Kathmandu Christmas

United Mission to Nepal staff and families celebrate Christmas

The government of Nepal established a public holiday since the declaration of secularism on May 18, 2006 after the people's revolution. Before that, Nepal was officially regarded as a Hindu nation.

In Nepal people welcome Christmas with warmth and have their own way of celebrating the occasion. Nepalese Christians go to Church and celebrate Christmas along with their family and friends. However, in the present time in Nepal the non-Christian communities also celebrate Christmas, marking the festival with enthusiasm.

Santa Claus, clad in red attire with his sleigh and reindeer along with a bundle of gifts for the well behaved children is a common perception about Christmas. People may differ in their opinions‚ but will agree on one thing — it’s a day representing a beautiful feeling, forgetting all despair. In children’s homes, children of all ages celebrate with ecstatic jubilation. On asking the children about the day’s celebration they had their own innocent views. For most of them Christmas denoted dancing and singing‚ for others it was a festival of foreigners while the rest believed it was special because of Santa Claus, as he takes care of children and provides gifts

In various restaurants, different dishes are prepared and a cake is set to be cut. olunteers from foreign lands make their native dishes whereas Nepalese cook Nepali food. Later‚ everybody rejoices with singing and dancing.

For different people Christmas holds diverse meanings‚ but in the end it is all about good cheer!

Agnes, Grace, Francis and myself enjoyed meeting people and we were happy to see how Nepalese people celebrate the Christmas festival. This will always be an opportunity for many to hear the good news about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Let’s thank God for enabling churches to successfully conduct “open air meetings” during the celebrations.

Battling HIV in Nepal

The World AIDS day on 01 Dec 2010 was celebrated globally and in Nepal people living with HIV raised their voices to call for governments to increase availability of anti-retroviral medication to remote areas. The celebrations were conducted in various parts of the districts of Nepal. There are encouraging signs in Nepal that its bid to contain AIDS is paying off because there is a decline in the development of new infections.

Micah Network and United Mission to Nepal organized one event in Kathmandu - 400 Christians attended this event in Patan Church. The UNAIDS country representative Dr. Marlyn Borromeo attended the function and emphasized the need to ensure universal access and human rights.

The Christian leaders encouraged people to ensure that they love, care for and provide spiritual support to those infected and affected. During the function a child infected by HIV shared the story on the challenges he has faced in school and in the community when one of his parent died of AIDS. The churches in Nepal will continue to reach the infected and affected and HIV response will be in the priority list of the health policy of the government of Nepal.

 

 

Joel addressing United Mission to Nepal staff during World AIDS day

 

Please pray that:

-         The government of Nepal will address issues raised by children affected by AIDS

-         God will strengthen and bless the families who take care of children orphaned by AIDS

-         Communities may continue to understand that there is a need to generate awareness about AIDS so that Nepal too succeeds in the global endeavor to prevent the spread of the disease

Celebrations that almost bring Nepal to a standstill!

Dashain is the 10-day national festival of Nepal. The festival falls around September-October. This festival is known for emphasis on family gatherings, as well as on a renewal of community ties. They worship the Goddess Durga who defeated the demon Mahisasur, which symbolizes the triumph of good over evil.  According to the legend, the bloodthirsty Goddess Durga conquered evils on the Dashain day. Huge amount of animal sacrifices take place during the festival in temples and in homes to please the Goddess Durga. The god Vishwa Karma, the God of Creativity, is also worshipped. Each home is cleaned and decorated, while the people buy new clothes for each other. It is a family time and it’s traditional for relatives to reunite during this holiday. All families “Tikha” each other and feast on the meat.

United Mission to Nepal (UMN) conducted learning review meetings for all staff in Katmandu followed by a staff get together. It was a good opportunity to meet staff who shared experiences about their work with partners. During this get together there were cultural activities and awards given to staff who have served for over five years and those who have especially lived out UMN values during the year. It encourages me to see Nepali Christian and non Christian staff attend morning devotions. In your prayers please remember UMN staff and Christians working in remote areas.

Let us also pray for renewal of visas for UMN expatriates working in Nepal and that Nepal will be able to have a new Prime Minister.

My family was happy to have met Dr. Murdo MacDonald, Rachel, Esther and James from Church of Scotland during their recent visit to Katmandu

With Prayer things are possible!

We have access to the throne room of God. So, we pray anytime and anywhere, for anything for anyone. I know first hand that prayer makes a huge difference in mission. I see God’s protection as we travel round to meet people and through God's grace we make it.

Our first day of HIV/AIDS training began in the afternoon for students in Maranatha Mission College. We were greeted with a resounding "Good Morning Sir! Good Morning Madam!"

The College provides training and skills for students on wide range of social issues to prepare and equip them to overcome some of the challenges in their communities including HIV and Aids. It was amazing to see them singing songs, making presentation on issues of sexuality, and sharing reflections that related to Bible teachings. Khanal, who is the principal of the college, emphasised the importance of having accurate information on HIV and Aids to minimise stigma and discrimination and to strengthen the Christian response to the issues.

This was the first time the students had had an opportunity to learn about HIV. Some stood up in front of their peers to confess how the communities stigmatised and discriminated against people living with HIV. They felt confident to move on to change their community perception about HIV. Our time with the students was fulfilling and a total of seventeen students attended the training for 4 days.

It was an incredible week, and a fantastic way to end our training with students praying and lighting candles to remember the ministry a head of them to bring hope to those who are infected and affected.

Please pray for the students as they complete their studies, that God will provide them with safety while traveling in and outside Kathmandu. Pray that God will lead us and all staff of the United Mission to Nepal as we continue to serve the poor and marginalised people in Nepal.

 

Happy to reconnect again…

Joel and UMN staff (Anjana and Abhinaya) relish Scottish gifts

We arrived in Nepal on 3rd September 2010 and were really pleased to see Nepalese happy to see us again. After a few days of re-connecting with friends and our church family we had a good evening with a bible study group of young people from Patan Church. It was a day to say goodbye to one of the members who is going to the UK for further studies and has been supporting the church ministry among the young people. It was a forum where the senior pastor Dr .Mangalman answered questions about why Nepali Christians go to church on Saturday .The response was Saturdays are Government holidays while Sundays are normal working days. He emphasised that if the Government considers Sundays as holidays in the new constitution then Nepal Christians will go to church on Sundays.

Grace and Francis were also happy to connect again with their friends and trying to catch up with school work. Agnes was happy to meet again the women at Emanuel craft where they have celebrated their third Anniversary. The women produce jewellry to earn a living and educate their children. I started work and found a welcoming note by UMN staff (United Mission to Nepal). It was encouraging to see everyone and share my experiences in Scotland.

We are now settled in Kathmandu and weather is hot and rainy. I have been busy getting updates, writing donors reports, attending coordination meetings and of course resumed our morning jogging.

The electricity power rationing in Nepal has reduced to 2 hours in a day down from 16 hrs - this is a tremendous improvement. Peace and the constitution is now top priority for the Nepalese people. The new constitution cannot be promulgated before concluding the peace process which includes management of Maoist combatants; return of seized properties claimed one of the politician. There are frequent cases of road blockades on the main Prithvi Highway and other areas because of landslides, thousands of commuters have been stranded.

-Please pray that God may help people who are still stranded and displaced families can find secure shelter.

- Pray for partners who are caring and supporting people infected and affected by HIV in Nepal and that communities will continue to accept and pray for them.

Thank you.

Back to Nepal!

My family arrived in Edinburgh on 3rd May 2010, and I attended the International Christian College for training on Mission, children at Risk and Leadership. The Church of Scotland supported me during the training which was useful as it reinforced my knowledge and skill to work with the poor and the marginalized.

My family have enjoyed - and we thank everyone who supported and encouraged us during - our stay in Scotland. Thanks to all Church of Scotland congregations in Kilmanock, Irvine and Inverness Presbyteries for welcoming and being with us.

Farewell at Barclay's

My commissioning service was at Barclay View Forth Church and was attended by Members, Church of Scotland World Mission Council staff and others.

We are now packing and leaving for Nepal.

Our August vist to Inverness Presbytery

At the Palace Hotel, Inverness for High Tea!

We arrived at Inverness on Friday 20 August and Mrs Issy Freudenthal from the World Mission Committee met us at Inverness Station. She took us to High Tea at the Palace Hotel, along with Rev Bart Buell and Mrs Heather Beck. It was a lovely opportunity to meet them, and afterwards Issy took us to Beauly where we spent with Reverend Edgar and Jean, where we enjoyed being with the family.

On Saturday, we visited the Church of Scotland congregation at Ness Bank Church Inverness. Rev Fiona and the members spent time with us informally. It was an opportunity to interact and for the congregation to learn about the work we are doing in Nepal. The members were encouraged and they committed to pray for my family. They requested us to send updates on our progress. Rev Fiona Smith, minister of Ness Bank, provided lunch for us and we enjoyed being with Andrew, Katie and Liza.

On Sunday, I also visited Kilmorack and Erchless Parish and met Church of Scotland congregation in Struy about ten miles from Beauly. We all then visited Beauly Church where there were more than 100 members. We were happy to meet the people, and shared about our work in Nepal using PowerPoint presentation and a 3- minute Video to show the challenges that women and children infected and affected by HIV face in Nepal.

Then we also visited Alan and Pamela Lemon, at Ardendrain. It was a good opportunity to meet the family and to learn about their experiences and their link with needy people in Kolcatta, India.

We went on to Drumnadrochit - 12 miles south of Beauly beside Loch Ness where we met the Congregation members from Urquhart and Glenmoriston. The members encouraged and prayed for us. I thank Rev Hugh Watt for praying and meeting us. Our appreciation also goes to Andy Fothergill for taking us back to Beauly. On Monday 23 August we left Inverness and returned to Edinburgh

It was a successful visit and we thank the Church of Scotland for giving us the opportunity to visit such a wonderful and beautiful area. The congregations were welcoming and we were so much touched by their love. We thank World Mission Council staff for linking my family with these congregations and also Rev Edgar Ogston and Jean for hosting us.

Scottish links

It was wonderful to visit the Church of Scotland congregation in Irvine and Kilmarnock presbytery. It was lovely to meet Rev George Lind and Rae - and of course a dog called “Sam”. The congregation warmly received us at the Manse of St. Columbus Parish. We had a good opportunity to interact, get to know each other and I shared about my work in Nepal. I was happy to meet some people who had lived and worked in Kenya.

The congregation was welcoming: we had delicious snacks and lunch, and afterwards a quick visit to Kilmarnock and Irvine. It was encouraging to hear the congregation ask questions, amongst others  specifically about condom use in regard to the fight against HIV.

My family and I felt connected to the congregation because of the prayers and love that was extended to us. It was fulfilling to hear about the church’s support in Africa and continued support for God’s work in Nepal. We are happy to know that they will be praying and connecting with us while we are working in Nepal