In the early seventies, when I was a young new believer, the Lord spoke to me in a dream one night saying, “Come up here and walk with me upon the mountains.” I shall never forget the experience of hearing the loving, knowing sound of that intimate Voice. Loving the spiritual aspect of the Word of the Lord, I knew at the time that the Lord meant that I should walk with Him in the truth and the revelation of His Word--the mountain experience of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus--which God desires for all of His blood-bought children. However, little did I know back then that one day I would get to go and to walk on the roof of the world literally, with Jesus, into the mountainous regions of Nepal and India, and be able to meet there with some of the Lord’s outstanding servants.

Over the years my journeys to Nepal and India and work with Intercede International have brought me into contact with the late Prem Pradhan, one of the pioneer missionaries to the nation of Nepal, and with the late Subhang Sodemba, pioneer of Himalaya Crusade, missionary to Nepal and northeast India, Sikkim and Bhutan. I was blessed to personally know and travel with these men and to learn firsthand how the Lord was building His church in these regions. They also taught me, in word and by their example, many godly things.

Both Brother Pradhan and Brother Sodemba experienced the persecution and the wrath of unbelievers. Both spent time in prison for their Christian testimonies. Their spiritual sons now leading the ministries they founded also have experienced much of the same. With one important difference:

They all know that “Now is the Time” they have all prayed and waited for. I heard the Spirit of the Lord bear witness with my spirit when I went this time to north India and Nepal. Then I heard the mission leaders, Anil Subba, Sundar Thapa and Resham Raj Poudel say it also. There has never been a time like this time for the largely Nepali-speaking tribes, languages and tongues of the Himalaya regions. The veil that is spread over these nations is being destroyed ironically by what God’s Word in Isaiah refers to as “this Mountain.” That is, the Mountain of the House of the Lord, the Mountain of the Kingdom of God, which will ultimately fill the whole earth.

Nepali-speaking tribes are spread across a vast area ranging from Uttar Pradesh in northwest India , through Nepal, the other northwestern states of India–West Bengal, Arunchal Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam as well as the closed Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan. Nepali Christians maintain contact with many Nepalis living in India, Tibet, China, Myanmar and Malaysia.

 

At this time there is a tremendous open door of greater freedom and opportunity in Nepal. Nepal was dominated, for more than 240 years, by Hindu kings who believed themselves to be the incarnation of one of the Hindu gods. Christians who, for the most part, have only existed in Nepal over the last 50 years have been violently persecuted by this Hindu kingdom. Many Nepali Christians were put into prison, beaten and some martyred for their faith. Now the kingdom has fallen and for the first time a secular government is running the country.

Now is the time for the Nepali churches to press forward and spread the Gospel of the Kingdom as never before. They have been praying and interceding for this moment. Just last Christmas Christian evangelical leaders such as Sundar Thapa and Resham Raj Poudel and others were invited by the newly-formed provisional government to address them and be seated with the parliamentarians. They were even asked to speak before the Parliament and pray for the nation. This has never happened before in Nepal to Christians. The government, in an effort to undo some of the wrongs afflicted on the Christians, also permitted Christmas to become one of the recognized national holidays of Nepal!

Intercede missionary leaders such as Poudel and Thapa and their coworkers have set before the Lord aggressive goals to establish 1,000 churches over the next several years due to the climate of religious freedom and the tremendous hunger, especially among young people, for the Scriptures and for hearing the Word of God. When I was there, I was an eyewitness to that hunger for the living God among the people.

Christians in the West need to realize that their prayers as intercessors and support for indigenous missionaries are so very important and effective, especially at this time. During all those dark former years the Nepali church prayed for deliverance. And now a measure of deliverance has come. We must seize the moment with them. There are still threats and intimidation and acts of violence by extremist Hindu sects (that don’t like what is happening) towards Christians. In places such as Bhutan, Sikkim and Assam in India and the far west and north of Nepal much outreach still needs to be done. Many living in these regions still have never heard the Gospel or the life-changing message of God’s love and salvation through Christ Jesus our Lord. The doors are opening, His Servants are ready and willing, but who will intercede, send and equip them? Shall not we who have been given this wonderful opportunity?