In December, the Rev Ken Williams and five youth leaders went on mission to Nepal, where they attended the Nawalparasi Conference at Rajaha. The journey raised challenging questions on short-term mission and the needs of the Nepali church.
Every one of the 14 days we spent in Nepal was amazing, but there is one particular day that stands out in my mind. On the second day of the conference at Rajaha, our travelling companion Kishur arranged for us to catch a bus to the nearby town of Gochhada. KP Thamang, the pastor of the local church, met us. After a wander around the markets and a discussion about what we wanted to do for the rest of the day, we climbed onto the roof of an already overcrowded Land Rover and were driven south towards the entrance of Chitwan National Park.
While we were not able to enter the park itself, we spent the day exploring before travelling to the village where KP’s parents live. Twenty-five years earlier, KP’s father had planted one of the first churches in the region of Nawalparasi and over the traditional cup of hot tea, with his son translating, he spoke about the local church, its history, growth and needs.
From the short time that we spent with him, there were three needs that came through strongly: prayer for perseverance, because while the times of political persecution have passed, those who give their lives to Christ are ostracised by their Hindu families and communities; prayer for unity, because there are divisions appearing in the Church (ironically often due to the influence of overseas Christians); and prayer for the youth, because they are the future of the Nepali Church.
My time in Nepal inevitably posed questions about how I live out my Christian faith. The love, hospitality and generosity of the people we met were a strong witness. If these people, who are so poor by western standards, are able to give so much of themselves, how much more should I in my comparative wealth be able to give to those around me?
I also found my preconceived ideas about what constitutes mission being challenged and systematically broken down by each of the Christian leaders we met.
Every one emphasised that what is needed first and foremost is a continuous strengthening of the relationship between the Church in Nepal and the Church in New Zealand.
It is through an ongoing relationship that other material needs can be most effectively identified and targeted. Short-term mission will only ever have a short-term impact, unless it forms part of a long-term relationship.