Never
too late to learn
by Joy Butler
News From Nepal Field I found The Truth of Life in the Black Holy Bible Surasa Buhamagar stays with my three sons and one daughter in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. God helped her in all her works and also to solve problems. He heard her prayer and answered her request. When She was between 12 and 22 years of age, one of the believers of her village showed her one black book which attracted her attention. She was curious to know more about it. Holy Bible was written on the lover in golden print, but She did not know Jesus or His word. One day her relative named Krishna Budhamagar, a church leader, invited her to attend church. When she went, she found the church members very friendly. She was impressed by the songs and verses from the Bible, but she didn't understand anything. Yet she continued going to church. Soon she left the village with her family and for Kathmandu, but she knew that she was going to miss the church. As she settled in Kathmandu, she didn't know where the church was. Here again her relative Krishna Budhamagar showed her the SDA Church. She went there with her children. She learnt more about true Lord there. She knew that the depth of the spiritual word was like an ocean diamonds. God wants us to walk in His ways. She was baptized in June 19, 1994 by the church pastor. Now, she is very happy that she has chosen the right path and her children are too learning about true Lord. Her daughter helps in Children Sabbath School.
* First of all I found Christ in the year 2036 - according to nepali calender. My elder daughter was very sick and there is no hospital in the village. No other treatment helped her to cure. Then the church pastor prayed for her. After prayer my daughter, who was almost dead child, was well again. That is how I found Christ. I got the privilege to know God and I am happy to be close to him and He has done great things for me. My children are well educated by His blessings and they are very close to God. Even though I am illiterate I go for house visiting. Blessing that we get should not be kept to oneself but we should share. Through the meetings we were able to learn more things, as what a woman can do, a women is not only a mother but responsible for the people from infants to old.
In my church there is an old widow, named Man Maya Tamang. She has no one to take care and even she can't do any work. So we help her by giving Mutthi Daan. It means while cooking rice we take out one handful and store it for one week and give it to church and the church gives it to the old women.
* I go to church with my mother and we are the first ones. We both make the church ready for service by dusting and arranging mattress, sweep the floor. Sometimes I give special song with my friend and also participate in various activities. I also go for the weekly meetings/gathering to the house with other church members.
* Ambika Thapa goes from house to house and prays for the sick. God had healed them and they attend the church. Shila from Rukum presently residing in Kathmandu came to know about Christ in the year 2036 and baptized in 2038. (Nepali Calendar) One day when her husband went for work, her daughter suddenly stopped breathing, her husband was called from the field and he took the baby to the church and asked the pastor to pray and to their surprise the baby opened her eyes. Their faith has increased and started to attend church. They had so much trouble from relatives but they were strong in faith. Later her in-laws and her mother were converted and along with them 20 other members in the family believed in Christ. God has blessed her with three children.
* Sarah Periyar is the only believer from her family of Hindus. When she heard the message of Jesus Christ, she accepted but it was in Alsadai Church. They used to worship every morning and evening. One day they were reading Mark 15:42 and found themselves sad and discouraged. They were not satisfied with the Alsadai pastor's answer and so they prayed and prayed and at last met an Adventist named Bahadur Sonar. He explained the verse very clearly and the teachings of SDA. Thus they came to know that they are in the right path. After 6 years of Bible study they took baptism by Pastor Deep Bahadur Thapa. It helped her to quit drinking tea and was cured from headache, gastritis and nimonia and became a vegetarian. Even though she is illiterate she helps her husband to witness the Lord. She needs our prayer. * Nine years ago Deepa Prokharet was lost in the world and also depressed by the worldly things. When she found Jesus Christ in the year 2052 (Nepal Year), she found satisfaction and peace in Him. She started to spread the gospel in the near by villages. People were against her and scolded in bad words. Through her ministry about 40 members came into church. Even though many people were against her work, gives her victory. * Susila Dahal is from a Hindu family and later converted into Christianity. She is a gospel worker since 1998. God has blessed her in many ways. She participates in the church activities, tells stories to the children, prays for the sick, teaches health principles and supports the church with tithe and offerings. She also works in the Voice of Prophecy.
* Shyam Kumari Rai is from Udayapar District and was born and brought
up in Hindu tradition. She accepted Jesus Christ as her personal
saviour eight years back when an Adventist evangelist came to their
village. She married an Adventist young man. They both work in spreading
the gospel in the Nepal Field. She made her mind to serve the Lord. Our good Lord helped in all her dealings. She helps her husband in his ministry.
* Babita Acharya is from a Hindu family and later she married a Seventh-day Adventist. Her husband taught her Bible. He took her to church and helped her to learn songs and prayer. She was forced to give offering but later her husband made her to understand the importance of giving offerings. Soon she was convinced of the truth and was baptized in 1998. After baptism her faith grew and she prayed for a child. God answered their prayer and gave a girl child. God helped her husband to go to Philippines for further training and successfully complete it and sent him home at the right time when she was delivered the baby. God helped her daughter to be healed when she was sick. The good Lord helped them in all the ways. Now, they live a happy Christian life. * Sosila Tanage was from a Hindu family. No one in her family heard about Jesus. Once she was seriously ill. She used to loose her temper and also suffered from heart disease. She lost hope in her Hindu gods. One day her known neighbour asked her to pray and seek the power of Jesus. They also prayed for about one week. Slowly she began to gain her strength and at last she was completely healed. Her faith in Jesus Christ grew. Her husband was a drunkard. She told him about God and his teachings. He also was convinced and asked her to take him to church. He also believed and took baptism. * Once Parwati Bike was very sick. The Hindus asked her to become a Hindu so that she would be healed. But she refused with the hope that her loving God will heal her and later she was healed. Her son who had gone to his grandfather's house came back. She was shocked to see him insane. They took him to mental hospital but all in vain at last they took him to church. The pastor and the church members prayed for him. After sometime he was healed. God has helped her in many ways and she is thankful to Him for it. Annie M Kujur, one of the Women's Ministries devotional book contributors, also takes care of many little orphan girls in India. Here she is with 28 of the little girls. You will notice that they have had their heads shaved to take care of a lice problem, but don't they look sweet anyway? Women's ministries takes many different forms!
Update on Adult LIteracy in India's North Bengal Section. Center: Dangapara Dangapara, comprised of 150 families, has a population of nearly 12,000. Most of them work in the tea estates. The desire to become literate ignited when the church was organized. The men could understand and participate in the Sabbath school but the women looked blank. On March 19, 2004 Mrs. Hepzibah Kore, Division Women's Ministries director, and Mrs. Veena Gayen, Union Women's Ministries director and Mrs Tita Tudu, Section WM director inaugurated the first Adult Literacy program in Dangapara. The women were too shy but now they do not hesitate to lend their hands in whatever work is given to them. There are 35 women learners, including 14 Hindus, 3 Muslims and Christians. The facilitator Mrs. Seema Toppo says that they can read simple words, do simple calculations, reason out and they look clean. Once they complete the course they will see the world through the WORD, understand the world and the Word better, and witness for Christ. Center: Dalgaon Dalgaon is comprised
of 180 houses with the population of approximately 3,000 people.
To the surprise of the supervisors at the work place most of them sign their names in the pay roll. They defend themselves when cheated in the work place. They are able to control the family budget. They spend money carefully and save some each month. They express to the world that they were like a frog in the well. They are grateful that the literacy program helps them to come out of it. Center: Kodompur Kodompur is situated near Bengal-Assam border. The population here is mostly tribals and they speak different dialects. Their livelihood depends on farming and daily labour. The total population of this block is nearly 80,000. Since this block is situated in the interior the people in this area illiterate. The overall literacy rate is 30%. Female literacy rate is only 10%. Literacy among women was not encouraged. Therefore, the women were very eager to learn to read and write when this opportunity was opened to them. Mrs. Pushpa
Hembrom, the Pastor's wife, is facilitator. Thirty-eight women attend
the class-12 Seventh-day Adventists and the rest, Roman Catholics,
Hindus and Muslims. They are able to recite small poems in Hindi
and Bengali with confidence. Some are able to read their Bible.
They can sing from the book—an altogether new experience.
Some can write simple words, or their names and addresses. Center: Jitpur Jitpur is 15 kilometers away from Kodompur. There is no transportation to this village. People mostly walk to the marketplace or go by bicycle. There are two big rivers that get flooded during the monsoon which makes their life even tougher. (When we went to inaugurate the literacy class, our vehicle got stuck in the middle of the stream. We had to wait a while before we found a few men who helped us get across.) They are totally cut off from the rest of the world for three or four months. If anyone gets sick, it is hard to bring the patient to the small town 10 kilometers away. Boat is the only means to cross the river to get rations and necessities, but they are never sure of crossing the river. Someone who does not swim is sure to drown if the boat capsizes. The believers here have strong faith in Jesus. They had been praying for years for some good thing to happen in their village. Finally on March 20, their desire to learn to read and write came true. The Division and the Union Women's Ministries directors personally came to visit Jitpur and inaugurated the project. There are 22 regular learners. Sixteen of them are Adventists and 6 are members from the Church of North India. They attend classes with their own kerosene lamps and mats. Some walk 6 kilometers from a neighbouring village just to learn to read and write. Sonamani the oldest member of Jitpur church tells us that she feels altogether different after attending the Adult Literacy class. She understands the Sabbath School lesson study better, she refers to the Bible texts and tries to read for herself and finds what she hears in the Sabbath School class is true. Mrs. Nilmani Hembrom, the church elder's wife is extra busy since this class started. She has organized a prayer group with the learners and takes them visiting the families every Sabbath afternoon and conducts cottage meetings. Center: Demdima Thirty-five women attend the classes in Demdima. Besides teaching them how to read and write, Pulmani, the facilitator, teaches them ways to keep their family healthy and also how to be involved in church activities. Some of them memorize the key texts from the SS quarterly and recite without any mistake. It is very encouraging to see such a change in a short time. They are able to participate in the church activities and also contribute in the local Panchayat, Village Council. Their suggestions are appreciated by the other members of the Panchayat. Maloti Marandi proudly expresses her gratefulness to the Adult Literacy program. She attended school till her other sisters were born. Then she was left to look after her younger sisters and care for the household chores while her mother went to work in the tea estate. How she longed to continue her studies! One evening she courageously expressed to her parents her desire to continue her studies. Her mother looked at her sternly and said that it was not possible. As time passed by everything was forgotten. At the age of 14 she was married Mohan and became the mother of seven children, four daughters and three sons. Unfortunately, the sons did not survive. The eldest daughter is 15 years old now and is studying in 9th standard. She recollects how she had a great desire to be educated. She was helpless to help her daughters in their studies because she had forgotten everything she learned. She was the most excited person when this program was introduced. She desires to complete the course soon and teach others and witness for Christ. The Adult Literacy program made her self confident and strong. On their behalf, I would like to thank Mrs. Hepzibah Kore, The Division Women's Ministries director and the donors for helping us with this program. I hope many more women like Maloti will be able to educate themselves and serve God in this part of North Bengal.
(Rita Tudu, WM Director Tsunami Update: Southern Asia Division (SUD)
Sabbath was special when 228 women from the neighboring churches gathered for the meeting. Hepzibah Kore inspired the believers to abide in Christ and bear fruit that will last. The congregation rededicated their lives to God and in the afternoon the women shared their testimonies. Rebecca, who is 55 years old, even though she could not read the Bible, recited Psalm 1 – 5. Ramani a young mother, recited Psalm 119. The congregation praised God for their gift of memory. The program concluded with a special study and season of prayer based on Jesus’ prayer recorded in John 17 led by Hepzibah Kore. by Selvam Swamidsoss, Secretary-Treasurer
Update on Southern Asia Division WM Literacy Project (SUD)
The Story of Pastor Francis (SUD) More than 200 facilitators and supervisors were trained for adult literacy program this year. 98% of them were new to this. The emphasis was Women's Ministries. Here is a true story of what adult literacy can do. Pastor Francis was one of the devotional speakers in Andhra training program. His testimony of what he is today is because of adult literacy program was a great inspiration to all the ladies present
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