Shots rang out. Young lives perished. Tears without limit ran down the faces of those in the crowd. Yet even there, resolve was stirred, and a movement arose to resist the forces of evil.
Our ministry partner in Nepal recently shared how, in the midst of political crisis and uncertainty, God is stirring His people with this same unshakable resolve:
“More than 19 Gen Z lost their lives on 8 Sept as a result of the protest against the social media ban and the corrupt government. More than 60 people associated with this protest have died. All the top political leaders are safeguarded at the army headquarters…”
YET – The testimony of God’s Protection is nothing short of miraculous –
“We have not heard any death or injury during the protest from the Christian community. All our staff are safe. Despite all these challenges, our training continues with 16 students. One of our teachers could not go to the training because of the curfew. Now, the teachers are able to travel, and everything is getting normal. Also, our modular training was affected one day because of the curfew. Our women’s seminar had to be postponed. Last week, Kathmandu office staff worked from home because of the curfew imposed. Our office in Kathmandu will resume from today.
Right now, a modular training, further west of Butwal, is continuing. ..”
THIS IS WHY Women in the Window International is a Prayer-Driven Ministry! This is WHY we pray!!
Just days before this tragedy, our Women in the Window International prayer team and friends gathered to pray for the nations where we serve (watch the recap here)– the nations where believing and living the Gospel equals risking your own life, security, and social acceptance. One of the nations where WiW serves is Nepal. And I want to share with you today, the reason why we PRAY.
We PRAY because we serve a God Who hears, a God Who answers, a God who counsels in the “night seasons,” and builds our lives on Solid Ground.
“I bless the LORD who gives me counsel, in the night also my heart instructs me; I have set the LORD always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.”
There is a cost for following Christ.
Often, especially in the hard places where Women in the Window serves, that cost is very high, even to the point of risking your life to follow Christ. This is the reason WHY Women in the Window trains and serves women leaders in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.
Persecution is on the rise around the globe, even here in America. And for some nations, like Nepal, where it has existed for quite awhile, it’s getting even worse. Yet God speaks through suffering. And in the pangs of suffering, we learn to trust Christ in deeper ways. As a result, we have the blessed benefit of not only training women leaders with new and Life-giving skills rooted in the Gospel and in Scripture, but in learning from these women at the very same time. Here is just one story from the women we serve together in Nepal:
“I am very blessed by the training of the program. I had never worked in the hilly area, I do not even know to walk properly in the hilly ways, since I was born and grew up in the Tarai land. But God brought me here. Life and ministry were not so easy. I have cried while walking and working. Villagers did not accept us because of our faith. Many times, we are threatened for doing God’s work. We are accused of breaking families because of their members coming to Christ, through the gospel, and us visiting and praying for them. God is working in our village. He is opening the hearts of people, and some have started coming to church. That’s why strict Hindu and Buddhist villagers do not like us.
I used to be so sad and cry in prayer. But now I have understood how valuable I am to God. God personally cares and concerns me. He can shine through my brokenness. All glory to GOD.”
What is God calling you to do in response to the Gospel?
Most importantly, have you opened your heart to receive His saving grace?
And, then, have you discovered how He wants you to serve Him and others?
As this story clearly illustrates, trusting, following and serving Christ comes with a cost, but the benefits outweigh the cost, not only in this world, but especially in the one to come, with pleasures forevermore.
Let us know how God is calling you to respond by replying to this email or by sending in a prayer request below.
“You make known to me the path of life; in Your Presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.”
Psalm 16:11
