Nepal
Landlocked in Southeast Asia, Nepal is home to eight of the world’s highest mountains, including Mount Everest, as well as the second deepest canyon in the world—Kali Gandaki Gorge. As one of the world’s poorest countries, Nepal’s economy relies heavily on aid and tourism. Nepal’s people play a huge role in the history of Buddhism, but today, 80 percent of the country is Hindu.
KEY CHALLENGES
Nepal’s people operate within the cultural class system tied to Hinduism. Because Christians live outside that system, they lack opportunities and are often persecuted by the cultural majority. One’s place in the caste system determines the gateway to jobs and income-earning. Without this built-in social network, Christians are often left with the hardest jobs with the least pay. Women in this society are traditionally treated as property. Years of this narrative have left women with much internal work to do to restore dignity and self-worth, while externally fighting for their position in society.
our approach
We were never intended to live in poverty, divided against one another, with little hope for peace. In the Kingdom of God, poverty, violence, division, and hopelessness will not exist. We believe the Church is God’s primary transforming agent in the world, and that the local church exists to make its community more like the Kingdom of God.
We partner with local indigenous leaders as they minister to the communities and cultures that they themselves are from. We start projects and programs in the hardest places and set up a plan for them to be self-sustaining in order for them to know independence and the value of reinvesting in their own communities.
Read on to learn how communities are being transformed in Nepal.
Our partners
Mission ONE has been partnering with local leaders in Nepal since 2009. Raised in a high-caste Hindu family, our partner is uniquely equipped to understand the cultural and religious dynamics of the people in Nepal. Our partners are disciplining those who are leaving the religious restraints of their past and developing local pastors through church plants. Their holistic approach to ministry brings the hope of Jesus to people while their lives are transformed— all through the local church.
PROJECTS
Resettling of the Cave People - Our Mission ONE partner is working together with the local government to help the indigenous “Cave People” community pursue better lives by building homes, establishing a local economy through a goat livelihood program, and equipping the local church in discipleship trainings.
Gospel Context
Communities in Nepal are often living in remote places without roads leading to them. An isolated existence also means a lack of exposure to the outside world and its influences. Our partners use a unique and creative approach to discover what is most valuable to a people group and how Jesus' life, death, and resurrection speak to the specific issues in their community.
This work requires a deep relationship founded on trust. To learn more about how to build relationships across cultures, check out our study guide: The Beauty of Partnership.
