News from Chitra
Chitra and Sharda
INTRODUCTION
Nepal is a well known Country-loved for the beauty with many Himalayan ranges, famous for the Mount Everest. It is a land-locked country between India and China. At present the total population is around 27.6 million. It has many Castes and tribes with many traditions, Cultures and Languages. Nepal is an only Hindu kingdom in the world. Hindu and Buddhist are the Major Religion in this country. The Christians are approximately 2% of the total population.
The history says that there were some Capuchins Catholic Fathers from Rome even before the unification of the kingdom of Nepal. But after the unification they had to leave the country, because of the country policy was changed.
The Gospel was not opened till 1951 in the country. The Ranas regime ruled the country for 104 years which was the darkest rule in the history of Nepal. People revolt had over thrown the Ranas and trusted to King ruled for 56 years, which is known as Panchayat regime. Despite the autocratic rulers the churches has been started as underground Churches since1951. People again had revolted against the king’s autocratic rule and declared democracy in 1990 after many blood shared. This time was counted as Golden era in the Christian History of Nepal. Gospel has spread rapidly, within 16 years. Many Churches were established in different parts of the Country. There are around 200 churches alone in the capital city of Kathmandu. Christian population is around 2% where as it was hardly 0.5% before 1990. It is all happened with the great political changes of 1990.
Police arresting a lawyer during a protest
Unfortunately, the practice of young democracy notcouldn’t be succeeded and dissolved it by kings 19 Maghin February 1st2006. All the political parties and people of Nepal had revolted against the King. We fought till 15 days against the King. 20- 30 people were killed and thousands were injured in brutality of king’s regime during the protest.
Victory Celebration 2006 - following 25 days of protest
National and international community also praised people’s revolt and discouraged king. In result, King had restated the house of parliament and the sovereign power went to the people of Nepal. It is the first time that people of Nepal had breathed freedom. People went with further demand to hold constituent assembly. It is already passed the bill to hold election. One decade long Maoist problem also ended after the people revolt of 2006.
However, Maoist is with arms till now even though it is put down in their own camps. They would release it after the constituent assembly. We had formed interim government including Maoist to hold the constituent assembly. International community and present Government of Nepal asked to Maoist to give up their arms before involving in the government. They did it. They had put their carders in different camps under the UN supervision and their arms have been locked up in the cantonments. They won’t leave their camps and arms until the successful election of constituent assembly. Remember that there have been nearly 12 thousands people were killed in the one decade civil battle between government and Maoist. Please continue pray in the Present political situation of Nepal, which is still fragile. Present government is still not able to fix the date for constituent assembly election. There are still conflicts among the different ethnics groups in the south and north. Different groups want separate provinces.
New Life Church
Despite the war, Christian faith is continued to grow. Nepal is the one of the fasted country in the world for rapid growth of Churches.
Yet we have challenges to meet to the soul of 27.6 millions Nepalese where as Christian faith is minority religion.
Jesus said, 'I will build my Church and the gates of the Hell shall not prevail against it' (Matt 16:18). God gives vision to His people to build His Church and extend His kingdom.
The New Life Church is started with few young people in 1996. It located close to the Royal Palace call Lazimpat. There was a house of brother Prem Pradhan, who was one of the earlier Christian in Nepal. He had given his house for the use of God’s glory. Many Churches group were grown up from his house and shifted in different places of Kathmandu.
The day had come that we also immediately had to move some where, the reason was after the death of brother Prem, his son wanted to use this house for his personal use and sale it. Then our Church leaders and key members began to pray to have our own land and building to worship the Lord.
Brother Chitra who is our assistance pastor was in U.K. for his study and he began to share about our Church’s need with his friends. Our loving heavenly Father heard our cries and prayer. Some of his friends have given financial assistance to buy the land and build the building. We are able to purchase a small piece of land in 2003. After buying the land we shifted from Lazimpat. We began to worship the Lord in a ranted room. At the same year we built a small house with a Tin roof for worship the Lord.
The Lord began to bless us in many ways. The number of believers began to grow rapidly. At present we worship with almost 100 peoples. We praise the God who heard our prayers faithfully, and also we would like to give thanks to all our friends who helped us financially and through prayer.
Our Lord is so faithful so that we enable to do impossible work in human eyes. It is about the registration of our Church. It is the first time that God opened the way to register our Church with Government as a charity. Our Reg. no. is 660/061/062. Now Our Church is the only one register Church with government. However, we are always proud of Him for what he has doing in the small country known as Nepal.
LOCATION
New Life Church locates close to the Trivuwan International Airport.
It is almost 1 kilometre away east from the near town called Kotheshwar.
STATEMENT OF FAITH
We believe in God the Father Almighty; maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate. Was crucified, dead and buried, the third day he rose from the dead; he ascended into heaven; and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. We believe in the Holy Spirit; the one holy universal Church and the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.
MINISTRIES OF THE NEW LIFE CHURCH
New life Church has following ministries, as given below:
Church planting
The Lord has given us vision to extend our branch Churches in different parts of Nepal along within Kathmandu valley. We have started fellowship in Dhading and Dolakha. These areas are very remote. The Lord is doing great work through these Churches, many peoples have accepted to the Lord as their saviour. And also we have started house church in Sunderijal, which is almost 20 kilometres away from the Kathmandu valley. We are praying to extend the kingdom of God through our mother Church in Kathmandu to different parts of Nepal in coming days. There are already three.
Orphanage homes
The 12 year civil war has brought many children in the street. The hearts of the Church went to them and started orphans; it is called Grace Children Home. It is started with the believer’s handful rice in 2005. Church has bought the plastic container and had given to each of the church’s members and asked them to save a handful rice in their each cooking. We called it “Grace box” later on Children home called by Grace Children home after this box name.
Praise God! For our brothers and sistersto who we never forget. We very much thankful to Marks Tey Parish Church in UK and it’s minister Rev. Richard Morgan for their continue prayer effort and financial support for this project. We would be cripple without your help. So we are always indebt of you.
There are ten kids in Grace Children home. Please do pray for orphan’s homes for continuity. It will take 10 years to finish their school.
Gospel outreach team
Our Church gospel team is reaching different places and sharing the Good news to the people.
Though there are many difficulties due to instability political situation of the Country but still our team is able to distributed thousands small tracks and hundred Bibles. Around fifty young people have accepted the Lord and ten of them baptized.
Sponsorship
New Life Church is supporting the native missionaries in remote area and also we are supporting to students who are studying in different parts of Nepal and in India.
Disciple Training
One of the ultimate goals of the Church is produce the young people and equip them in the ministry of God. We provide them short term training and send them back in their own native places. We have vision to have long-term training too at near future.
Social work
As our Church is registered with government so it is very easy for us to involve with local government, such as we provide free tuition for neighbouring child, providing drinking water, cleaning the road, free medical team etc.
There is great need of education,. which is only 40% people are educated in 27million population. School is not free at all. There is great need of school in the villages.
Praise God we have enabled to build a School in the village East from Kathmandu, which is one day by bus and 6 hours walk away.
It is named Marion Primary School. We thank brother Chitra karki who worked hard to make this happened. Now building work is completed apart from roof. We are working hard to build the roof before monsoon starts. There are already 30 children in the School. Doing such a practical work would able to show the love of God to our brothers and sisters who are still unfamiliar to Jesus.
ACTIVIES OF THE NEW LIFE CHURCH
The worship service
Our Church service starts from at 11am to1pm in every Saturday, because Saturday is the weekly day off as in Israel! There is woman, youth and Children fellowship at the same day after main service. Praise God! He is so faithful we were few at the beginning but we are 100 people. Some time we do not have space to sit. Therefore, Church committee decided to extend the worship hall. Please pray that we may able to extend the hall and build another stories on the top so we can develop accommodation for Grace home. And also accommodation for minister.
Sunday school
Mrs. Basanti Khadka is Sunday school teacher. She is doing very well and teaching them from the Bible and leading them to the Lord better in the early ages. She had trained up as secondary level teacher. Please pray that she may able to get teaching job.
Monday
Every Monday we visit each member’s house for fellowship and to encourage them in different areas in spiritual lives. It gives good opportunity to understand them well. This job is mainly doing by pastor Anoorodh Lama and Chitra Karki. Both of them have counselling knowledge and easy for them to deal with the people and heal them from their difficulties.
Prayer and fasting
Every Sunday we come to the Church for the fasting and prayer for different matters. Lord is doing amazing things through it.
Currently we are praying for the peace in our country. Many political leaders and king tried hard for the peace. All attempts are vain till now. Therefore, now it is the God’s turn to do so. We are praying in every Sunday for the peace to restore in our nation. As political situations of Nepal is still fragile.
House fellowship
Every Tuesday house fellowship takes place in our believer’s house from 4pm-6pm in different places. Each member would invite their neighbours and shares the Good news. It is almost like a cell group. This is how the congregation are growing in numbers in our Church.
Prayer meeting in the Church
Prayer is vital weapons for Christian faith. Which can change many lives. Therefore, every Thursday 4pm.-6pm we regularly meet in the Church for prayer. It is a good opportunity to pray for each other in different subjects of and for Nations. Our Living Lord is hearing our prayer and God is at work in Nepal even in the difficult situations.
Good Friday Celebration
New Life Church involved open air good Friday celebration with neighbouring Church at Kathmandu, which was great blessing.
There were about 10 thousand people. Easter celebration of this year went well despite the critical political situation. Chitra karki was asked to do bread and wine with his colleagues in the auspicious occasion.
