For the past nine years, students from across America have given up their summers to volunteer overseas through SA101, a program of the International Mission Board’s South Asia region. This year, 60 students served in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan. South Carolina’s colleges and universities sent seven. Here are the stories of three who served in Nepal.
Bobby, a 21-year-old student from Anderson University, shares the gospel in the mountains of Nepal.A Nepali man asks in an e-mail how he can become a Christian
While I was in Kathmandu for a few days, my partner and I decided to make our own ministry. We did this by getting our hands on some Nepali-to-English Bibles and going to the stupa. The stupa is a huge religious structure that the Buddhists walk around for good luck. We would sit near the stupa and begin reading the Bible. It wouldn’t be long before a crowd would literally form around us. We would have people read from the Bible in their own language. If people seemed very interested, we would give them the Bible. We gave away many Bibles, but we didn’t see anyone come to Christ while we were in Kathmandu. We left for the mountains and started our ministry there. While we were gone, a man we had shared with e-mailed me and told me he really appreciated me explaining the Bible to him. Then he continued by asking me how he could be a Christian!
– Bobby, 21, Anderson University
Mark, a 20-year-old student from College of Charleston, shares the gospel with the people of Nepal.Students in Nepal ask Jesus for opportunities and run out of Bibles
John 16:23-24 really came alive to me while I was in Nepal. We hiked up to a small village. We brought many copies of the Gospel of John and Nepali Bibles to hand out. After the first two weeks there, we hadn’t had any opportunities to share. The third week, we decided to show the “JESUS” film to this village. All this time, we had been building relationships, and now we began to pray – and pray hard – for an opportunity to show the film. My partner and I continued daily to look at scripture and pray for Christ to call these people to salvation. Jesus says in John that whatever you ask for in his name, he will give you. The last week there, we showed the film, and 20 villagers came to watch it. After the film, we talked to these villagers and shared the gospel. We felt God moving in this village. The next day we ran out of Bibles to give them, and the people kept asking questions. God was so faithful to answer our prayers.
– Mark, 20, College of Charleston
A Nepali Hindu boldly accepts Jesus as the only way
Almost daily, my partner and I would visit a local art shop. We had made friends with the owners, so we would go drink chai (tea) and chat with them. One of the guys, Suresh, was given a Bible, and he immediately became consumed in the Word. It was amazing to answer his questions and discuss the gospel with this man who was raised Hindu. After many discussions and much reading, he told us flat out, “I know that this is the truth and that Jesus is the only way.” Suresh decided to give his life to Christ. This man’s desire for truth has touched my life forever. I know that God sent us to Nepal for this man of peace.
– Misti, 19, Columbia College
For information about South Asia’s SA101 student volunteer program, please visit www.sa101.org or write to studentinfo@wigtake.org.
