Nepal

 

 

Through the IMB, Mt. Zion partners with local believers and missionaries in the Himalaya's of Nepal. We have established a connection with and support a national partner with whom we send teams to work directly to reach these unreached, unengaged people groups. 

The Focus

Our primary work is among the ethnic Tibetan Buddhists living throughout the Himalayan villages of Nepal. Tibetans often say, “To be a Tibetan is to be a Tibetan Buddhist.” Buddhist traditions are intertwined in festivals, cultural mores, family life, holidays, births, deaths, and people’s motivations. Becoming a Christian, then, often feels like a divorce from family and culture. Tibetan Christians may struggle with this severance and how they fit into their society.

There are an estimated 6.4 million Tibetans who make up ninety-five people groups, many of whom live in China, Nepal, Bhutan, and India. Nearly 97 percent of Tibetans are Buddhist, which means they need someone to bring them the good news of everlasting peace and the message that their sins are forgiven apart from any good works (see: Tibetan Buddhism from the IMB for more information).

The Strategy

We generally send teams of 2-3 people and the duration ranges from 7-14 days depending on the team composition and needs in the field. Due to the restrictive nature of the country, we send teams to work directly with a local contact who functions as a cultural "trekking" guide. Our national partners have identified an unreached, unengaged village area where our guide is originally from and he takes us to learn more about the culture and help with small projects. This strategy allows our guide to build relationships with the locals so that the Good News may be shared with them. 

The Experience

Teams fly into the capital city of Kathmandu and stay in the city for one night. The next day is generally spent traveling to a local "city" area which is about 6 hours by bus. Teams stay in a local guest house with fairly rustic bathroom and lodging accommodations. The next several days may be spent traveling on foot to the local village, working, and meeting with locals. You can expect to walk 2-4 hours per day on unpaved roadways and trails so hiking boots are recommended and participants should be in reasonably good physical condition. 

The Requirements

The Details - August 2019 Trip

Team Leader:  TBD

Project Focus: Cooperating with the church planting strategies of our IMB missionaries and national partner as they facilitate a "Cultural Trek" in which we will visit the unreached ethnic Tibetan Buddhists living in a remote Himalayan village.

Location:  Kathmandu, Nepal (Airport: KTM)

Dates: August 21-28, 2019

Maximum Team Size: 3

Estimated Trip Costs: $1,300 including airfare, travel insurance, and all in-country expenses. (Mt. Zion offers significant scholarships when needed to help offset airfare costs.)

Additional Expenses:

Immunizations, Passport fees, personal purchases & US and International Airport travel meals

Physical Restrictions and Age Requirements: 

This trip is a physically strenuous trip and you can expect to walk 2-4 hours per day in addition to mild manual labor. Therefore, participants should be in reasonably good physical condition. Those under the age of 18 must travel with a parent or guardian.

Passport is required for this trip. Start early! http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports.html