I spent the month of October in Nepal.  The first two weeks I traveled in east Nepal where I hope to launch a new work in the next two-three years.  It was a productive visit but groundwork for now.  I'll need to spend more time in the area before making any commitments.

In the third week I ministered to our leaders in west Nepal.  We now have over 140 churches.  We had about 250 pastors and developing leaders at the main compound for three intensive days.  The meetings went very well, and I was encouraged with reports of remarkable growth in the congregations.

After the leaders conference, I traveled into northwest Nepal to the region of Jumla.  In the past, this journey involved a flight on a prop plane, followed by a grueling hike up a massive ridge and a challenging descent on an icy path down into the valley where our six churches are located.  Now a crude road has opened from the South and aging busses are running up through the valleys.  The road is very dangerous, and the busses are unreliable.  But it beats walking.

I spent four days visiting our churches and was very encouraged with their growth. In one of the villages, our leader donated a small plot of land, and the believers constructed a little church that will seat about 125 adults.  They have about 75 people in the congregation, and this is in a village where there were no believers four years ago.  There has been persecution, but it has lessened.  I remember visiting that village three years ago and ministering to a small group of new believers on a mat in front of mud-walled house.  I also remember singling out the young man who is now the leader and praying over him.  He told me that since that day, he has worked in faith to build the congregation.  He's done a wonderful job in a challenging environment.

I’m very pleased with the progress of the work in west Nepal.  It has been one of the most gratifying experiences of my life and I’m grateful to the Lord for an opportunity to be involved in a truly pioneer venture.

Thanks for all you have done to help us in this project.

Rick