EVANGELIST KIDNAPPED IN
NEPAL
By Roxanne
Anderson
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Kumar, a Nepali evangelist who
was kidnapped by terrorists
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Tuesday, April 4, 2006
KATHMANDU,
NEPAL (ANS) -- Nepali evangelist
Kumar was making plans to travel from his village to the capital city
of Kathmandu for a worship conference in early March, when three Mao
insurgents paid him a visit. They approached Kumar, and demanded a 5000
rupee “donation,” (about seventy US dollars) to support their cause.
When Kumar couldn’t pay, they kidnapped him.
First the rebels forced Kumar to go with them one of their
indoctrination meetings. In a secret location surrounded by over sixty
armed men, Kumar listened as they shouted slogans and promoted their
cause of fighting for democracy in Nepal. They told Kumar that he
should stop following the foreign religion of Christianity and join
them. They also said whatever money he was getting to do Gospel work,
he must give to them instead. Although he was afraid, Kumar insisted he
must continue doing the work of the Gospel.
Hearing this, the rebels took Kumar and forced him to work as their
porter, carrying weapons. For fifteen days against his will, Kumar
followed the Maoists on their military missions, carrying rifles and
pressure cooker bombs. He had little to eat, and had to watch
helplessly while the Mao threatened other villagers like himself to get
food and money to support their army.
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Nepali believers meeting in Kumar's
house for prayer
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Eventually,
Kumar was able to borrow money to give to the Maoists so they would let
him go. He was released on March 15th. Kumar returned to his wife and
five young children and waited several days before again attempting to
come to Kathmandu. This time he was successful.
Kumar’s experience is not an unusual one. In the past ten years of the
ongoing Nepalese civil war, the Maoist guerrilla-based insurgency who
say they are fighting for a democratic new Nepal have often used force
and scare tactics to elicit support. People in isolated villages have
little recourse. Meanwhile the already poor economy becomes worse as
the political instability grows. Tourism, once one of the country’s
largest sources of income, has dropped drastically as the violence in
Nepal has increased.
And for gospel workers like Kumar, pressure comes from both the Mao
rebels, and the Royal Nepal Army police who are loyal to the king. Any
kind of gathering is looked upon with suspicion by the police, ever on
the look-out for guerrillas. And the Mao rebels see every able-bodied
man as a potential recruit or supporter of their cause. Christians are
often caught in the middle.
In spite of these difficult conditions, last year Kumar shared the
gospel with over 1000 people personally, and led 209 people to the
Lord. He continues to meet in his home with a hand full of believers
who live close by.
This is Kumar’s request as he prepared to return to his village,
currently still occupied by the Mao: “Please pray for me that God will
open doors and more people will be saved. Please pray for our needs to
be met, as we are often hungry. Please pray for us and our country, as
it gives us encouragement to move forward in Christ.”
Because of Kumar and others like him, the light of Jesus Christ shines
brightly in Nepal, in the midst of instability, opposition and
terrorism. Please pray for these believers.
If you would like to make a donation to help support Kumar in his
gospel work, you may make a donation through: Build International
Ministries, PO Box 540909, Grand Prairie, TX, 75054. Please mark your
gift “Kumar,” and 100% will be donated to him personally.
Note: Build International Ministries is a Christian mission
organization dedicated to evangelism, church planting, and training
local leaders in indigenous churches.
Roxanne
Anderson has six years experience living and working as a missionary
journalist in Hong Kong, Nepal and India. She currently serves with her
husband in Build International Ministries, based in Grand Prairie,
Texas, where they live with their three children when not traveling in
Asia.
ASSIST News Service (ANS)
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