DISPATCHES: Nepal 2014 (Spring)

By Gary Fallesen

• CLICK HERE for the Mission: Nepal 2014 (Spring) Prayer Calendar.

Wednesday, April 9

The Mission: Nepal (Spring) 2014 team – Matthew Fisher, left; Brandy Everts, center, and Megh Gurung, right – meet with fellow believers in Dharmashala in the Mid-West district of Rolpa to look at land for a possible church build, above. Below, after Gary Fallesen preached in worship at the church at Simikot about “having each other’s backs” in spiritual battle, he and Pastor Harka rested back to back on a rooftop in the village of Thehe in the Far West district of Humla.

The trip that began with Brandy and Matthew being delayed one day en route from Canada to Nepal, ended with me returning to the United States one day later than scheduled – all because of cancelled flights. In between, we feel we were  in complete agreement with the Lord and His will for this expedition. As I traveled back I worked on a series of “Prayer Points” off Mission: Nepal (Spring) 2014, which have been shared with Mission: Nepal alumni (35 members have participated in seven expeditions since 2008) and C4C board members.

Pastor Tej of SARA (Savior Alone Reaches Asians) ministry joins us in thanking “each prayer partner and board member for their prayer, support and commitment to the mission.” Amen.

More information about this ongoing mission will be shared in the weeks ahead. Pray on!

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” – Philippians 4:6 (ESV)

Tuesday, April 8

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm." - Ephesians 6:10-13 (ESV)

I could have predicted the homeward leg of the journey would not be easy, especially after the successes of this expedition. But despite being delayed at least 24 hours - stranded in Kathmandu after a series of events (delays, a passenger needing to be removed from the plane, the airport closing), which one day will be laughable - we will not be dissuaded. The work the Lord is doing through Climbing For Christ in Nepal is mighty. As brother Megh said: "So many people (receive) encouragement through C4C. They are expecting from C4C prayer, encouragement, and nurturing (spiritual) food. We have seen so many people hunger and thirst."

The knowledge that we were empowered to lead nine people to Jesus, witness five souls washed clean in the waters of baptism, and attend the second Christian wedding in Humla - among other wonderful things - will carry me through delays and problems as I endeavor to fly west to return to loved ones in the States. (Brandy and Matthew, flying east, were on their way to Canada on schedule - their delay having been experienced en route to Nepal.)

Our shield of faith extinguishes the flaming darts of the evil one (Eph. 6:16) and the Spirit will continue to lead us back to the people of the Himalayas. For HIS glory!

Monday, April 7

Gopal, left, with Pastor Tej in Kathmandu.

I met with Pastor Tej and Gopal, a young man from Dapcha (the village where we helped build our first church in Nepal). We are sending Gopal to Bible college in India. He finished his second year at the end of March and he will be serving a sort of internship with Tej's SARA (Savior Alone Reaches Asians) ministry for 60 days. Gopal, 21, has learned through "suffering" - struggling with language at the English-only school and the climate in much-hotter India - to be "dependent on God." He said his immersion into the life of Jesus has blessed him abundantly. We prayed for Gopal as he continues to prepare for a life lived serving the Lord.

Tej also talked about other areas of SARA, from the remaining debt on the new church in Kathmandu to the addition of more orphans at the Climbing For Christ-sponsored orphanage outside the city. We are praying for these things as well.

He then took Dr. Matthew and Brandy to see some of the orphans (having missed our visit at the beginning of the trip when their flights were delayed 24 hours). Dr. Matthew examined the children. He said the general health of the children is good.

Like those who have found a home in the orphanage, the church in Nepal is young and growing. It is healthy and alive, seen firsthand in orphans and students in Bible college from Kathmandu to new believers in the Far West district of Humla. We have encouraged many and been touched by many lives on this trip. We have many to pray for as we three North Americans prepare for evening flights toward Canada and the U.S.

"Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation - if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good." - 1 Peter 2:2-3 (ESV)

Sunday, April 6

Climbing For Christ and Megh Gurung first crossed paths on Mission: Nepal 2008. Megh was guiding another ministry doing some medical clinics on the trail leading to Everest Base Camp and our team volunteered to help a couple of days. The following year Megh joined C4C. In 2011, he approached me with a prayer request: would we consider helping his Kathmandu-based Milap Church build a church in a remote Mid-West village called Korchabang. Since January 2012, I have traveled with brother Megh on four expeditions, including two visits to the church at Korchabang, which was provided a building by God through His ministry of Climbing For Christ. We spent the last 11 days flying, driving and trekking our way across Nepal with “little brother” Megh.

Megh and Pastor Tej Rokka, who also has served with C4C in Nepal since 2009, are two of the sweetest brothers a Christian could have. We are blessed to work alongside them in the field – sowing, harvesting, and glorifying our awesome God in a land that is dark but extremely tillable.

Megh's church, called Milap, which means "reconciliation," sits next to a
brick factory. Outreach to brick workers who temporarily move to
Kathmandu Valley from mountain villages around the country is one
way Megh (below, outside his church) shares the Gospel in Nepal.

Our team spent the day in fellowship with Megh: shopping for North Fake clothing in touristy Thamel, eating dinner at his home, visiting his church, and planning for the future God has in store for us together. It involves ongoing ministry in Nepal and future Evangelic Expeditions (in September and again in 2015 at this time of the year). It involves the membership of Climbing For Christ praying, giving and GO-ing for the sake of the millions who are lost in the shadows of the Himalayas.

“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” – Proverbs 16:9 (ESV)

Saturday, April 5

The view out our small Twin Otter plane’s window as we fly from Simikot, looking down on villages we’d trekked to during the last week. 

We were sent off from Simikot early this morning by the seven sisters in Christ who spent time with us Friday evening, Pastor Harka and his family, church leader Thana, brother Dhanman Shing from Thehe, and our friend and Humla trekking guide Sonam, who is Buddhist. It was a touching exit to our third visit to Nepal’s Far West. We have told Sonam that when we return we want to greet him with “Jaimashi,” the Nepali Christian salutation, and have him answer back with the same encouraging word. As it is, we left Simikot with a “Jaimashi” from the cook at our teahouse. Late Friday evening, before calling it a night on what had been an almost-overwhelming Spirit-filled day, Megh and I shared the Gospel with our two cooks. One accepted Jesus, saying he wanted to be a part of the church at Simikot. The other, who is younger, accepted Jesus but said he could not do so publicly for fear of condemnation from his Buddhist family and community. We will hold him and the many others who came to the Lord – as well as those who heard – in our prayers.

We continued to be overjoyed with what transpired during the week in Humla as we flew first to Nepalgunj in the south near the India border and then back to Kathmandu. Along the way, Megh ordered materials for a toilet to be delivered to Dhanman in Thehe. This would make our brother’s the first house with a toilet in that village.

We have two days of fellowship and planning in Kathmandu before the North American team members head back to Canada and the United States. There is another Evangelic Expedition scheduled in Nepal in 2014 that needs our attention and discussions and prayer about the ongoing work in three regions of this Himalayan country: the Central, Mid-West and Far West. There are members to add to the body of Christ in this predominantly Hindu and Buddhist nation and churches to build in mountain villages where until recently the church did not exist.

“Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.” – John 4:35 (ESV)

Friday, April 4

Syada sits on the slopes on this mountain, lower right corner.
We sent prayers to our brothers and sisters - current and future.

We hiked up about 900 vertical feet past the village of Dharaphaya to a place on the trail where we could see Syada in the distance. It was a prayer hike, targeting Syada - the Hindu village where the church has grown from seven believers to 35 in six months. Our Mission: Nepal 2013 team trekked there and we had planned to go Thursday to encourage the growing church. Because a snowstorm made the trip impossible we went to pray from a highpoint today (our final day in Humla).

Our four-person team was joined by Pastor Harka, the newly-wed Thana, a Syada girl baptized last Saturday named Tulsi, and another sister from the Simikot church.

The view from a hill 600 feet above Simikot. The church is looking
to purchase land to the left of the hospital, right center of photo.

On the way, Megh and I sat with Pastor Harka, looking back down on Simikot and discussed building a church. This was another of the trip's many Matthew 16:18 moments. God has given me a burden to help the church at Simikot build its own house of worship - what would be the first in this Far West district.

Such an undertaking will not be easy nor inexpensive. But with God all things are possible. (Watch for more about this and other Mission: Nepal projects after this expedition is complete.)

Our sister in Christ, Lalhira, whose name means "Red Diamond," after baptism.

Our team circled back on a high trail going in the other direction from Simikot and dropped down to a stream to meet Lalhira, the sister who was healed through prayer. Lalhira desired to be baptized. This was the fifth baptism we were blessed to witness this week.

We thought our work - for the moment - was winding down. That's when three girls from Torpa came to see us. Chhroingin, her friend Kunjok (who accepted Jesus during Mission: Nepal 2013) and another friend, Sarita, came to the teahouse where we are staying. Then four sisters - Siddha, Lalhira and Kalpana from Simikot and Tulsi from Syada - who had been with us part of the day arrived. We dubbed it "Girls Night Out in Simikot."

Brandy shared with them encouragement about being God-fearing women who one day should teach their children about Jesus. But one of the seven did not yet know Jesus. Megh shared the Gospel with Sarita, and she accepted. Kalpana volunteered to lead Sarita in prayer.

Sarita, with her friend and new sister-in-Christ Chhoringin.

Eighteen months ago, our team met the only Christians in Humla: seven men. Tonight as we fed seven sisters in Christ (both in Word and dal bhat) we realize that God is exploding the church here. It has grown to nearly 100 in four of the villages to which He has sent us. We are humbled and full of praise for HIM!

"For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body..." - 1 Corinthians 12:13 (ESV)

Thursday, April 3

It rained through the night, making the prospect of trekking five hours up and down what would now be treacherously muddy trails to Syada less than appealing. Then it started to snow.

"It is not possible to make it," Megh said when we surveyed the cloud-choked mountain pass between us and distant Syada. We were socked-in in Simikot.

The snows of Simikot - unusual for this time of the year - stranded our team. The district's airstrip is out of sight in the background because of poor visibility.

Why did this happen? Did Satan, as "the prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2), have a hand in this? Or was it, in the words of insurance companies, an "act of God"?

"Maybe this is God's time for Thana to get married," Megh suggested.

Thana, one of the original seven men in the church at Simikot when we first came here in November 2012, has been our mule man on this expedition in Nepal's Far West. After we arrived we found out he is to be married. This will be the second Christian marriage in Humla. The first involved Hari, another brother from the Simikot church, who trekked with us on Mission: Nepal 2012. (It should be noted that our 2012 team prayed for God to bring women to the church at Simikot for these bachelor brothers.) Our 2013 team attended Hari's engagement fellowship last September and he was married the day we flew out of Humla.

Thana's engagement fellowship was scheduled for Friday after we planned to return from Syada. The believers in Syada, who have grown from fewer than 10 to more than 35 in six months, were expecting us for worship tonight. And then it began to snow after 12 hours of rain.

"When they saw the snow they knew you will not come. It is not possible," Megh said.

The church at Syada was saddened by this, but so was our team. That's when God showed us a different plan for the day.

Thana's fiancée, Dipa, came to Christ in Thehe. Dhankli, the original Christian there and the woman with whom we prayed secretly in 2012, introduced Dipa to Jesus. Dipa then started attending the church at Simikot, where she met her future husband. Boy-meets-girl, it happens even at the ends of the earth. And we're blessed to be a part of it.

But this wasn't yet a happy ending. After our trek to Syada was cancelled we learned that Dipa's Hindu family is opposing the marriage. In Humla it is frowned upon for a woman to marry a man from another village, let alone a Christian man. So to avoid any potential trouble the wedding was moved up to today.

Dipa and Thana married.

We were blessed to witness this special moment as Thana and Dipa became man and wife in the eyes of the Lord. We prayed for their marriage and that God would be glorified in it.

Wednesday, April 2

Hildum was not interested in what we had to offer, preferring it seems to live in darkness. Even Ram, whose house we camped at for the third year, and Rashma, our young volleyball-playing friend, showed no desire to recommit to Jesus. Both had accepted Christ on Mission: Nepal 2012 and then turned away from Him under pressure from their Hindu community.

Those who came to see us wanted only the little medicine Dr. Matthew could give, not the eternal healing that the Great Physician promises.

"But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God..." - John 1:12 (ESV) 

Hindu widow on a trail.

We ascended about 900 vertical feet back up to Simikot, where we'll stay Wednesday night before trekking in the other direction (west-northwest) to Syada. On our way to Simikot we met a widow on the trail. Megh shared the Gospel with her. The Hindu woman asked if she became a Christian if the Christian people would help her children. Megh told her not to ask if people will help because God will help. But she did not believe.

On the other hand, Lalhira believed and she was healed. We met Lalhira, which means "Red Diamond," in worship at the church at Simikot on Saturday. Brandy prayed against the severe pain in her side and on Sunday, before we trekked east-southeast out of the village, Megh took Brandy and Matthew to see and pray for her again. Matthew thought she might have a rib injury. When we returned we were told she had been healed.

"And they said, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.'" - Acts 16:31 (ESV)

Tuesday, April 1

Trekking out of Thehe, where the church is alive!

It felt as if the spiritual tide went against us, “for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against… the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12 ESV).

We’d taken a prayer walk Monday night through dusty, dirty Thehe, where more than 500 families live without electricity or toilets. Megh said he felt something pushing back all night as we slept there. Then before trekking out of the village we again met with and prayed for believers.

As we hiked Pastor Harka from the church at Simikot received word that his sister in law had died, and he needed to leave us. This is bad news because Pastor Harka is our shepherd for Humla, the one who will be called upon to disciple new Christ followers in this far west district.

The beauty of God's creation on display in Hildum,
however, surrounded by darkness.

We reached Hildum, another Hindu village, after about 3 ½ hours of up and down hiking. We came here specifically to reconnect Brandy with Rashma, a young woman we first met on mission Nepal 2012. Rashma has accepted Christ, but fell away. Megh said the “backbiting in Hindu communities is very bad,” and it is hard for someone to stand alone. We are praying Rashma knows Jesus in her heart and others will join her in this Christian walk.

As we walked around Hildum, again praying for a lost people, there was very little friendliness towards us. Darkness fears the light (see John 3:19-21). We continue to do battle for God’s glory.

Monday, March 31

We went to visit Chhoringin’s house in Torpa, where our team stayed on mission Nepal 2012 and she first came to Christ. We spent time with Chhoringin and her older sister Rinjin, younger brother Fonam Ghaljen and father Norbu Ghyanjo. After speaking to them about Jesus, they all asked Him into their lives. What a beautiful way to start a new day in Humla.

Meanwhile back on the roof of the house where we camped Sunday night, Sonam Dolma came to Dr. Matthew for help with her injured hand and that led to her coming to Jesus. Megh explained Matthew was an earthly doctor, but there is a Great Physician. Megh told Sonam, her husband Guru Chring and daughter Sarita about the Gospel and asked if they wanted what Jesus was offering.  Sarita told Megh in Nepali, “I want to follow Jesus.” We prayed with all three of them and again all of heaven rejoiced.

Just like that the church in Torpa grew from two to eight. Praise Him!

We trekked down about 1600 vertical feet to Thehe in the afternoon. How different it is than in 2012, when we prayed for the only two Christians in an otherwise hard core Hindu village in secret for risk of endangering our brother and sister in Christ. On our way out of the village that time, children threw rocks at our team members.

Now there are 18 Christians in Thehe. This evening, beneath the brilliant starlit sky and the snow-capped mountain peaks, we worshiped the Creator on a rooftop. There were songs of praise and numerous prayers out loud as well as sharing of encouragement by our team.

Dhankali, the first Christian in Thehe, said they must keep God in their hearts because “nothing can shake Him from us.” They are strong in the Lord. What a powerful testimony of our God’s greatness.

Sunday, March 30

Today's daily devotional, prepared for us by C4C Spiritual Coordinator Jordan Rowley, was called "to the dark places." We were getting ready to go out from a dark place to the even darker corners of Nepal's far-west. I also read to the team from Ephesians 6:10-20, which has been part of my daily routine on this mission. It was time to GO!

Megh, Brandy and Dr. Matthew made a last minute visit in Simikot to see a sick woman for whom Brandy had prayed after worship on Saturday. They again prayed and Matthew left her with some medicine.

Our team then trekked, retracing the route of the 2012 team.  We hiked four hours through the village of Torpa, where we have now stayed three times. In 2012, Chhoringin accepted Jesus, becoming the first Christian in the Buddhist village, where every house is littered with prayer flags. Alone, she fell away. But in 2013, returned to the Lord, as she spent several days with us and brought along a friend, who also accepted Christ before we left. 

We have come back to see them again and to encourage them. Tonight we saw Chhoringin at the house where our tents are set up on a rooftop (the only flat space in Humla is on the roofs of houses). She met us with a "Jaimashi," which is the greeting of Christian Nepalese, meaning victory in the Lord. He is victorious over the darkness.

We will see Chhoringin again on Monday and her friend will come too. They are currently the only light in this village. But through them - and our short visits - we believe others will come to see Jesus as Lord.

"Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you." - Isaiah 60:1

Saturday, March 29

Our day of worship and rest (Saturday is the Sabbath in Nepal) looked as if it might mean spending the day waiting at the one gate at Nepalgunj airport. The first flight out, scheduled to take us to Simikot in the Far West district of Humla at first light, was changed to go elsewhere. That meant we had to wait for the plane to go and come back. In Nepal you never know how long that will take.

But the delay was only two hours. The 20-seat Twin Otter delivered us to Simikot in time for worship and before winds picked up to cancel flights for the rest of the day.

Pastor Harka speaking during worship in the church at Simikot.

We were blessed to not only share with more than two dozen brothers and sisters in Christ, but to learn about the growth of the church in Humla.

When we first came here in November 2012, there were seven men in the church at Simikot and a sister and brother stood alone in outlying Thehe. Most of the rest of the district was Hindu and Buddhist. Today, the church at Simikot has 50 members and there are 18 believers in Thehe. Six followers from Thehe attended worship with us today, including Dhankali and Dhanman Shing, the sister and brother we had to pray with in secrecy in 2012.

This afternoon, there was an impromptu baptism of Dhankali, Dhanman Shing and two others from Thehe in an ice-cold stream outside Simikot.

Baptizing the four from Thehe.

We also found out that Syada, where Mission: Nepal 2013 went six months ago and prayed with seven or eight believers, now has 35 Christ followers! Amazing grace how sweet the sound.

Prayer and the encouragement of the church here to "GO" to these remote villages and deliver the Good News is resulting in a depopulating of hell. Numerous souls are being saved for eternity. Most every village that C4C has visited the past two expeditions has, by the grace of God and the work of the Holy Spirit, at least one or two Christians.

"By this my Father is glorified that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples." - John 15:8 (ESV)

Buddhist prayer flags blow in the breeze in Simikot. This is the view in one direction from a mountain village surrounded by snow-covered peaks.

We made plans for six days of trekking to many of these villages as we caught our breath from a whirlwind week that has covered a lot of ground and air: from North America to Kathmandu to the Mid-Western district of Rolpa to Humla. The pastor from Simikot will trek with us as we continue to try to grow the church for God's glory. Praise HIM! 

Friday, March 28

Sunrise Friday morning over the church at Korchabang.

Waiting for an early morning worship to begin in the church at Korchabang, I noticed something on the banner hanging on the wall. It was Matthew 16:18 in Nepali. I'd never noticed it before. When I spoke to the more than 50 believers who were attending this special prayer time with us, I talked about how that verse is a driving force in our ministry.

"...and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." - Matthew 16:18 (ESV)

Climbing For Christ exists to build up the church. To deliver the Good News to remote places, lead people to Christ, and encourage believers. We also exist to build churches. The church at Korchabang is testimony to that; it is one of 10 worldwide that God has used us to build since 2006.

Brothers and sisters in Christ gather to worship inside the Korchabang church.

Brandy and Matthew also shared words of encouragement to our brothers and sisters in this faraway Mid-Western Nepal village. Then Pastor Dalsur, the former Maoist leader who surrendered his life to Christ in 2010, thanked Climbing For Christ for our uplifting visits.

We give glory to God because originally a visit to Rolpa was not part of Mission: Nepal 2014 (Spring) as we'd planned it. But only a few weeks before our expedition God put on my heart the desire to GO again to Rolpa (our third visit since January 2012). Megh was elated when I asked him if such a visit was possible. "I remember you were very tired (when we arrived) last time and you said I won't come back until we have a C4C helicopter," Megh said, laughing.

But we did return, making the 9-hour drive from Nepalgunj - more than 5 of those hours on unrelentingly rough dirt roads. In addition to building up the church at Korchabang we went to survey another possible church build in the nearby village of Dharmashala. We looked at several pieces of land and then prayed with church leaders that His will be done. We will know in a week or so how much property will cost, and we will continue to ask for His leading and provision.

After that it was back to Nepalgunj for a little sleep before a dawn flight Saturday into the Far West district of Humla. There is more Matthew 16:18 work to be done. Praise God for the opportunity.

Thursday, March 27

"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork."  - Psalm 19:1 (ESV)

I am looking at the star-filled sky over the Mid-Western district of Rolpa, far from light pollution, as I write today's report. We join all the brilliant stars that He created to give Him praise and thanks for safe travel as our team moved away from Kathmandu and headed West.

Megh, Brandy, Matthew and I caught an early morning flight to Nepalgunj and then made a 9 1/2-hour drive to a remote part of Rolpa, where God used us to build the area's first church. It was the quickest we've made it here in three mission trips, thanks to hot, dry weather, which kept the dirt, mountain "roads" passable.

We are camped out near the church after being greeted by the church's leader, our brother who used to be a Maoist, and a few others from this growing body of believers. We will hold a prayer meeting with them Friday morning before going to visit another nearby church that has bought land and is seeking help for a building. We are here to see if we are the help God might be sending.

Wednesday, March 26

We talked about being a light to those who are in darkness. “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” (John 8:12)

Pastor Tej and I went to see the new SARA (Savior Alone Reaches Asians) church, which God used Climbing For Christ to help build in Kathmandu. Tej’s brother, Karna, a C4C member who works for SARA, was leading a Bible study when we arrived. We joined and spent an hour praying with them, giving thanks for the church (this body of believers) and the church they now call home in a neighborhood surrounded by Hindus and Buddhists. SARA’s main church has had six changes of address in 17 years, moving from one rental property to another, all the while praying to have their own space. “Sometimes,” Tej confessed, “it is hard to believe.” But Tej’s endurance was rewarded.

The SARA church in Kathmandu from the outside and on the inside. 

 It took US$21,000 to build this new house of worship. After gifts of about $13,000 from Climbing For Christ and more than $6,000 from SARA congregation, there is a need of only $1,000 to finish paying for the building. That’s a huge – and very doable – blessing.

A dozen of us, brothers and sisters in Christ, prayed together for:

• Climbing For Christ and this mission in particular.
• Tej's radio ministry, which broadcasts 30-minute messages five days a week on four stations (two in Kathmandu, one in the East and one in the Far West), but faces government censorship of certain words or phrases. For instance, Tej cannot say he once was blind but now can see (John 9:25) because the blind association would be offended.
• The country (a former Hindu kingdom that remains 97-percent unreached by Christianity) and its government.

The children at one of three SARA orphanages
with Pastor Tej, himself a former orphan.

Following our time of prayer we went to visit the SARA orphanage, which is sponsored by C4C’s Project 1:27. I had the honor of delivering gifts from sponsor parents and the ministry, as well as portraits painted for each of the children by students in grades 5-12 at Houghton (NY) Academy. The young artists used photos of the orphans posted on our Project 1:27 page.

Only half (15) of the children living in three orphanages are sponsored, and Tej is adding six or seven more children to the mix. CLICK HERE to visit the Project 1:27 page and learn more about becoming a sponsor.

At the end of the day, Brandy and Matthew arrived from Canada – their flights overseas having been delayed 24 hours. They will join Megh and me as we head to Nepal’s Mid-West on Thursday. Megh and I met this morning to go over God’s plan for this mission, which is to GO and shine His light in the darker corners of a very dark nation.

Tuesday, March 25

Arrived a little late but safely in Kathmandu (via Dubai) this evening. I was welcomed by my Nepali brothers Pastor Tej Rokka and Megh Gurung. We flew in during a thunderstorm and most of the valley was dark, a reminder that this time of the year Kathmandu practices rolling blackouts and the city only has electricity for 10 hours a day until the monsoon season comes again in June. Also a reminder of the darkness that covers this land. I trust Brandy and Matthew are en route from Canada. Looking forward to greeting them Wednesday night when they also arrive. Thanks to all for the prayers covering our travel to Nepal.

Monday, March 24

I'm traveling for 24-plus hours from Rochester, NY, USA to Kathmandu, Nepal. I am heading East. Brandy Everts and Matthew Fisher are going West from Alberta, Canada. They have been delayed one day. The mission is off to a flying start. Well, not really. But it will be done in His perfect time.

Introduction: Reaching the Far West

Humla is far removed from the well-known Everest Region of Nepal – both geographically and in the minds of travelers. During lunch with an old climbing partner, whose story I co-authored in the book Mt. Everest: Confessions of an Amateur Peak Bagger, we discussed Mission: Nepal 2014. I mentioned where we were going, to the Far Western District of Humla. My friend knew nothing of this place despite having been to Nepal and Everest twice.

Humla is the highest district in Nepal – higher than the Solukhumbu District, where Everest is located – with 89 percent of the land ranging in elevation from 9,800 to more than 16,500 feet (3,000-5,000 meters). There are no roads, and no electricity and no communication network in most of the district.

There is, however, a deeply rooted belief in Tibetan Buddhism. Some of Nepal’s oldest Buddhist monasteries – dating back as far as 1,000 years – are found in Humla.

In a nation that is considered 97 percent “unreached” by the Gospel, Humla stands out. For many it is a district that is out of reach. Climbing For Christ will be sending a team there for the third time in the past 16 months when Mission: Nepal 2014 (Spring) begins Monday.

We have seen the church growing: villages where there were no Christians now have some brothers and sisters in Christ, small house churches exist, and a body of believers in the district headquarters (Simikot) has grown 300 percent.

Speaking of church growth, in addition to GO-ing to the Far West, our Mission: Nepal team also will visit the newly constructed church at Kathmandu and revisit the church in the remote Mid-West District of Rolpa.

The team: Brandy Everts of Pincher Creek, AB, Canada; Gary Fallesen of Hilton, NY, USA; Dr. Matthew Fisher of Medicine Hat, AB, Canada; and Megh Gurung and Pastor Tej Rokka of Kathmandu, Nepal.

“…and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” – Matthew 16:18 (ESV)