound effect on their staff, and many Nepalis are asking questions about "our God." One of the Christian staff members was so moved, she asked to borrow the DVD to show it at her church. Little did I know, what she had planned. She sent out invitations to church leaders throughout the Kathmandu Valley, and over 500 people showed up to see the film--they even had to have an "overflow" room!!

This afternoon, my new Nepali friend and her husband stopped by to return the DVD. I had a wonderful opportunity to hear their testimonies. I'll start with Bisha's mother's testimony. In the Hindu religion, a woman is not allowed into heaven unless she has given birth to a son. Bisha's mother had been trying to conceive for nine years. She had tried everything--witch doctors, potions, etc. As a last resort, she went to a hospital run by mission doctors and nurses, and asked the nurse to help her. At first, she did not understand. She offered to make sacrifices, give money, in order to appease God. The nurse shared the love of Jesus, and went on to explain that the gift of salvation is FREE--nothing is required of us. There is nothing we can do to earn this gift of salvation. She believed in Christ that day, and one year later, she gave birth to a son--my new friend Bisha. But praise be to God that this is not what earns our salvation!

Bisha's family is of the highest caste--the Brahmins. The Brahmins are considered priests in the Hindu religion. This is incredibly difficult for Brahmins to convert to Christianity. Bisha's father was not a Christian...no, he was a still a Hindu. Bisha's father argued with him about his faith, and even beat him for believing in Jesus Christ. One afternoon, at a family gathering, Bisha's father gave him one last chance to renounce the name of Jesus. Bisha replied, "Who shall I obey? You, or my God?" Unfortunately, Bisha was kicked out of his home for being a Christian. He was no longer considered a part of the family--he would have no benefits of being a son...no inheritance, nothing.

But thankfully, the story does not end there. Bisha's father eventually believed, and even pastored a church in West Nepal. Several of the family members that were present when Bisha was kicked out of his family are now believers. In fact, the day before his father died, he shared the gospel with another family member, and now she believes!

In the midst of crisis, God is still working here in Nepal. Thousands are arrested daily for protesting, an average of twelve people are killed every day because of the insurgency, BUT GOD IS ALIVE. He is risen, and his name is being praised here in Nepal.

I am blessed today because of my Nepali friends' testimonies. I am also blessed because I have the "Sams" back home and your prayers. But the best blessing of all is the gift that Jesus gave us.

Posted by Shawna at April 11, 2004 05:20 AM