« WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THESE VILLAGES, EVEN TO PLACES WHERE THERE ARE EXTREMISTS, TO PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL, NO MATTER THE PRICE TO PAY. »
While India and Nepal are predominantly Hindu countries (79% for India (1) and 81.2% for Nepal (2)), usually followed by Islam and Buddhism, Christians remain a minority with 2.3% in India and 1.8% in Nepal, and they are often persecuted. It is with this thirst to bring the only truth that Alexis Ferrand and Michel Böhm, former students of the Mission School of Together We Plant, went to India for two weeks, and Michel continued with his wife to Nepal. The testimonies of the locals are moving; they are for all of us examples of obedience. Paul exhorts us in the Epistle to the Romans to be living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. He continues by saying that this is our reasonable act of worship. Indeed, we have known God in order to make Him known, no matter the price we must pay for it, and that is exactly what these two missionary journeys were about.
Find their testimonies :
Alexis Ferrand : We worked hand in hand with a local ministry that has been operating in India for over 30 years, especially among the poorest populations and in areas where the Gospel is not yet known. They collaborate with over 110 pastors, often in regions where Christians face strong persecution. We had the opportunity to go to these villages, even to places where there are extremists, to proclaim the Gospel, no matter the price to pay. We also visited local churches, which allowed us to preach and encourage the Christians there. But the exchanges with the local pastors deeply touched us in return. Because when they choose to serve God full-time, it comes at the cost of great deprivation: some deny themselves food so that their children can eat, others live with only 2 or 3 sets of clothes. Yet, they radiate joy, and when asked why, they all answer the same thing: “Because it’s for Jesus.” Among them are even former extremists, once responsible for violence against Christians, who have been transformed by the love of Jesus.
Michel Böhm : We arrived in Kathmandu, where we first had the opportunity to discover the local culture and meet the entire team. Soon after, we headed towards the remote areas. The first six-hour journey was marked by extremely dangerous roads: a single mistake could have sent us plunging into a 500-meter deep ravine. Our arrival in the first village marked the beginning of our mission. One of the main goals of this trip was not only to preach the Gospel in villages that had never heard it, but also, and above all, to equip the local Christians. In each village, we shared the Gospel, encouraged believers to repent, urged them to return to their first love, but most importantly, we trained them in evangelism so they could continue this mission in their own region. One of the moments that impacted me the most was when Alina, my wife, preached on healing in the second village, even though she herself had fallen very ill with a high fever. I saw God use her powerfully, as several people were healed, and even Buddhist villagers listened to her attentively. It was another testimony of how God works beyond our weaknesses. The final leg of our journey took us to a region strongly marked by Hinduism and Buddhism, and it was in this very place, during our first evening, that we organized a time of worship where the Holy Spirit literally worked: people fell under the power of God, deliverances took place, and many experienced a transformative face-to-face encounter with God. Afterward, we returned to Kathmandu, where Alina and I had the opportunity to equip the local churches.
But I am even more excited about the new project we have: reaching the Khumbu region, a very Hindu and Buddhist area, where our mission will be twofold: to bring the Gospel to the Sherpas, the inhabitants of the villages near the base camp of Mount Everest, as well as to the tourists, who often engage in risky climbs and sometimes never return. The reality is that these encounters could very well be their last opportunity to hear the Gospel and make the decision to accept Jesus. But it’s also about making a spiritual impact in the region, as some worship Everest as a deity, and I believe that the power of the Gospel can transform this reality.
(1) : Pew Research Center, Religious Composition of India : https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2021/09/21/religious-composition-of-india/#:~:text=Hindus%20made%20up%2079.8%25%20of,the%2084.1%25%20recorded%20in%201951.
(2) : Christianity in Nepal – Status Report : https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/547499-NEPAL-2023-INTERNATIONAL-RELIGIOUS-FREEDOM-REPORT.pdf