Nepal (MNN) — The hope for a lasting peace surrounds
Nepal's upcoming polls, slated for April 10.
At that time, voters will choose to build a constituent
assembly from thousands of candidates.
This is a key component of the peace deal between the government and the
Maoists that ended a decade-long communist insurgency.
The resulting assembly is expected to draft the country's
new constitution and ratify the possibility of abolishment of the
monarchy. 1997 was the last time general election
voting was held in Nepal. The
insurgencies since then, the massacre of the royal family in 2001, and other
issues forced the king to take emergency control for a time.
With the coming election, the possibility of
politically-related violence is significant.
Bible Pathway Ministries' Karen Hawkins says their partner
in Nepal is aware of the potential for unrest, but his focus is unchanged. "He is a graduate of a Bible school in
India that we've had a longstanding relationship with. While there, he learned about
Bible Pathway, and he contacted us a couple of years ago and asked for Bible
Pathway and Bibles to be used in Nepal. He then went back to his homeland, and he's been planting churches."
Resource shipments have been sent to him, and they are used
in his Bible school. He's training future church leaders, but the school, while
spirit-rich, is resource-poor. Keeping
the doors open is a challenge, and providing materials for the students is
equally difficult.
Tuition payments often come in the form of rice, beans or
other food stuffs that keep the student
body fed. Any disruption can have impact
on the students. Travel restrictions or
safety issues can disrupt studies as well as personal evangelism and outreach.
As the election approaches, Hawkins urges prayer. "He just keeps saying, 'We're trusting
God, we're praying.' He just started a 40-day fast, and he's asking that people
around the world for one day out of that 40 days to pray for Nepal and the
Christian outreach and for the Bible school."
She says he is not limited by his vision, but by
funds. If you want to help this partner,
click here.
