Nepal Update

Traveling in Nepal is in-and-of-itself a challenging experience. Cows, goats, bicycles, and vehicles of all types vie for space on the narrow roads. The driving experience is heightened when heading up into the hills. The roads become more narrow, the switchbacks a bit tighter, and the horn blows more frequently, warning any unseen vehicles around the next bend that we are coming. Up one mountain, and then down into the valley. Beautiful scenery, complete with terraced fields and thatch covered huts, dot the landscape. Rivers, which in the urban centers would be blackened by garbage and other pollutants, in these remote areas are clear and the water runs blue-green.

At the (literal) end of the road we arrived in Surkhet, a beach-head of sorts in West Nepal for aid groups. From Surkhet thousands of pounds of food aid is airlifted by helicopter and airplane by such groups as the UN World Food Programme, to remote regions where the climate is so harsh that people cannot grow enough to survive.

In is here in Surkhet that Kidstown is involved in supporting the New Life Children Haven, a Christian orphanage that is giving refuge to many children from the remotest regions of Nepal. Solomon, the leader, is a pastor, and will travel for weeks on end into mountainous areas accessible only by foot in order to encourage small churches scattered throughout these areas. During his travels he is approached by people who have heard of the New Life Children Haven, and they often will beg him to take a child or two back with him. Currently 31 children live in the home, and although their life is far from perfect, they are much better off than living in a remote mountain village in desperate poverty.

As we have walked along this journey of caring for orphans, God has increasingly opened our eyes to be intentionally engaged in three main areas:

1. Practical care for orphans. This is the primary concern of both Kidstown and the orphanages we support. We want to make sure that the kids are housed, receive food and clothing, that they are educated, and that they receive love from the leaders. All of the orphanages are doing well on this front.
2. Evangelizing and discipling of the children. Helping the children with food and clothing is important, but we also must share the Gospel with them and help them grow in the faith. Many orphanages are dedicated to having daily devotions, involving the kids in church, and encouraging Bible memory. Some of the homes are weaker in this regard, and so we must gently encourage them to keep this as a priority.
3. Preparing the children for being witnesses for Christ. As Christ-followers, we all have the responsibility to share Christ with others. It is important that the children also are made aware of this, and encouraged to think and pray about being witnesses for Christ both now, to their classmates and friends, and to others that they meet later on in life. Especially in India and Nepal, this idea of preparing the kids to be a light for Christ is vitally important. These countries are some of the spiritually darkest places on earth. About 20% of the world’s population is accounted for here, yet only a very small number of these are believers. These kids have tremendous potential of one day being the ones to take the Gospel back to their own.

So, as Kidstown moves forward, I would encourage all of us, whether our function is board member, orphanage leader, donor, sponsor, or staff member, to be intentional about all 3 areas listed above. All of us, in one way or another, can engage these on a regular basis. God will indeed honor our efforts, for it is His desire that orphans be helped and evangelized, and that they take the light of the Gospel to others.