NEPAL - HOPE FOR HIMALAYAS PEOPLE MINISTRY

Purpose:

The Hope for Himalayas People Ministry (HHPM) was started for the purpose of bringing the gospel to Nepalese who live in the Himalayan region. It focuses on evangelism and the training of new Christians to share the gospel in surrounding villages that are difficult to reach by outsiders.

Ministries:

Among its ministry emphases are: church planting, training of local leaders and strengthening the local churches. It conducts a Good News (Susandesh) Radio ministry that broadcast the gospel and other positive thinking programs. Four times a year, HHPM conducts a mobile leadership training program (JMTC) to train and equip indigenous church leaders to reach their own people with the gospel. In addition, it also provides school support to around 50 poor Tharus children. Their parents are bonded laborers who work all kinds of chores to pay back the interest of the loan, but not enough to pay the principal. It is only through receiving education that these children will have an opportunity to get out from a life of extreme poverty.

History:

Rev. Dr. Fred Cheung, founder of WCCM, was the professor and spiritual mentor of Rev. Chandra Shrestha, who studied in International Theological Seminary (ITS), then went back to Nepal and started HHPM after graduated. HHPM has been with WCCM for the last 19  years. WCCM has successfully implemented an indigenous and neo-mission concept, literally without any interference and prescription over national ministries. The operation of the national ministries has been entirely on the shoulder of the national leader that includes decision making, administration, policy formulation and execution for the good of the national ministers to help advance the Kingdom of God on the ground of the local culture, leadership, need and understanding to suit the local need. This idea is not only biblical but also cost effective; which is different from the conventional understanding of “cross cultural missions”.