That’s why our persecuted brother in Christ, Adesh* (pictured above), is working hard to advance the gospel, despite laws that aim to prohibit sharing one’s faith.
Christians in the West may be troubled to learn a simple fact about Nepal: the average Nepali citizen may be completely unaware of Jesus. Like many other believers, you may wonder to yourself, “How can that be in this modern day and age?”
Here are the facts. The South Asian nation’s constitution prohibits converting people to another religion—and those who proselytize are subject to arrest and prison time.
Challenges facing persecuted Christians in Nepal
According to the U.S. Department of State Report on International Religious Freedom for Nepal, the nation is supposed to be secular, as defined by the constitution. Yet many Nepali Hindus aspire to a form of politically-charged Hindu nationalism, similar to what is taking place in Nepal’s adjacent neighbor, India.
The report identifies several instances of Christian persecution in Nepal:
• Church leaders have been arrested for sharing the gospel.
• Minority Nepali believers have been denied burial grounds for Christian funerals as a form of religious discrimination.
• Christian schools may not register as public or community schools; they are not eligible for government funding and must register as non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in order to operate.
• Christian organizations report difficulties in registering as NGOs, or renewing certifications and permits required to operate.
• The Royalist/Monarchist Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has expressed considerable anti-Christian sentiment in its quest to reestablish the country as a Hindu state.
In other worrisome news, Global Christian Relief’s network on the ground has also reported that believers have been accused of violating the nation’s anti-conversion laws for simply carrying a copy of the Bible with them. Fortunately, some individuals have been acquitted of the false charges lobbied against them. In such cases, it is believed that the law is being abused to intentionally harass minority religious populations.
How persecuted Christians in Nepal share the Bible
With legal restrictions in place that make it difficult to share the gospel, persecuted believers like Adesh maintain a commitment to the Good News of Jesus Christ reaching every believer in Nepal. Together, we are working to flood the nation with Bibles, so that God’s Word is accessible to the Christian community in their native language.
Teaming up with local believers like Adesh, Global Christian Relief and our partners on the ground are distributing 120,000 Bibles in Nepal—and many more are needed. Today’s technology has become a powerful way to swiftly share the Word in otherwise hard-to-reach places like Nepal, where geographic isolation presents a barrier to traditional Bible distribution.
Your support today makes it possible for Global Christian Relief to distribute more printed Bibles, audio Bibles, and SD Card Bibles to believers and new converts in Nepal. Solar-powered, handheld audio Bibles are essential in Nepal, where millions are illiterate and prefer aural learning, rather than written learning, due to the nation’s oral culture and traditions. As Nepal is nestled in the Himalayas, some believers are located in underdeveloped and remote portions of the nation without access to electricity; as such, they maintain a preference for solar-powered Bibles.
For Nepali Christians with access to electricity, it is becoming easier than ever to distribute the Word through the use of digital SD cards. Imagine the entire Bible fitting in the palm of your hand on a tiny and discreet, 1-inch storage device that can be easily inserted into any mobile phone. SD card Bibles are a simple and effective way to empower believers and new converts with the audible Word!
With Hindu nationalism on the rise in South Asia, Christians can’t afford to wait. Please respond today and make a generous gift now to help us saturate Nepal with God’s Word. Let’s end our time with a prayer for Adesh and other persecuted Christians in Nepal.
Lord, we lift up Adesh to you now. We ask You to provide him with divine protection as he works to share Bibles in Nepal with believers and new converts. Shield him and others in his Christian community from the nation’s tough anti-proselytizing laws. May Your Word go forth powerfully in Nepal, encouraging persecuted believers to remain strong in their Christian faith so they can finish their spiritual race and obtain their heavenly prize. Amen.
*Please note that Adesh’s name has been changed and his face has been blurred in the photo above to ensure his safety and anonymity.
About the author
Abigail Hart is a staff writer for Global Christian Relief. She focuses on stories of believers persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ. Read the latest stories of Christian persecution on our website and learn more at GlobalChristianRelief.org.
