Kathmandu has been saturated, NO MAN FORBIDDING.

Greetings Remnant Body of the Lord Jesus Christ, dear friends, and to whomever else may stumble upon this post. Grace, mercy, and peace be with you from He, who by one offering, “perfected forever them that are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14). Therefore, “let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering” (Hebrews 10:23).

With bittersweet emotion, I am forced to consider that our time in Nepal is winding down, at least for this calendar year. On May 29th, our visas expire, and we will be forced to leave the country. By July, Lord willing, we will have returned to our base in the United States, hopeful that from there, we might continue to faithfully follow the call to publicly proclaim the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ on American soil, a most fallow ground and one of the world’s largest mission fields.

But alas, I cannot afford to get too far ahead of the game. Since my last post of April 3rd, the labor has continued unabated here in Kathmandu, NO MAN FORBIDDING. This intense labor that has left us weary and worn out. Notwithstanding, we press on.

Our children loved Mr. Ken & Mr. Kevin.

For two weeks, Kevin Borden & Ken Lightsey from California came to labor with us in this far-away place. These dear brothers delivered to us much-needed supplies and then gave of themselves in a strange land so that we might further saturate this capital city and a neighboring rural district with the Gospel message. Though very busy, this time provided us with some much-needed fellowship, and the extra hands and voices proved priceless. Thank-you for coming, dear brethren. For Brother Kenn, it was his first time out of the United States, and he came to Nepal, of all places. Hallelujah! I am suddenly reminded of some words from the late Keith Green, a bold preacher, songwriter, and modern-day prophet who was killed with two of his children and an entire missionary family in a tragic plane crash in 1982:

This generation of believers, that you and me are a part of, we’re responsible for this generation of souls all over the world. We are responsible for them; we are responsible to pray daily for the needs of ministries around the world and to ask God: “HOW ABOUT ME NOT SENDING MY MONEY THIS TIME, HOW ABOUT ME GOING?” It’s so easy to write a check; it’s so easy. But, God can’t cash out-of-state checks in heaven. He needs you.

Thanks, dear brothers, for not just writing a check. Thanks for going, for giving of yourselves; and the same goes out to Janine Ward, Matthew McMillon, Shawn the Baptist, Brother Eric from Pakistan, Paul Langford, and Sarah from India . . . all who gave of themselves to come and help us preach Jesus to the people of Nepal over the past year. We shall never forget our times together on this side of eternity.

I rejoice to announce that during the two weeks in which our California Brethren labored with us, more than 15,000 pieces of Gospel literature were distributed in Kathmandu, Kathmandu’s suburbs, and in the rural Makwanpur District to the south, NO MAN FORBIDDING. Before getting started, however, the extra hands proved a huge blessing as we picked up from the press and delivered to our storage facility 20,000 newly-revised Project Jagerna Gospels of John and 25,000 Nepali Gospel tracts. Praise God for His provision in terms of printing.

The Cross-Walking journey comes to an end.

Back in July, when Ricky and I arrived here, my heart was troubled as I again saw the city of Kathmandu wholly given over to idolatry. At that time, we set a goal of circumnavigating this mega-village (i.e. the center of Kathmandu Valley, a geographic bowl of 5 million people) on foot, preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the open-air and freely distributing the Word of God all along the way. We then constructed a large wooden cross and inscribed “ke tapaai tayaar hunnuhunchha?” (Nepali for “Are You Ready?”) on the front cross-bar. On September 29th, 2011, we set out from the Sanepa neighborhood . . .

. . . On April 10, 2012, with the California Brethren by our side, this cross-walking journey came to a bittersweet end down in the heart of Tripureshwor. The large “Are You Ready?” cross had been carried by hand all the way around Kathmandu via Ring Road and straight through the heart of the city (i.e. from Koteswor to Kalunki) along the Arniko Highway. Many heard the Gospel message in the open-air, NO MAN FORBIDDING US; and as for the number of Nepali-language Scripture portions freely distributed, we lost count long ago. Truly, my friends, the city of Kathmandu has heard the Gospel of the Grace of God through Jesus Christ. Pray for her. May she turn from her wicked idolatry and do what America will not do: humble herself and come to Jesus Christ. As for the cross, we will pass it on to Brother Bishnu to do with it as he sees fit. SOLI JESU GLORIA.

Below is a link to a video that I made recapping this cross-walking journey from the beginning. Enjoy:

While Ken and Kevin were here, we spent much of the time, needless to say, walking the cross and preaching along Ring Road. However, we also took time to preach and distribute right out in front of the Hindu Temples in Patan Durbar Square; outside the gate and on the very top of Swayambou Stupa, a most sacred site for Tibetan Buddhists; out at Dakshinkali, the main temple in Nepal for the worship of the Hindu goddess of blood, Kali; and in the heart of Thamel, an uber-religious site for Nepal’s pot-smoking tourists. In other words, we targeted centers of all three of Nepal’s major religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, and Tourism. And like Paul in Rome at the end of Acts 28, we were able to preach the Kingdom of God and teach those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, NO MAN FORBIDDING (see Acts 28:30-31). Truly, this was the grace of Almighty God and an answer to your heaven-ward pleas.

Below is some video footage taken from when I sent the team out with Brother Bishnu to Dakshinkali, a most wicked place. I was very sick that day and sorrowful that I could not join in this endeavor. However, the Lord at least blessed me with the privilege of producing the video. Enjoy:

The argument could even be made that education is viewed like a religion here in Nepal, particularly by the parents of children in higher castes. That being said, and for good measure, we also targeted Tribhuvan University, the center of this wicked “education religion,” after the manner of our previous outings to that place.

Preaching from the Roof of a Jeep in Makwanpur

For two days, during the Nepali New Year celebration (i.e. the Nepali Year 2069 began on April 13, 2012), we hired a jeep and took the team down through the Makwanpur District. Because of the New Year festival, many villagers were out on the roads. By way of Dakshinkali and a very steep and winding road, we traveled down to Hetauda and then, the next day, up and over the Daman Pass back to Kathmandu. In many villages, the Gospel was preached with the 1/2-mile hailer from the roof of the jeep; and many Scripture portions and Gospel tracts were distributed . . . to Hindus, Buddhists, and Muslims. Along the way, we met several Christians and stumbled upon a few churches. Thereby, the Lord allowed us to encourage the brethren (some of which had seen persecution), to pray with them, and to supply them with materials for evangelism. I specifically remember two elderly ladies who approached us with tears as we proclaimed the Gospel. One woman came to Christ several years ago after her husband had died and the Lord had healed completely healed her of some ailment (a common testimony I hear in these parts). As we gathered around and prayed for these, and as I spoke of Christ’s coming for His children, this same woman began to weep with joy. Oh, that we would have such joy; and that this joy of the Lord would be our strength from day to day (Nehemiah 8:10). The journey to and from Hetauda was fun; it provided our brothers with a taste of the village life and turned all of our insides into a milkshake along very bumpy and winding roads with no guardrails and cut into the sides of mountains. I tell you folks, the terrain of Nepal beats anything I have ever seen anywhere else in the world. Only the remote corners of West Virginia can compare. On a side note, I rejoice that Bethany, my oldest daughter, has become old and mature enough to travel with me on such journeys. She made it even more fun, and her blonde hair and blue eyes were a Nepali-magnet. That just meant more people to whom we could preach Jesus Christ, NO MAN FORBIDDING. Below, is a video a produced from the Makwanpur District:

Needless to say, after so much had been accomplished through divine grace for the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ, we were sad to bid our dear brothers farewell and send them back to California. Such sadness, however, was short-lived as we soon welcomed our friend Sarah Grace from Delhi, India. Back in February, we met this dear sister on the streets of Delhi while out preaching the Gospel with Shawn. She then later introduced us to Raj, a former high-caste Hindu and son of influential Indian parents who is now an American citizen. Raj and Sarah Grace, brethren of like-faith and like-mind, regularly proclaim the Gospel on the streets of Delhi, sometimes in the face of real persecution. Recently, Raj was beaten by Delhi police and interrogated for hours simply because he was preaching the Gospel. Later, when the corrupt officials discovered that Raj holds an American passport, they backpedaled like the authorities in Philippi when they discovered that Paul & Silas were Romans (see Acts 16). Anyway, Sarah Grace came up to Nepal to labor with us for a few days and to take possession of a half-mile hailer that had been brought in from the United States. They were so excited, and I am sure that hailer will be put to good use just like the one in Lamjung District that Lamjung John has been faithfully using to preach the Gospel from the hilltops to droves of villages below.

Sarah testifies of Christ in Patan Durbar Square.

. . . Whoa, I am all over the place, true stream-of-consciousness writing. Please forgive me. So, Sarah came in for a few days, and the fellowship was an incredible joy for Jamie. They hit it off real well. All of us loaded up in a hired truck and preached the Gospel at several sites in northeastern Kathmandu one Saturday. It was a real joy to stand and openly preach Christ at Baluwatar Chok, right beside where Jamie and I lived the first time we came to Nepal back in 1999. Those many years ago, I never would have dreamed that the day would come when I could stand in that place and preach openly with fluent Nepali, NO MAN FORBIDDING. “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out” (Romans1:33). With Sarah Grace, we also went back to Patan Durbar Square and preached in the shadows of the temples, again, NO MAN FORBIDDING.

As mentioned, Year 2069, according to the Nepali lunar calendar, began on April 13, 2012. In partnership with Brother Bishnu and his publication ministry (DSMA Publications), Full Proof Gospel Ministries via Project Jagerna has set a goal of distributing one lakh Scripture portions to Nepali-speaking people in 2069. A “Lakh” is a term in the South Asian numbering system that stands for 10 ten-thousands (i.e. one hundred thousand). Therefore, one lakh = 100,000. Only by God’s grace and the favor of the Holy Spirit can this be accomplished. 2069 officially began on a backroad heading down to Hetauda in the Makwanpur District, and as of now, nearly 4,000 Scripture portions have gone out in 2069. We have a long way to go. Pray for us. For more information on Project Jagerna and to learn how you can be a part of helping us print and distribute to Nepali-speaking peoples, please visit www.projectjagerna.org.

As is customarily the case, there is so much more than could be recapped in detail. However, there is not time or place for such. Just know that in these last months of our pilgrimage here, the Word has gone forth according to your prayers and support; many have heard the Gospel, NO MAN FORBIDDING. Amen.

Now, my friends, we earnestly covet your prayers in the coming weeks. We are seeking the Lord’s guidance and provision in matters relating to our homeward-bound journey. As you know, travel has become ridiculously expensive, and getting a family of five plus Ricky back to the United States from Nepal is going to cost more than it would to purchase a decent used-vehicle. Nevertheless, the Lord never guides where He does not provide (Philippians 4:19). Here is what I have discovered, and such is the door of opportunity that the Lord seems to be opening (Prayer Request #1):

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  However we get home, I rejoice to have Ricky by my side.

  For roughly the same cost of flying directly home from here, we can travel overland from Kathmandu through China and then fly the family home from Beijing on guest-passes with an American carrier that services the Chinese capital. This airline used to service Delhi, India, and that is how my family came over here to meet me (a four-tickets for the price of one type of thing); but this flight route ended back on March 1st. Anyway, after some prayerful contemplation, some searching through the Word, and some crunching of the numbers, we have opted to leave here by road to then travel for eight-days through a very closed area where you can only enter from this side as part of a “tour group” with a government-appointed guide. With Ricky and the family, we are a “tour-group” by default, and the presence of ornery and tired blonde-haired, blue-eyed children will provide the perfect cover and a distraction for the guide that shall undoubtedly open doors for sowing seeds, if you know what I mean. We have already started the process for arranging this, so there is no turning back. Because of security issues, I cannot go into detail about matters of itinerary, strategy, and location. Just know that this is a unique opportunity that Jamie and I tried to make happen back in 2007, but it fell through at the last minute. From this closed area, our path, Lord willing will also allow us to sow seeds in China. The issue with standby tickets from the American carrier is also a matter of faith, with no guarantee that we can secure them upon arrival in Beijing. This particular carrier is undergoing bankruptcy issues and merger talks, so our benefactor’s job and benefits are day-to-day at this point. If we were to arrive in Beijing without this option, it would be a financial nightmare, as I would have to purchase six full-fare tickets. Nonetheless, we are going to step out in faith and follow the Lord on this one, believing that He is calling us to this route. Please pray for us in these matters. The travel through the closed region is already paid for; the Lord provided miraculously. The costs for getting from this place up into China with a family, basing in Beijing for a few days for the labor of the Truth, and getting the family back to America from there are matters of faith at this point. Upon entering China, we will have to be out of that country in 30 days; no if’s, and’s or but’s about it. We need your prayers. I wish I could go into more detail, but at this juncture, I have to be real careful with what I say or post online. If the Lord wills, after we send Jamie and the children back to America in mid-June via highly-discounted plane fares, Ricky and I will travel up to Mongolia for a couple of weeks. Since my high-school days, I have dreamed of traveling to this mysterious country and preaching the Gospel in the high-desert wasteland of nomads, yurts, and no fences. The Lord may be bringing these dreams into reality. Lord willing, Ricky and I will return to the United States by the first week of July. How were are going to get back there is completely up in the air (flights from China; Trans-Siberian railway to Vladivostok, an overnight ferry to Japan, and flights to America from Tokyo; a Trans-Siberian railroad journey all the way to Europe and then flights to America, etc.). We just don’t know what the Lord is going to do. I had Russian Gospel materials brought over here several years ago when Jamie and I were trying to organize an overland trip to Europe from here; the plan never took shape. I covet an opportunity to get into Siberia as we know a faithful Russian brother laboring in Irkutsk and would like to come alongside and encourage him and supply him with the aforementioned materials. But, this is a long shot. Getting a Russian tourist visa outside one’s home country is a long-shot, and near-impossible. But, we are anxious to see how the Lord provides and where specifically that He guides. The ball is already set in motion; I am excited to be making such an incredible journey with my family; and how it all turns out is up to Jesus. Please don’t underestimate the power and necessity of your prayers. Also, if anyone has contacts in Beijing, China or in Mongolia, PLEASE INFORM US. Hmmm . . . leaving Nepal by land, it will be bittersweet and less difficult than being whisked out of here on an airplane.

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  At the base of these high mountains is where we hope to trod.

  On the more immediate horizon, another matter warrants your fervent prayers. On May 8th, Lord willing, Ricky and I, along with a team of three Nepali brothers, will be making a long journey to Nepal’s remote Far West. There, up in the high mountains of the unreached Bajhang & Darchula Districts, we hope to travel on foot for 10-12 days, distributing Project Jagerna Scripture portions and preaching to the villagers in places where Christ has not been named. As far as we know, there are zero churches in Bajhang and Darchula Districts. Back in October, with a small team, we targeted the outer fringes of Bajhang along the road. This time, we hope to cross some 4-5,000 meter passes and descend upon the interior. Initially using the village of Darchula (road’s end at 10,000 ft.) as a base, we will endeavor to slog for several days up the Mahakali River Valley in a small sliver of Nepal sandwiched between India & Tibet, looking for villages and preaching Christ along a somewhat risky route often used by smugglers. Upon return to Darchula, the plan is to travel east and cross the high Pathrasi Pass and then descend into Chainpur, the end of the road in Bajhang that we did not reach back in October of last year. Hitching a ride from there, we can cover and saturate the 70km of road that went untouched last time. Friends, it will be difficult, and perhaps we have set unrealistic goals, but by God’s grace, we will take to the hills and preach Jesus in a place where there are no whiteys, no tourist facilities, and no options but to be content with what we can find in terms of food and lodging. I am so excited to be taking Brother Bishnu, Lamjung John, and Kiran (a local pastor from the Gandaki District) along with us. Bishnu has invested in both of these faithful brothers over the years, and we are excited to labor with them at our side (Such is biblical discipleship) . . .. . . Whoa, it has just come to my knowledge that these plans are already in doubt. I have received word that Nepal’s Far West has been completely shut down for five days and the airport in Dhangadi (the airport we are supposed to fly into, tickets already in hand) has been padlocked due to indefinite political protests. Life is completely disrupted with no end in site. Please pray that this mess clears up before May 8th so that we can proceed with our plans to take the Gospel into the unreached Bhajang and Darchula Districts. Our time is limited as our visas expire on May 29th. God’s will be done.

FRIENDS, AS ALWAYS, WE COVET YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT. IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO, WE WILL BE TAKING SOME BIG STEPS OF FAITH IN TERMS OF MINISTRY FINANCE, SECURITY, AND OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE THE GOSPEL INTO SOME OF WORLD’S MOST DIFFICULT-TO-ACCESS CORNERS. WE WOULDN’T DARE ENDEAVOR ALONG SUCH PATHS WITHOUT THE PRAYER COVER OF THE SAINTS.

If the Lord should lay it upon your heart to help us with the costs of getting back to America, just know that all contributions to Full Proof Gospel Ministries are tax-deductible and can be made online. For more information, please visit: http://fpgm.org/donate/.

For now, we count our remaining days in Nepal as precious and labor on, NO MAN FORBIDDING. SOLI JESU GLORIA.

For the Word of God & the Testimony of Jesus Christ,

The Boyd Family & Ricky Springer

Ricky Springer distributes God's Word on the Buriganga River in Bangladesh

Greetings Remnant Body of the Lord Jesus Christ, dear friends, and to whomever else may stumble upon this post. Grace, mercy, and peace be unto you from the Most High God and the one like the Son of man who comes with the clouds of heaven (Daniel 7:13). The Jews killed Jesus because He claimed this passage for Himself (Matthew 26:4). They were wrong; He proved He was Messiah when He rose up from the dead; and soon, very soon, He will come again, this time with the clouds of heaven: “and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him” (Revelation 1:7).

‘Tis a whirlwind of activity here in Nepal as we enter the homestretch of our time on this particular tourist visa platform. And thankfully: “The LORD hath his way in the whirlwind (Nahum 1:3). May 30th is our projected day of departure, and there is much yet that remains to be done. It seems we have little time to reflect upon the past and/or contemplate future plans; therefore, this post must, of necessity, prove uncharacteristically brief.

Since my last update of March 14th, Ricky and I have made a fruitful journey to Bangladesh; and Paul Langford, an old friend and martial arts instructor, has come to Nepal and safely returned home. Lamjung John has joyfully taken possession of and put to use a brand-new 1/2-mile hailer brought to him from America. A large amount of Project Jagerna material has been printed: 20,000 second edition Nepali Gospels of John and 25,000 Nepali-language Gospel tracts. And, preparations have been made to welcome two bold street preachers from California (Kevin Borden & Kenn Lightsey) who arrive tonight. We rejoice in anticipation of what the Lord is going to do these next two weeks as we intensively labor in partnership with these dear brothers. Please pray for us.

Ricky preaches on the campus of Dhaka University.

Again, the recap must remain brief. Thanks for all your prayers concerning our labor in Bangladesh, a true uttermost corner of the earth. The time was very fruitful, and the Lord, on one occasion, miraculously delivered Ricky and me from an angry Muslim mob who sought to beat us in response to distributing Gospel tracts. Ricky lost his backpack full of tracts and had his shirt was literally torn from his body, and I received a couple of punches to the face; but like Jesus on the brow of the hill outside Nazareth, we were able to pass through the midst of them and go our way (John 4:29-30). God was a true refuge in those moments. And, by the way, the aggressors weren’t imams or terrorists; ‘twas a crowd of normal, average Muslims displaying the core of average, everyday Islam in line with the clear teachings of the Satanic Quran (i.e. hatred of Jesus Christ, a love for violence, and savage malice toward Christian “infidels”). Notwithstanding, for four days on the streets of Dhaka, a city of 15 million people, we enjoyed an “open door of utterance to speak the mystery of Jesus Christ” (Colossians 4:3) without real hindrance. By God’s grace, we targeted four university campuses with open-air preaching and the distribution of Bangla-language Scripture portions. The preaching spurned numerous in-depth conversations with English-speaking students concerning the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and many heard the truth. A couple days after we went “fishing” on the campus of Jagannath University in Old Dhaka, some people were killed there as a huge riot broke out between students and local shopkeepers. Riot police set off tear gas and all kinds of crazy stuff. Divine Providence obviously allowed the Gospel to go in ahead of the madness; and thank God that we didn’t get caught up in the mayhem. Also, what a joy it was to preach Jesus right there in the vicinity of Dhaka University’s Jagannath Hall where the Pakistani Army, while carrying out Operation Searchlight, massacred students and teachers on the black night of March 25, 1971 (one in a long list of genocidal atrocities that the United States government willfully ignored). With grass growing over the mass graves in the backdrop, we had an interesting conversation with a local man who remembered the incident. He claimed that Bangladeshis are only 10% corrupt while Pakistanis are 90% corrupt. I asked him, “Do you think Almighty God sees a difference between 10% and 90% corruption?” Such quickly bridged to the Gospel and obvious signs of conviction on this man’s face. Please pray for his salvation. Wow, the smell of death, thirty years later, still lingered in that dark place.

university campuses in dhaka

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The Buriganga River near Old Dhaka

If there were a portal between hell and earth, it would have to be in the Sadarghat neighborhood of Old Dhaka along the Buriganga River. But, glory to God, He allowed Ricky and me to shine some light down there. We actually hired a boat taxi to take us out on the Buriganga (a true ecological disaster; you definitely do not want to fall into that water) where we preached in the open-air to the hoards of boat-taxi passengers, barge-workers, and people gathered on the trash-laden shores. From a rickety and very wobbly wooden skiff floating atop a river of toxic sludge, we distributed 300 Bangla-language Lukes & Johns. People were shouting to one another: “They’re giving away Injil-Shareefs” (i.e. Muslim term for the New Testament Gospels), and folks would come running, some into the water. Other crowded boat taxis would turn around and pull up beside us, sometimes broadsiding our skiff; and a plethora of hands would be outstretched across the water. Later, we distributed another 300 Gospel tracts in some South Dhaka back alleys: scary places where lots of Muslim eyes were watching and wondering what in the world two white people from America were doing walking alone in their neighborhood. People literally chased us down to get tracts. ‘Twas a glorious afternoon in one of the world’s most hellish and filthy dumps. Many heard and received the Word of God, and we encountered no trouble or hostility. The LORD is good and greatly to be praised.

Training Believers in Rural Bangladesh

After four long days on the streets of Dhaka, it was a blessing to make a lengthy journey to a village area in southwestern Bangladesh. There, we conducted a two-day sunup-to-sundown training for local pastors and new believers. About 25-30, from both Muslim and Hindu backgrounds (some of which have encountered real persecution for the cause of Jesus Christ) came to be taught in the Word. I felt awkward as some of these, who know real persecution and have truly hazarded their lives for Jesus Christ, should have been teaching me, not the other way around. Nevertheless, God’s grace was sufficient as the sessions provided sound teaching on topics such as: aspects of genuine Christian discipleship, the differences between the Bible and religion, using God’s general revelation and the law in evangelism, and the power of the Gospel as seen in the life of the Apostle Paul. I hope to have some of these sessions up for your listening enjoyment on FPGM’s podcast real soon. Ricky and I were truly blessed to be amongst these people: to fellowship with them, to eat with them, to sleep with them, and to worship with them. Oh, it was sultry hot and terribly humid; the mosquitoes were a plague; and Ricky made numerous visits to the squatty-potty as he battled a fierce bout of giardia . . . but, none of it seemed to matter. We were with God’s people, and we all were taught of the Holy Spirit through the Word. Amen.

Lamjung John receives his 1/2-mile hailer.

Back in Nepal, Paul Langford arrived, carrying two of the half-mile hailers purchased by a faithful church in California. It was a whirlwind week with one of my best earthly friends as we did some preaching and distribution on the streets of Kathmandu and at a few Hindu/Buddhist religious sites. We also joined a team of faithful Nepali brothers, including Bishnu and Lamjung John, at a large festival in the Tanahu District. Paul and I had intended to put on a martial arts demonstration so as to draw a crowd for preaching, but this didn’t quite pan out and actually proved unnecessary. As multitudes exited the festival in the late afternoon, nearly 1,800 Gospels of Mark and more than a thousand Gospel tracts were freely distributed as Lamjung John tested out his new hailer and we joined him in preaching the Gospel in the open-air. The next day, we targeted some unreached villages in the Kaski District on the far side of the Seti River, going house-to-house and distributing around 350 Scripture portions. At one home, a group of women gathered, including an old woman who claimed to be 108 years old. They listened as Bishnu clearly set forth the Gospel message. This trip also allowed us to supply a couple of village laborers with materials for evangelism. So, in one week, Paul got a complete tour of Kathmandu and made a jaunt into the village.

Paul & Jesse hitch a ride atop a Nepali local bus.

Unfortunately, days of characteristic haze meant that he came and went without seeing the Himalaya, a true shame. Moreover, the martial arts demonstration that had been planned at a nearby school fell through as Nepalis are the world’s worst at making plans and then sticking by them. Nevertheless, it was a good time; and the fellowship with an old friend was more than invigorating ahead of the short time we have remaining in this corner of the world. Paul arrived safely in North Carolina last night; glory to God.

In 2012 alone, the LORD has been gracious to have allowed the distribution of 9,580 Project Jagerna Scripture portions and close to double that amount of Nepali Gospel tracts. One of the first things on our agenda once the boys arrive from California is to go to the local press and pick up the 20,000 Gospels of John and 25,000 Gospel tracts just completed. SOLI DEO GLORIA. Please continue to pray for God’s provision in this project. As He provides: we print; we distribute; and we supply local laborers. Year 2069 on the Nepali calendar begins on April 13th. It is our prayer that we can distribute 100,000 Nepal Scripture portions in the 2069. So, help us God.

There are a few specific things that you can help us pray about:

• Please pray for the next two weeks of labor with the brethren from California. I anticipate a lot of open-air preaching and completion of our circumnavigation of Kathmandu’s Ring Road with the “Are You Ready?” cross. We also hope to make a run into a village area so as to conduct an evangelism training for local brethren. May the Lord grant us favor; and may many continue to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ in this surprisingly open third-world country.
• Our tourist visas run out at the end of May. We have no choice but to leave Nepal and return to the States. The cost of airfare for Ricky and a family of five is enough to make one’s head swim. We are looking at a price-tag of around $5,000. Please pray for the Lord’s provision in terms of plane tickets.
• It’s going to be a long-shot to complete our Project Jagerna translation work on Matthew and Hebrews and get an order into the press to print these editions before we leave Nepal. Notwithstanding, we are praying for this.
• We need to make one more journey into Nepal’s remote Far West before we depart. Pray that God brings this together.
• I will need a job when I return to America, something that will allow me to faithfully continue in my role with Full Proof Gospel Ministries. My family and I will not be able to subsist in America on what FPGM alone provides. We are already starting to pray for this provision.
• And, as always, please pray “that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel” (Ephesians 6:19).

Concerning Bangladesh and recent outreach in Nepal, I could go into so much more detail unto the glory of God, but there’s no time. I trust the video clips posted below will tell more of the story. Thanks for your love, prayers, and support. We rejoice to know that so many faithful believers are holding the ropes, and we look forward to the day that we can fellowship again face-to-face.

Until then, go serve your King with boldness!

The Boyd Family & Ricky Springer

This teaching was conducted before a small local church body in Dhaka, Bangladesh (March 18, 2012).

Preaching on the streets of Dhaka in 2008

Greetings Remnant Body of the Lord Jesus Christ, dear friends, and to whomever else may stumble upon this post. Grace, mercy, and peace be with you from the God of the Bible; He is the LORD: “O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together” (Psalm 34:3).

This post will be short as its primary occasion is to petition your prayers for this upcoming week. Ricky and I will be traveling from Kathmandu down to Bangladesh, a closed Muslim country and one of the poorest and most chaotic nations on the planet. At roughly the size of South Carolina, Bangladesh boasts a population of nearly half that of the entire United States. The streets of Dhaka, its capital city, are crowded with nearly 15 million people and more than 300,000 bicycle rickshaws. Simply put, Bangladesh is a place where people suffer: annual flooding, cholera flies, extreme poverty, disease, terrible pollution, a history of bloodshed, etc. Worse than this, untold millions are perishing in this place without knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and under the bondage of Islam and religious witchcraft. I have been to Bangladesh a couple of times before and was privileged to be a part of preaching and distributing the Word of God en masse on the streets of Dhaka. Back in 2008, we took in team for a week and distributed nearly 18,000 pieces of Gospel literature. But alas, in a city of 15 million, that was only a drop in the bucket.

By God’s grace, I’m going back, and this time, Ricky gets to taste the insanity and the chaos. Lord willing, we will be laboring alongside local brethren; distributing en masse; training new believers in a village area; and targeting a large university campus. As you pray for us, keep in mind that all such activity is illegal in Bangladesh, and the few believers that do exist (approximately 0.1% of the population) know real persecution. Twice in that place, I have been told that I was under arrest by local police. In both instances, God made a way of escape. For security reasons, I cannot go into any more detail. Lord willing, we shall return to Kathmandu on March 23rd.

Ricky carries the cross and distributes Gospel tracts in Kathmandu.

Thereafter, we will hit the ground running here in Nepal. Again, we earnestly covet your prayers. On March 24th, Paul Langford, my martial arts instructor and one of my best friends, a good brother, will be arriving for 7 days. He is transporting two half-mile hailers (the ones we have been praying about) that we will pass on to local brethren for the open-air preaching of the Gospel here in Kathmandu and in the villages. During Paul’s brief stay, we aim to conduct a self-defense seminar at a nearby school (a great bridge to preach the Gospel), continue shaking up the streets of Kathmandu, and possibly make a quick distribution run into some nearby unreached villages. There will be a large festival taking place near Pokhara at that time; it may be that we can target this event as well.

The day after Paul returns to America, a couple brothers from California are arriving for two weeks. Kevin Borden and Kenn Lightsey will be bringing a third 1/2-mile hailer with them. In fact, let me take the opportunity to express immense gratitude to Kevin and another brother from his church who purchased all three hailers (not cheap). They will be put to good use over here in South Asia, a place where finding quality, portable, and reliable amplification is virtually impossible. Both of these men are bold preachers. I have not personally met Kenn, but I had the great privilege of preaching with Kevin and some men from his church in the San Francisco Bay Area during the Fall of 2010. Needless to say, once these arrive, ‘twill be a whirlwind of activity: lots of open-air preaching, literature distribution, finishing up our circumnavigation of Kathmandu’s Ring Road with the cross, and a possible trek into the mountains so as to further target unreached villages.

Preaching Outside a Hindu Temple at Dilli Bazaar

In terms of Project Jagerna, Bishnu and I just finished a difficult but needed revision of our translation work on the Gospel of John. While Ricky and I are in Bangladesh, he will be placing an order to print 20,000 of these Johns and another 10-20,000 Gospel tracts (depending upon how far the funds will stretch). So, Lord willing, there will be an abundant amount of literature available for distribution during the time we have with Paul and the brothers from California. Pray for us as we labor even now through the Gospel of Matthew and the Book of Hebrews. My goal is to have these ready for print by the time we return to the United States in May. The current Nepali translations have many, many problems in both of these very important biblical books. The work is mind-numbing at times, but the Lord gives grace as we labor to stay faithful to the Reformation text-tradition. By the way, April 13th is the first day of the year 2069 on the Nepali Calendar. Project Jagerna, at Bishnu’s behest, has set a goal of distributing at least 100,000 Scripture portions during 2069 (mid-April of 2012 through mid-April of 2013). This is a lofty goal, but doable with God’s grace and your continued prayers. The upcoming printing mentioned earlier, of course, will help us get started. Praise God for His provision.

Since Brother Shawn Holes departed Nepal back at the end of February, we have laid low, resting up for the intense work ahead and focusing primarily upon Bible translation. Nevertheless, there has been some opportunity for walking the cross, open-air preaching, more distribution, and targeting the northeast quarter of Kathmandu. Below is a video collage that you might find interesting:

Pray for us in Bangladesh; we need prayer cover.  Please pray for Jamie and the children as they remain back in Kathmandu. Pray also for continued financial provision: We need to keep printing materials; there will be traveling expenses with upcoming village runs; Ricky has some needs; and somehow, I am going to have to come up with the funds to fly all of us back to the States in May or June. In case you haven’t noticed, airline ticket prices have moved from the realm of ridiculous to the domain of ridonkulous. Notwithstanding, Jehovah-Jireh never guides where He does not provide. Thanks, in advance, for your fervency in prayer. As the Remnant Body of Jesus Christ is one, rejoice: for this witness is as much your fruit as that of Full Proof Gospel Ministries. And in all things, to God be the glory.

Deo Vindice,

The Boyd Family & Ricky Springer

Ricky distributes Scripture portions in Nepal's Lamjung District

Greetings Remnant Body of the Lord Jesus Christ, dear friends, and to whomever else may stumble upon this post.  Grace, mercy, and peace be with you from the One True God.  Job, in his misery, pled for help in the face of his “arm-chair quarterback” friends:   “O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbor” (Job 16:21).  Praise God, there is One to plead on our behalf before the Almighty: Jesus the Christ, who “is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25).  Amen, Hallelujah!  Fall upon Him today.  As we say in Nepali:  “aru kesaimaa mukhti chaina” (i.e. there is salvation in none other).

Wow! My last post, transcribed more than a month ago, highlighted the work up in the Mt. Everest Region AND anticipated the coming of my dear brother, Shawn Holes (a.k.a. Shawn the Baptist), to Nepal for five weeks of intense Gospel labor.  Well, those five weeks have come and gone, and Brother Shawn has safely returned to his family in Idaho.  And frankly, in terms of recap, I don’t even know where to begin . . .

NOTE: If you don’t feel like reading one of my characteristically long posts and are more of a visual aid person, just scroll to the bottom.  A series of videos I put together from our time with Shawn may tell a better story.

Moments after this photo was taken, all hell broke loose.

I must say that Shawn’s presence and partnership was a true blessing for me, my family, and Ricky.  While he was here, much transpired for the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ, but not without some trial and tribulation.  Perhaps you have already heard, but the very first place we all went to preach together was Ratna Park, a place Bishnu and I have targeted many times over the years.  That Sunday afternoon, I began preaching in Nepali while Shawn, Ricky, and Bishnu started distributing tracts.  A large crowd formed to listen, but soon thereafter and upon my quotation of John 14:6, a couple of angry Hindus set the heretofore attentive multitude into an uproar, just like the Jews did with Paul in Lystra, Thessalonica, and Jerusalem.  It became a mob scene so quickly.  They started throwing rocks at us; I watched as monsters of iniquity literally tore apart trees and park benches and then rushed upon us with tree limbs, boards, and whatever they could get their hands upon.  “Uproar” would be an understatement.  As we packed up and tried to escape, Ricky and I got pummeled and beaten trying to protect the others.  People were screaming:  “Kill them, we have to kill them.”  Ratna Park only has one entry/exit point, and it’s very narrow.  We bolted for that exit as the mob made chase.  Stones were flying everywhere and the tables and stations of innocent peddlers were overturned and trampled.  At the last minute, as we tried to squeeze through the gate, armed police showed up (a miracle in Nepal) to stem the tide.  They pulled us into a nearby gated and barred police headquarters and tended to our wounds, hiding us until the mob dispersed.  It never did; angry men crowded the gate and started demanding that the police release us to them.  Eventually, they snuck Ricky, Shawn, and me out inside an armed police van that whisked us away from the scene.  Shortly thereafter, a riot broke out at the police station as the mob demanded that Bishnu be released to them.  Fortunately, the police helped him secure our motorbike from outside, and he made a clean getaway out the back entrance to the dismay of the horde.  Needless to say, we have not returned to Ratna Park, though I greatly desire to do so (i.e. as Paul did concerning Jerusalem).  The Lord was very good to us that day; and He used Ricky to literally save my life and the Nepali armed police to save all of our lives.  Thank God that Shawn and Bishnu were not injured.  As for Ricky and me, we still bear a few marks of the Lord Jesus in our bodies, but nothing serious.  It could have been much worse.  As I have labored for the Gospel over the years, I have been assaulted a few times, but nothing like this.  My 20+ years of martial arts training didn’t count for much in those moments as more than 200 people ran upon us with all manner of crude weaponry.  Nevertheless, the LORD was our rock, fortress, and deliverer; Psalm 18 was lived out before our eyes as God used the characteristically corrupt, careless, and LATE ON THE SCENE armed police to intervene at just the right moment.  Amen.

The Day After Ratna Park

Thereafter, we battled some fear and discouragement and were forced to deal with a few arm-chair quarterbacks, but nonetheless, after the manner of the disciples in Acts 4, we resolved not to ask for deliverance from persecution but for boldness in the face of it.  Many of you joined us in praying for this.  Thank-you; your prayers were heard.  The very next day, we went right back out, this time to a sacred site in Tibetan Buddhism during a Buddhist festival and to Thamel, a sacred site in Nepal’s Religion of Tourism.  In both places, the Gospel was preached as I hobbled with a cane, and many materials were distributed in Nepali, Tibetan, and English.  From that point on, we hit the ground running.  Over the next five weeks, approximately 20,000 pieces of Gospel literature would be distributed in Nepal and India; and the Word of God would be preached in the open-air with a “half-mile hailer” in plazas, from atop buses, to public school assemblies, at busy intersections, on university campuses, on top of unfinished pedestrian bridges, from mountain ridges overlooking unreached villages, outside religious shrines, on metro trains, and even from a boat on Fewa Lake.

Brother John preaches with zeal to Lamjung villagers.

In Nepal, we spent a week training and laboring with a local brother in a remote area of the Lamjung District, hiking many miles through unreached villages under the shadows of the Lamjung and Annapurna Himalaya.  I’ll never forget standing atop ridges and preaching with that hailer to the villages below; you could see the people come out to listen and hear the words of Scripture bouncing off the mountains.  And Shawn did all of this only six months after having a heart stint surgically implanted.  We also targeted Tribhuvan University, the tourist districts of Kathmandu & Pokhara, the wicked Shivaratri festival that literally celebrates the “birth” of Satan, and a few Kathmandu suburbs.

Ricky preaches on a Delhi Metro Train.

The Lord also allowed Ricky, Shawn, and me to travel down to India, where we targeted two predominantly English-speaking cities:  Delhi in the north, and Bangalore in the south.  Over a period of two days, 2,500 pieces of Gospel material were distributed in Delhi and the Word of God was preached open-air in numerous venues.  There, we were joined by a bold young lady (a former Hindu disowned by her high-caste, well-to-do family) and a Bangladeshi pastor (a former Muslim) whom the Lord put into our paths.  We deemed ourselves TEAM JESUS and overtly rejoiced in the fellowship and partnership.  The young lady (for security reasons, I will not mention her name) was learned in the laws of the land and had no fear in confronting the police on occasions when they tried to silence us.  She also proved valuable serving as a Hindi translator to our English preaching in neighborhoods with few English speakers.  Our Bangladeshi brother was a tract-distribution machine and very helpful in witnessing to the Muslims.  We preached on the Delhi Metro trains, at the India gate, outside the huge railway station, in the heart of Paharganj (i.e. hippie-pot smoker-eurotrash-ville), at tourist spots, and outside a huge Hindu Temple.  The police harassed us a few times, but nothing serious.  In fact, the level of corruption in the Delhi Police Force is so high that it renders them largely harmless.  When they kicked us out of a place, believe me, there were a thousand more venues from which we could choose.  Moreover, they always took their time getting to the scene, so by the time we were forced out, the Gospel had already been preached and lots of tracts had been distributed.

Shawn shares Christ on the streets of Bangalore

After Delhi, it was four whole days on the streets of Bangalore in Southern India’s radical Hindu state of Karnataka (a large city where 90% of the population can speak and understand English). There, we also partnered with some solid local brethren.  One couple, both educated in the United States, had 4,000 Gospel tracts printed for us at no charge and then came out on the streets with us one day.  They were a real blessing.  Then, there was the head chaplain at the large Baptist hospital who was so encouraged by our boldness that he took us out to his village area one evening (80km northeast of Bangalore).  There, people came out into the streets in two different villages as the local believers sang hymns and we preached as a local pastor translated into Kannada.  The next morning, our chaplain friend insisted that I come and preach to all his chaplains at the Baptist hospital, to rebuke them for their paranoid fear and to exhort them to be bold in the face of persecution.  By God’s grace, I did what he said, and it was well-received.  In Bangalore, we targeted Christ University, a large Catholic institution and were kicked off the campus for sharing CHRIST with CHRIST University students.  Nonetheless, we repositioned just outside the only gate, and many students heard and received tracts on two different occasions.  The campus security tried to get the police to make us leave, but because we were on a public sidewalk, the police never did anything.  We also targeted the city railway and bus stations.  Police ran us out of both places, but not before many, many, many Gospel tracts went out.  The Brigade Street tourist hotspot, a couple of Muslim neighborhoods, and the vicinity of St. John’s Medical College are a few of the other places that the Word was proclaimed.  All in all, over a four-day period, 5,000 pieces of Gospel material were distributed in Bangalore.  Soli Deo Gloria.

I could go on and on, my dear friends, for like John the Apostle, “I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee: But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face” (III John 13-14).

Thronged near Tribhuvan University

Praise God for Shawn Holes, Ricky Springer, Bishnu Shrestha, Brother Laxmi, Lamjung John, the young lady and Bangaldeshi pastor in Delhi, our Indian brethren in Bangalore, and for the beating Ricky and I took in Ratna Park.  God obviously used all the people and the aforementioned persecution for his glory.  Think about it:  Our very last outing  with Shawn, we were literally THRONGED by students near Tribhuvan University as we shared Christ and answered their questions about the Bible.  Many people heard that day.  Our first outing together, we were STONED; our last, we were THRONGED.  Trust me, God had a plan in all of it, and He knew I needed a good beating to get me off my rear end and provoke some boldness in my spirit for the Gospel.

Believe it or not, I can even thank God for all the arm-chair quarterbacks and “missions strategists” who bombarded us with their broken-record platitudes and cliches these past weeks.  Oh, the cliches and terminology are so predictable:  “you’re being ineffective and turning people away from the Gospel [II Corinthians 13:8 plainly declares that this isn’t possible] . . . you need to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves [translation = paranoid like deer and ashamed like red-handed criminals] . . . we’ll have to pick up the pieces when you leave [pieces of what?] . . . your actions are making it hard on all the other Christians, you are going to get all the missionaries kicked out [to be expected from those who have made missions their career instead of following a call] . . . you shouldn’t preach around religious sites [John 12:43] . . . the government is watching you [typical hyperbole from those who fancy themselves “.007 missionary agents”]. . .  blah, blah, blah.”  One man, supposedly my friend, responded to me with the following Facebook message immediately after the beating we took in Ratna Park (Note: no encouragement, no inquiry as to our injuries, no offer to pray for us, and a lot of presumptuous accusation):

For the love of God stop acting like a fighter cock whenever preaching, and stop preaching in other peoples’ temples and stupas and temple courtyards. Your acting like you WANT people to hate you. There are plenty of public places to preach. Use those. Preach with love and respect and people will pick up those vibes. If we preach with a strife, anger and provoking attitude, people will pick up on it. We can’t be preaching to Hindus and Buddhists (especially not in this ‘indirect’ culture) in the same way we preach to reprobate Americans who’ve rejected the gospel all their life.

In typical Error of Balaam fashion (cf. Jude 11), the persecution was the preacher’s fault; and the accusations were riddled with assumptions not rooted in reality.  Nevertheless, thanks brother, thanks to all you arm-chair QB’s for the processed, vomit-inducing sophistry.  You only strengthened our resolve to be bold and increased our rejoicing when the Sovereign Hand of Providence clearly demonstrated your remonstrations to be false.

Does this fit today's typical missions paradigm?

All sarcasm aside, I am deeply troubled and do weep for what I am seeing with missionaries and missions organizations here in this part of the world, undoubtedly the fruit of what has likewise infested the churches in Europe and America.  The Bibles calls it the Way of Cain, the Error of Balaam, and the Gainsaying of Korah (Jude 11):  i.e. ignoring the clear revelation of God in favor of philosophic PRAGMATISM.  The simple preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the bold evangelism modeled for us in the Book of Acts as the key to planting New Testament churches, and labor motivated by the glory of God and obedience to the Word while comfortably resting in the Sovereign Hand of Providence . . . these things have been supplanted by humanistic underpinnings, complex platforms, ridiculous amounts of “surveying”, the communication of watered-down truth, paranoid fear, and so-called strategies that serve more to protect careers and give the appearance of service than to actually carry out the Great Commission of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (cf. Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8).  And from these things, I have actually seen a disdain develop from foreign missionaries for the bold preaching of the Gospel and those who labor therein. Truly, the Error of Balaam (Jude 11) then leads to the Way of Balaam (II Peter 2:15 – pursuing a career in missions instead of a divine call) and eventually the deadly Doctrine of Balaam (Revelation 2:14 – using the wicked ways of the world to achieve one’s own end in ministry).  And, this downward spiral is happening all around us, in the churches and on the mission field.  When the Apostle Paul spoke of a “falling away first” in II Thessalonians, he wasn’t exaggerating.  Friends, we must repent of these things, stop fearing man, and start fearing God–trusting in the simple promises of His Word in terms of effective mission strategy (cf. I Corinthians 1:18,21; II Corinthians 4:13; I Peter 3:14-15; Jude 22-23; and the entire Book of Acts, the account of how the earliest Christians understood and carried out the Great Commission).

Oh, there is so much fear of man, fear of foreign governments, fear of persecution out here.  Listen, if you are living in such abject fear while calling yourself a missionary, or even a Christian for that matter, SHAME ON YOU.  Go read II Timothy 1:7-8, and obey what you read.  And, quit passing your fear on to the local believers.  It’s that simple! After all, it is the WICKED who “flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1).

Preaching in a Village Outside Bangalore

Recently, in a context where we were laboring to preach the Gospel with boldness and distribute all the materials that had been provided to us by other believers, a long-term and well-respected missionary doctor made contact with us over the telephone; and despite knowing nothing about us, he proceeded to rake us over the coals for preaching in the open-air, for distributing Gospel tracts, and for doing these things alongside local believers.  Every cliche I have ever heard from the textbook of postmodern missiology was thrown our way during that ten minutes of conversation.  This man got so angry because we were preaching the Gospel.  We politely informed him that we did not agree with his conclusions, did not share his fear, and were not in any way under his authority.  The conversation ended better than expected, but still, the disdain from a fellow missionary was astonishing.  Just the other day, a silver-haired British man stopped his vehicle right in front of us as Ricky and I were preaching at a plaza in Kathmandu with a huge wooden cross.  He started screaming about how he has been in Nepal for 30+ years (indicating thereby that he was some sort of missionary with an aid organization) and that we were breaking the law “by proselytizing on tourist visas” (again, a whole mess of assumptions).  This jerk even got the traffic police involved to try and stop us.  He, a missionary, hated the preaching of the Gospel so much that he was easily driven to persecute those who were endeavoring to do what he most likely came here to do in the first place.  Again, the Error of Balaam quickly leads to the Way of Balaam and the Doctrine of Balaam.  Interestingly, the police officer approached and ordered me to turn off the microphone and leave the premises.  I curtly replied, “No thanks, Nepal is a democracy now.”  I then continued preaching.  The flustered old aid worker got back into his traffic-blocking jeep and drove away.  The police officer shrugged her shoulders and walked off.  And, the preaching continued unabated until the Gospel message had been clearly communicated to those standing by.

Thankfully, there are some who have only found themselves stuck in the Error of Balaam and have not yet down-spiraled into the Way and Doctrine of Balaam like the man mentioned above.  There is hope for you; God can and still use you mightily if you will repent, stop being ruled by fear, and return to the simple biblical strategy of proclaiming repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.  Stop obsessing with “church planting” at the expense of bold evangelism; stop thinking that God needs you or your organization to “plant churches.”  Any church planting strategy not constructed on a foundation of bold evangelism (bold evangelism can take many forms, but the message is the same) is a house built on sand: it is the Way of Cain, the Error of Balaam, the Gainsaying of Korah.  Trust me, when the Word is preached and distributed, and when we are obedient to the simple exhortations of Holy Scripture, resting in the Sovereign Hand of Providence and motivated more by the glory of God than the response of man:  God will plant His churches, real churches populated by genuine born-again disciples who will go out and make more disciples.  How do I know this?  I have seen it with my own eyes:

The new church in Lamjung now meets here.

A year or so prior to our recent outreach with Brother John (a Nepali believer that Bishnu trained and sent to Bible college) in the Lamjung District, Bishnu had similarly preached and distributed copies of God’s Word in that area. There, a woman came to the Lord. On our journey, we sought this woman out, only to discover that God had used her to lead others to Christ; and a small church fellowship had begun (i.e. without the white man’s programs) in one of the unreached villages we aimed to target.  As a result, after overnighting in this woman’s home and seeing the new believers already about the work of sharing Christ, we supplied them with materials for distribution and decided to move on to target Purankot, a village with zero believers beyond the ridge.  Friends, that’s church-planting the Biblical way.  God did it; our Gordian strategies didn’t.  The same thing happened out in the remote Baitadi District as a result of Bishnu’s bold preaching and baptism of 30 people in the nearby river.  Soli Deo Gloria.  Please pray for both of these fellowships, that the Lord will send them dedicated and godly pastors to shepherd them.  I am working on Lamjung John; I think the Baitadi believers need his boldness and leadership; and it would be very inexpensive to support him living out there.

So many missions and church-planting strategies are a convoluted Gordian Knot.  Just the other day, Ricky was corresponding with a young missionary that he had met here in Kathmandu.  Upon inquiry, this person described her game plan:

I’m working out some logistical stuff. Not only are we about to shift our strategic focus but I’m trying to work on a proposal for integrating an anti sex-trafficking measure into our team strategy.

Can someone please translate this for me into understandable English?  My friends, there is way too much strategizing, way too much surveying, far too many logistics, and too many meetings going on the in world of evangelical missions.  But, there is not enough Gospel proclamation.  God, help us.  As for sex-trafficking, it’s a problem in Nepal; but the answer is Jesus Christ and His Gospel, not some proposal or “raising awareness.”

The only way out of this Gordian Knot, the only solution, is to cut the knot to pieces with a sword as did Alexander the Great when confronted with the great riddle.  Spiritually speaking, this means to REPENT and to cast the Gordian man-centered strategies aside.

A.W. Tozer touched on this whole matter, and I love what he had to say:

Remember, missionaries, you can never produce anything better than you are yourself. The Bible says, ‘Let it bring forth after its kind.’ Send a missionary over there with a cheap concept of God and his head filled with jingly choruses, and that’s the kind of Christianity he will produce over there. All he will be doing is transplanting a degenerate Christianity on a foreign shore. More than missionaries, we need a reformation of the whole Church of Christ in America. When that comes, then we will get more missionaries and their quality will be higher and the result will be that they will produce a higher type of Christian. Some of you might say, “Mr. Tozer, this sounds strange. I never heard of it. Aren’t all Christians alike?” No. Not all Christians are alike. Some bring forth 30-fold, some 60-fold, and some 100-fold. And some shine like the stars in heaven–some big, some little, and some you have to take a telescope to see.

If we will not listen, if reformation does not come, I fear all will end up so immersed in the Doctrine of Balaam that we’ll actually think we are doing Jesus Christ service by looking like the article linked below:

Rick Warren Builds Bridge to Muslims – Orange County Register

Preaching from a Boat on Fewa Lake in Pokhara

Shame on that wicked man; he thinks he does God service but is really an ENEMY of the Gospel.  God forbid that I, my missionary friends, and the Remnant Body of Jesus Christ should follow suit.  Please forgive me if this diatribe seems long-winded and out-of-place.  My heart is truly burdened regarding the state of the churches and the state of missions both here in South Asia and on my own home turf.  I genuinely desire to see repentance in my own life and in the lives of others who have fallen prey, whether permanently or at times, to pragmatism in ministry–the dangerous Way of Cain, Error of Balaam, and Gainsaying of Korah.  To follow pragmatism is to reject the Word of God.  Interestingly, the Greek word translated “gainsaying” in Jude 11 is “antilogia” which literally means “against the Word.”  Are our mission strategies against the Word?  If so, we must repent and go back to the drawing board with a Bible in our hand, humility in our heart, steadfastness in our spirit, the fear of man squashed under the heel of our boot, and the glorious Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ on the tip of our tongue.  LORD JESUS, please forgive me for ever thinking that I have a better way than what You have ordained to carry the Gospel throughout the world:

For after that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (I Corinthians 1:21).

Please continue to pray for us in the coming days.  We still have another three months before the expiration of our visas require us to leave Nepal and return to the United States.  We continue to walk the cross around Ring Road in Kathmandu, to preach and distribute Gospel literature in a variety of venues, and Bishnu and I are diligently laboring to make needful revision to our translation of John and complete work on the Gospel of Matthew and the Book of Hebrews.  It is my earnest desire to have all of these rolling off the printing presses before we depart Nepal in May, thereby leaving Bishnu and his team with a healthy supply of Scripture portions for their continued work.  In fact, Project Jagerna has set a lofty goal: the printing and distribution of 100,000 Nepali Scripture portions in 2012.  As of now, we have distributed a mere 4,200 in the Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara, and the SoluKhumbu and Lamjung Districts.  There is much more work to be done.  If we could get 50,000 out before leaving in May, I believe Bishnu and his team could realistically reach 100,000 by the end of the year.  Of course, the Lord will have to provide funds for printing, but we know He never guides where He does not provide.

In a couple of weeks, Ricky and I will traveling down to a closed South Asian country to help train some new believers in the village; and we anticipate a few days distributing material and proclaiming Christ on the streets of the capital city, an urban jungle of nearly fifteen million people.  I have had the privilege of being in this very poverty-striken place twice before, and twice, I have been told by local police that I was under arrest.  Both times, however, the Lord delivered us.  Pray for us as we work with some local believers and long-term laborers who are anything but what I described above. Folks, where we are headed is a hellhole where a lot of people need to hear about Jesus.  Pray for us; security considerations prevent me from going into any additional detail.

Come to Nepal and preach from pulpits like this.

There’s one final request of a more specific nature.  Brother John, the local believer we partnered with out in the Lamjung District is in desperate need of a 1/2-mile hailer so that he can continue to preach to the unreached villages from the hilltops.  The hailer that Shawn brought to us has proved an indispensable tool, but it was damaged in the Ratna Park attack, the first time we used it, and it is unreliable for continued use in the village.  It is virtually impossible to find a quality portable amplifier in South Asia, especially one as sturdy and clear as the hailer.  When preaching from hilltops, clarity and sound quality is a must.  In actuality, I would like to have three such half-mile hailers brought over here – one for Lamjung John, one for Bishnu and his preaching team here in Kathmandu, and one for a couple of sound street preachers we met in Delhi, India.  Not only do we need the hailers, we need someone to carry them over here.  And, we not only need hands to transport hailers, we need the same hands to help us distribute Gospel materials and take the message to the streets while we still have opportunity here in Nepal.  Someone, please pray about coming over to help us, or one of you churches, please consider sending a team over to labor with us.  Transporting three 1/2-mile hailers, helping us in the streets, and carrying some English and Nepali materials (i.e. stuff we can print a lot cheaper here than in the States) back to America for use on the university campuses in the Fall would go a long way in furthering the Gospel of Jesus Christ both here and back home.  To reach our goal of distributing 100,000 Scripture portions in 2012, we are going to need help.  In terms of housing, it will be provided upon arrival.  In fact, our domicile in Kathmandu is such that we could even house a team.  Don’t miss an opportunity to come to the ends of the earth and be a part of a real mission trip in a place that is an incredible training ground for evangelism.  Just so you know, we won’t be digging any wells, building any greenhouses, or holding any sports camps.  The last thing Nepal needs is more humanitarian aid; and the villagers already know how to take animal and human dung and convert it into an endless supply of cooking gas, so I don’t think they need our help in areas of agriculture that we spoiled Americans know little about anyway.  No, if you come, we will be preaching the Gospel and distributing loads of Scripture portions.  Nepal needs Jesus; it needs the Gospel before the open doors slam shut.  And believe me, that’s coming.  See you in Kathmandu.

For the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ,

The Boyd Family & Ricky Springer

Out of Season: a sporadic internet podcast sponsored by Full Proof Gospel Ministries and brought to you from various locations around the globe as we endeavor to make the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ an unavoidable issue for as many people as possible, whether in distant lands or just around the corner.

Greetings Remnant Body of the Lord Jesus Christ, dear friends, and to whomever else may stumble upon this post. Grace, mercy, and peace be with you from the One True God. “Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders (Exodus 15:11)?”

The work continues here in Nepal despite a plethora of difficulty and spiritual attack. Rolling blackouts are now at 14-hours per day here in Kathmandu. The temperature in our house hovers between 48-55 degrees Fahrenheit most of the day. Petrol and diesel shortages make for station queues FAR LONGER than Jimmy Carter’s gas lines. Hyperinflation continues to plunder our pockets. And, the desire to continue preaching the “glorious gospel of the blessed God” (I Timothy 1:11) to idolatrous ears (i.e. which are known to listen but never seem to change) wanes. I feel like Jonah sitting under the shadow of the gourd, but with one difference: Jonah resented the repentance of the people of Nineveh; I resent the Nepali people’s refusal to repent. Are we wasting our time here? Should we cast the dust from our feet and move on? . . . questions that have plagued my spirit of late. But alas, even as I type, the words of a prophet and of an apostle simultaneously come to mind, each serving the same God though separated from one other by 700 years:

“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation” (Habakkuk 3:17-18).

“For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!  For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me” (I Corinthians 9:16-17).

Thus exhorted, therefore corrected, we press on, grateful for your persistent intercession before the Throne of Grace.

Just after Christmas, my previous blog post indicated that we were preparing for a difficult journey to carry the Gospel to the Sherpa peoples in the Mt. Everest region. That missionary journey, though fraught with difficulty, trial, and tribulation, is now bhayo (i.e. Nepali for been, became, done). And, for this: SOLI DEO GLORIA.

Team Jesus: Jacob, Ricky, Raj, & Jesse (not pictured)

Approximately 350 Project Jagerna Scripture portions and more than 1,500 Gospel tracts were carried by us up into the mountains; and all of these were freely distributed as we proclaimed Christ openly along more than 60 miles of trail and house-to-house in 13 Sherpa villages. For 12 days, we were above 10,000 ft. and as high as 15,500 ft. The weather was bitter cold and wintry, to say the least. More than a foot of snow fell, and on one occasion, as I climbed Sunder Peak, attempting to locate additional settlements in the valley below, I was forced to break trail in knee-deep snowdrifts that occasionally reached waist-height. At least 3 Buddhist monasteries were visited with the Gospel, including the famous Tengboche Gompa. Back in 1999, the last time I was in the Khumbu, we presented the Tengboche monks with a few copies of the Nepali New Testament. This time, after Raj and Jacob (our Nepali partners in ministry) had spent hours explicating the Scriptures with a young monk in our nearby lodge, we again made a “formal presentation” to this monastery, this time with several copies of our Project Jagerna Scripture portions.

Ricky & Raj share Christ at Tengboche Gompa

In Lukla, Phakding, and lower Solu (Jacob’s home area), Christians were provided with needful medicines and Project Jagerna Gospel materials for evangelism purposes. Valuable information was gleaned for longer-term laborers who target the peoples of this area on a regular basis. The highest permanent Sherpa settlements were reached. Wicked idolatry was confronted head-on. And, an added benefit included being able to preach Jesus to trekkers from Australia, the UK, Germany, the United States, Korea, the Czech Republic, France, New Zealand, Ireland, Malaysia, and India. Praise the Lord that we took along some English Gospel tracts. Not all were friendly. In fact, the only real ugly hostility came from foreigners . . . surprise, surprise. Still, SOLI DEO GLORIA.

I have already been asked: Why in the world would you go to the Khumbu in the dead of winter? To be honest: bitter cold and snow were small prices to pay for a time when locals, customarily distracted by the religion of tourism, do little else than sit around trying to keep warm. In other words, the season, though terrible for trekking, is prime for the preaching of the Gospel. Trekker-trash, typically a hateful and brash enemy of the Gospel, is scant; the number of tourists in the region is at an annual low; lodge owners and porters actually have time to discuss and consider the Gospel; a plethora of local porters are out on the trails carrying wood and other needful winter supplies between villages; and Buddhist monks, devoid of the coveted distraction of tourist throngs, are easier to find and entreat with biblical truth. Need I say more . . . It was a good time to be there.

I have also been asked: Why would you want to target a tourist area of Nepal? Since Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzig Norgay’s successful ascent of Mt. Everest on May 29, 1953, the Khumbu has become a magnet for climbers, and more recently, for tourists. In 2010, more than 34,000 tourists visited the area; and far more than any other region of Nepal, the Solukhumbu has encountered the Western World. Yet, for all this, there are ZERO churches above the village of Phakding and the few believers that do exist can be counted with one’s fingers and represent people groups other than Sherpa, the indigenous group. The Solukhumbu, my friends, is the most popular place in Nepal and one of the most unreached in terms of the Gospel. Jesus Christ needed to be preached there; He needs to continue being preached there WITH BOLDNESS! Thank God for those fellow-laborers who sense a call to focus on the Sherpa of the Khumbu long-term. God bless them; I pray our seed-sowing will only benefit their work and yield fruit in which they can rejoice. It’s not an easy field.

This is the Religion of Tourism in the Khumbu

Immediately upon my return to Kathmandu, had someone sensing a call to labor amongst the Sherpa asked me for recommendations or insight regarding the area, I would have assuredly responded: “Your best bet . . . find another people group!” Such are the conclusions that fatigue, hunger, frustration, and spiritual attack can yield, and I wouldn’t necessarily say the same today. Nevertheless, it’s worth considering: when you add to centuries of Tibetan Buddhist decadence a few decades of the corrupt religion of Tourism, what you get is a WICKED society where the gap between rich and poor is huge; where slavery operates in plain sight; where the white man’s wealth is coveted, yet he himself despised; where lodge owners have more money than President Obama yet don’t even know how to let water drip to keep it from freezing or how to practice basic hygiene; where porters are expected to carry more than 100lbs over miles of rugged terrain for reparation that wouldn’t even buy a gallon of gas in some places in the United States; and where, in the shadows of some creation’s most amazing handiwork, the creature is worshipped and served more than the Creator. Sad, but true. Thanks, WHITEY, for screwing up another place on God’s green earth, for making an idolatrous people twofold more children of hell with your globetrotting, pot-smoking, free-thinking benevolence! Yeah, thanks a lot. The blood of the Sherpa people is on your hands.

As difficult as it is to love the Sherpa people after having spent 12 days among them, I remain convinced that they deserve to hear the Gospel as much as any man; we owe it to them to pray for their souls; and we owe it to the FEW who labor among them, some of which I know personally, to continually petition the Father of Lights for strength, resolve, boldness, patience, and spiritual fruit on their behalf in a most difficult mission field. As for us, I am grateful to God that He gave us opportunity to preach Jesus in one of the world’s highest and most spiritually dark corners.

Ricky and I learned a few things worthy of inscription along our 60+ mile route in the Khumbu Himalaya:

There were some divine appointments and clear manifestations of the Lord’s Sovereign Hand along this journey:

Again, SOLI DEO GLORIA.

A Little Message for the Sherpa

There is so much more that can be told. Below is a video documentary in 3 parts that I trust will tell more of the story and provide greater cause for rejoicing. Also, enjoy the photo galleries. So many examples of God’s creative handiwork are forever etched in my mind. Who am I to have been blessed to see with my own eyes so much of what a camera can do no justice? Really, how can the fool say there is no God?

Pray for us in the coming days. We are weary, a bit frustrated, and just plain burned out. And, the rolling blackouts, the petrol shortages, and the chaos of this society certainly don’t help. There is no escape, no refuge within these political borders. Yet, Shawn Holes arrives for 5 weeks in less than 24 hours. Having this dear brother by our side will undoubtedly prove medicine for the soul. Stay tuned for lots more preaching. It’s all we can do. God will give us the strength, boldness, and resolve that we need in answer to your prayers. Please keep holding the ropes.

Pray also for Bishnu and his family. After a long and complicated pregnancy, Bishnu’s wife became the victim of an emergency C-section. The precious little boy made it for about 12 hours; then the LORD took him the day we were supposed to leave for the Solukhumbu. Since, it’s been difficult for my national partner as he tries to nurse his wife back to health. Pray for divine healing and special grace in their lives. I look forward to the day when Bishnu and I can preach together again. May it be soon. For now, Ricky, Shawn, and I will be laboring to do what he cannot.

For the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ,

The Boyd Family & Ricky Springer

himalayan peaks along the route

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sherpa villages targeted along the route

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witnessing on the trail

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Greetings Remnant Body of the Lord Jesus Christ, dear friends, and to whomever else may stumble upon this post.  Grace, mercy, and peace be with you from the One True God.  Hallelujah, Jesus Christ was born!  Hallelujah, Jesus Christ is risen!  Hallelujah, Jesus Christ is coming again!  Are you ready?

We trust all of you had a wonderful Christmas season in contemplation of what the Lord has done for us.  Here in Nepal, on or around Christmas, the Nepali churches typically take to the streets with Gospel tracts and microphones in honor of our Lord’s birth.  Yesterday (i.e. Christmas), we saw several groups out witnessing with boldness.  ‘Twas a great encouragement.  If only the American churches would follow this example, putting aside all the commercialization, greed, and insanity that descends upon our culture this time of year, and utilizing the opportunity to openly declare the child born in a manger as the ONLY ONE who can redeem us from the curse of the Law (Galatians 4:4-5).  Yes, there is a lot we can learn from the believers in this country.  Though much has gone the way of Western “Churchianity” in Nepal (i.e. via the influence of Western missionaries more concerned with a career than a commission from the Lord Jesus Christ; II Peter 2:15 calls it the “way of Balaam”), a Remnant Body remains, and this Body often acts so as to generate our pleasant surprise.  Glory to God in the Highest!

On a similar note, Ricky and I were walking through a local mall several days before Christmas.  It is perhaps the one place in all of Kathmandu where one can walk inside and actually think they are stepping into America.  This particular day, I knew I was not in America because Christmas hymns were being piped over the speakers.  “Joy to the Lord”,  “Silent Night”,  “O Come All Ye Faithful” . . . I simply had to pause in the middle of the breezeway and lift my hands as I heard “Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing; O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.”  And friends, this is in a Hindu country where the Christian population is less than one percent!  As we often quip, “Miracles never cease in the Kathmandu Valley.”  In  those moments I thought of some of the most powerful words that Jesus ever spoke:  “And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out” (Luke 19:40).  God will be glorified, my friends, if not in America, in a place where people know Him not.

The teams head outs to preach.

This December has been extremely busy for us here in Nepal.  We chose to celebrate our Lord’s birth by declaring Jesus Christ openly and publicly as much as possible in Kathmandu, Pokhara, and several places in between.  In December alone, more than 5,000 Gospels of Mark have been distributed along with at least as many Gospel tracts.   It has been a real joy to stand alongside and partner with the team of believers that Bishnu has put together for the work of evangelism.  Some of these have recently used the microphone for the first time, and the preaching has been good.  I think particularly of Laxmi, a 55-year-old brother and a former staunch Hindu who was saved late in life.  For work, he sells wares from his bicycle, a simple man.  Nevertheless, he is always ready to join us and has recently desired the microphone.  He handles the old Hindus wonderfully on the streets, citing contradictions in their religious writings and proving the truthfulness of the Gospel from the Holy Scriptures.  Then, there is Raj & Esther, a husband and wife team that Bishnu, along with FPGM’s help, will be shortly sending to a sound Bible school outside of Kathmandu where they can undergo a 5-month intensive training course.  These joined us on an outreach journey to Pokhara where we targeted Muslims and did some open-air preaching in a few busy markets.  Both were very bold and a true asset to the work.  In the next few days, Raj will be going with Ricky and me up to the Mt. Everest region where we will be spending twelve days in the bitter cold, declaring the Lord Jesus Christ to the high-altitude Sherpa at a time where the distraction of tourism is at its annual nadir.  Please pray for Laxmi, Raj & Esther, and the other brethren that we are training.  Pray that the Lord will provide for their needs and continue to use them for His glory in this country where many still have not heard.  And, please don’t neglect to lift up Bishnu, FPGM’s national partner, and his family.  His wife still battles high blood pressure in this late stage of her pregnancy.  Moreover, I would like to see FPGM’s monthly support of Bishnu increase as he is making every effort to support other local brethren, sending them to the villages for extended periods of time and supplying village pastors with Gospel materials.  If you would like to contribute to our support of the local brethren here in Nepal (i.e. something that can be done a lot cheaper than supporting foreign missionaries on the ground), you can DONATE ONLINE.  Be sure to note how we should appropriate the funds; and remember: all contributions, whether mail-in or online via Paypal, are tax-deductible for United States citizens.

Muslim children receive Gospel tracts outside a mosque.

One particular week from this December was especially sweet as it involved laboring with a dear persecuted brother who lives in a closed country.  For security reasons, I must refrain from names and attempt to be vague.  Suffice it to say that I have corresponded with this brother and his family for nearly five years.  Apparently, he stumbled upon FPGM’s website and initially made a request for some Bibles.  We sent them, and the relationship has been mutually edifying ever since.  Anyway, a couple weeks ago, I saw this dear brother face-to-face for the first time.  The Lord provided for him to come spend a week with us in Nepal and to taste the sweet freedom to preach Jesus Christ without fear of persecution.  It was a real joy to watch this brother exercise his spiritual gifts and to enable him to carry out the Great Commission outside the borders of his own land.  Ricky, Jamie, and I listened in amazement as he shared with us stories of persecution from his homeland and reports of the strength and perseverance of the Remnant Body of Jesus Christ that dwells therein.  We were truly blessed to have this servant of God abide in our home and labor alongside us in the streets of Kathmandu, in the marketplaces of Pokhara, outside a few mosques, and at sacred sites of Hinduism and Tibetan Buddhism.  Through this experience, I have come to see what an amazing training ground Nepal is for those who want to get their feet wet in the bold proclamation of the Gospel.  There is no better training ground in all of the world.  If you want to be a bold witness in the United States, come see us for a week or two.  We’ll see that you return home completely and permanently changed for the better.

Please pray for our dear brother.  Unfortunately, I cannot mention his name or his country.  He did return home safely, though, and was able to successfully smuggle in some Gospel materials that we sent to his church body.  We are praying for two specific things in regard to this relationship.  First, we are asking the Lord to allow Ricky and I to travel to his home for 7-10 days in February or March so as to encourage the persecuted brethren in his church and to provide them with some training.  Obtaining visas will be the real challenge, and the Lord will have to orchestrate the approval.  Secondly, we are asking the Lord to provide the necessary funds for this brother to bring a small team of young people to Nepal in the Spring so as to allow these to openly display their zeal for the Lord Jesus Christ on these streets without fear of real persecution.  We really could use the help of these in targeting Nepal’s Muslim population and in terms of preaching and distribution amongst the Hindus.  The will of the Lord be done. My fellow American believers, don’t forget the persecuted church.  Never forget the persecuted church!

Several scenes from the past month come to mind as I type:

I could write much more about the work here going back to the first of December, but I trust the videos posted below will serve to tell more of the story.

Please pray in earnest for Ricky, Raj, and me over the next two weeks.  On Thursday at dawn, we will be leaving Kathmandu and flying into Lukla, the world’s most dangerous airport.  From there, we will spend the next twelve or so days in the Solu-Khumbu at altitudes as high as 17,000 feet.  Our route will partly be off the tourist trail and will involve the crossing of at least one high mountain pass.  Lord willing, a couple Christian brothers from down in Solu will be walking for two days to meet us and help us porter the Gospel materials into the targeted villages.  This time of year, the tourist traffic is at its lowest, so without the distraction that this normally creates, we are praying that the locals will be more open to the Gospel.  To our knowledge, there are zero churches in the Khumbu and maybe only two believers (i.e. Nepali workers from the outside).  Though a popular tourist destination, the Khumbu remains completely unreached and overrun with the devilry of Tibetan Buddhism.  Some of the villagers will have gone down to Kathmandu for the winter, but one of our aims is to leave tracts and Gospel portions in boarded up homes to be found in the Spring.  Basically, this is a situation where we will be striving to boldly saturate with the Gospel in such a way that it benefits the long-term work of some particular laborers whom we know, love, and appreciate.  Such is the fellowship and partnership in the Body of the Lord Jesus Christ.  We will scatter seeds so that our brethren can water and see God’s increase as early as Spring.  Pray for us, our health, our safety, strength, and an open door to proclaim Jesus Christ on the roof of the world.  We will carrying 1,500 Gospel tracts and 300 Scripture portions with us, a daunting task  Please also remember Jamie and the children, and Bishnu and his family, as they remain behind in Kathmandu.  Lord willing, we return to the Valley on January 11th.

Not until our return shall we know for sure whether or not Shawn Holes and his family will be coming to Kathmandu on January 15th.  As mentioned in my previous post, we have been praying that this dear brother, his wife, and his teenage son can come labor with us for at least a month here in Nepal.  I really could use Shawn’s help; Jamie really could use the fellowship with his wife, her longtime friend; and I believe their boy would benefit immensely from what we have going.  Our two families continue to await provision from the Lord on this, hoping for arrival around the middle of next month.  January and February are prime months to be in Nepal, and there’s much work to be done during that window.  Obviously, the cost for three people to travel to this side of the world and live for at least thirty days is exorbitant, but this is but a small thing for the Lord.  Please keep praying for financial provision.  The plane tickets alone are going to cost $4500!  Thus far, some have been generous to give, but the accrued amount isn’t yet enough for one airfare, much less three.  For more information on how you can help send the Holes family to Nepal, please visit THIS FACEBOOK PAGE.  As I will be out of contact for the next two weeks, it really will be a miracle if the Holes show up on the 15th of January.

Well, I better wrap things up.  My laptop battery is waning; power blackouts are now up to eleven hours per day in Kathmandu, and our one-month-old expensive inverter has already stopped working (It’s a Nepal thing, you wouldn’t understand).  I am literally burning the midnight oil in a house that’s 55-degrees as the candle I lit when I started is a mere nub.

Let me therefore conclude with one final and very important prayer request.  I have often talked about the freedom to preach the Gospel here, the amazing open door that political instability has created, and the boldness with which we are able to go forth into the streets.  But, it bears reminding that this is a fragile freedom, and the open door could slam shut at any time, ushering back in the persecution that the church once felt in this place.  This past month, I have personally encountered several signs that indicate this day could be closer than expected.  Please just pray for us, for Project Jagerna, and for Bishnu.  May God give us wisdom to know when to speak openly and when to hold our peace.  Just last week, I was taken aback with some strange interrogation by a foreign aid worker; such leads me to believe that our efforts are being watched and that fellow “missionaries” may be instruments used to get us deported.  Many are threatened by our open preaching and free distribution of Scripture portions and Gospel tracts, both foreign workers and local “churchianity” pastors.  I fear that the Laodicean churches here will soon team with the Maoists and the Hindus to try and extinguish the light of Remnant Body of the Lord Jesus Christ.  As Ricky and I walked down the street with a Gospel banner several days ago, I overheard a group of men talking about how to get people like us kicked out of the country.  Winds of change are blowing, my friends, and going forward, you may see us become more clandestine in our reporting of what the Lord is doing.  As for hitting the streets and openly proclaiming Jesus Christ, that’s not going to change.  Whatever happens is going to happen; and I rejoice that Bishnu and I are both in 100% agreement concerning the importance to continue doing what we are doing.  Just pray that the door remains open; pray for our safety and security, pray after the manner that the Apostle Paul requested prayer in Ephesians 6:19-20.

We're going to keep preaching hard!

Happy New Year, and may 2012 be the year that your boldness for the Gospel grows by leaps and bounds.

For the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ,

The Boyd Family & Ricky

Shisha Pangma: One of the World's 14 8,000-Meter Peaks

Greetings, dear brethren, in the name of the Righteous One who needs not. “Need” is a creature word. The Creator needs nothing: He doesn’t need our fellowship to be glorified; He doesn’t need to save us to be vindicated; He doesn’t need our worship to survive. Yet, for His pleasure He loved us and gave Himself for us. On the basis of substitution, He declared His righteousness: “that He might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Romans 3:26). Praise God for this unspeakable gift, for the Narahari (i.e. Nepal for “God-man”) who came in the fulness of time, born under the law to redeem those that were under the law (Galatians 4:4). God manifest in the flesh, born of a virgin, now seated in heavenly places: something manmade religion cannot possibly understand.

PARAMESHWAR (i.e. Nepali for “One True God”) IS NOT RELIGION . . . THE BIBLE IS NOT RELIGION . . . YESHU MASHIHA (Nepali for “Jesus the Messiah) IS NOT RELIGION . . . and so we continue to preach and declare openly here in Nepal and throughout South Asia. Thanks for all your prayers, and for those who have and continue to support us financially, the fruit is yours. You have sown; we are reaping; and the day comes when “both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together” (John 4:36).

It has been more than a month since my last blog post. As is typical, much has transpired to the glory of Almighty God. If you have followed us on Facebook (JesseandJamieBoyd, or Full Proof Gospel Ministries), of this you are most certainly aware. But for others of you, let me at least synopsize.

First of all, since my last post, we have moved from our Jhamsikhel apartment to a house with a small yard and garden on the outskirts of Kathmandu, a much better refuge for Jamie and the children. The Lord is good. The place is in a great area with terraced slopes and farm fields nearby; the landlord is much easier to deal with than the previous one; and we are conveniently close to Ring Road (i.e. for carrying the cross around the city) as well as Bishnu and his family. We also have a new house helper, a MUCH BETTER situation than the previous one. Saju is a genuine believer who has been a big help to Jamie. We also brought in another local Christian brother, Deepesh, who had nowhere to stay. He works in a local restaurant and was sleeping there nights. Ricky and I fixed up and outfitted our little outdoor guardhouse, so he stays with us gratis, and in return, his presence near the gate is protection from thieves (a band already struck once and vandalized our outside bathroom while Ricky and I were in Tibet). More than this, I look forward to the discipleship opportunity we have where this young man is concerned. As for the house, there is a flag flying from the roof, visible from several blocks away, that boldly states: “Jesus Christ is God; the Bible is Absolute Truth.” A bit forward, some might say, but we can’t afford not to be bold in Nepal’s cesspool of idolatry, chaff of dead churchianity, and stubble of foreign “missionary” programs” that are devoid of the biblical Gospel and, therefore, better off defunct.

The big story, as of late, concerns the opportunity Ricky and I had to go into Tibet, one of the world’s most closed, one of its most unreached corners. For security reasons, I must be vague, especially since we hope to return there in the Spring and make a literature drop to some faithful long-term laborers. Many of you prayed for us fervently during this time, and for that we are immensely grateful. The Lord heard our prayers as all the materials made it across the border. There were some tense moments, but we watched in amazement as God clearly blinded the eyes of the military personnel who were hand-searching all bags. At that point, Ricky and I both knew “for unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required” (Luke 12:48). We had to get all the materials out, no way they could be brought back into Nepal.

Anyway, over the next seven days we saturated Buddhist monasteries, hit the streets in the area’s three largest cities, had some interesting witnessing encounters, and made a literature delivery to faithful brethren who labor in a very difficult field. The Lord even gave us a couple of opportunities to preach in the open-air. Though in English and to the best of our ability, we are confident that the Lord used it and believe He gave some understanding as occurred in Acts 2 at Pentecost. Proof of this was when an elderly lady, having previously taken a tract, approached Ricky as I preached. She communicated that our message was not welcomed by the authorities and then pointed to one of the nearby cameras, motioning that they were coming for us and urging us to depart. We skirted off down a side alley; God gave us escape. On another occasion, as we saturated neighborhoods with tracts under cover of darkness, it became evident that we were being followed. Thankfully, there were plenty of dark alleyways out of the eyes of the plethora of cameras. Eventually, we shook our pursuers, logging probably 5-7 miles on foot that particular night.

Walking through the Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, we put out tracts, sang hymns aloud, and quoted Scriptures in the face of spiritual darkness. In some places, tracts would be gone only minutes after we had put them out. They were being picked up. Glory to God. One monastery was so crowded as pilgrims pressed to get inside. The crowd was ridiculous with little room to breath. In the chaos, Ricky and I slipped Gospel tracts into people’s pockets and accidentally dropped our “Evangecube.” Oh well, hopefully someone picked it up, figured it out, and then discerned the message of the Gospel depicted thereupon. For any of you “couch-critics” out there who would arraign such efforts . . . Hey, at least the light shined in a place darker than you can imagine. We do what we can do; the rest is in the hands of a Sovereign God.

It was also a pleasure to behold glorious snow-capped scenery at extremely high-altitudes. Gospel tracts went out at elevations as high as 17,200 ft. The Lord allowed me to bag a small fourteener and a 16,000+ foot closed contour that I dubbed “Some Peak.” The Maker of the Mountains also granted us the favor of beholding with clarity Everest, Cho Oyu, and Shisha Pangma, three of the world’s fourteen 8,000-meter peaks. The sights were a glorious testimony of a mighty God; yet in that land, so many have been deceived into serving the “creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever” (Romans 1:25). In fact, the sad reality of Romans 1:18-32 was plainly depicted all around. The spiritual darkness was overwhelming and could be felt, a darkness that emanates where two wicked evils–filthy, vile Tibetan Buddhism and atheistic, abominable Communism–clash on a daily basis. Still, the light shined in the darkness, and we trust others to reap what we have sown and God to give the increase, “that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together” (John 4:36). Amen.

I wish I could write more about our time in Tibet. Perhaps some of the photos posted below and the video footage will provide a more detailed perspective. Pray that the Lord will open another door of opportunity to return in the Spring. Materials are badly needed for the believers there, and we hope to deliver some in a roundabout way. Please pray specifically for our government-appointed guide. He was very open to the Gospel, clearly heard it communicated, and listened with attentiveness as Ricky had an awesome opportunity to open the Scriptures to him as he walked us back to the Nepal border at the end of our journey. We saved a Bible for him, and he took it. Pray for his salvation. Please also pray for a man in a nomad camp who was healed by God of an infirmity, after being prayed for. He confessed Christ in those moments. Channels for follow-up were opened. Pray for this man. Finally, pray for a Nepali-speaking man that I met along the way. I had one Project Jagerna John/Romans edition with me for study purposes, and it was appointed for him. He took it as I shared Christ. May the Lord save him from hell. For security reasons, I’m not going to mention names, but God will know who you are talking about as you make intercession before Him. Also, it wasn’t just Ricky and me laboring up there. Others did their part as we interacted together, and we were thankful for the fellowship. Again, I can’t mention names or details. Nonetheless, it was amazing to see the Body of Christ, made up of those with different strengths and different giftings, labor together and cover for another in a very difficult mission field. To God be the glory. Who am I that He would allow me to carry His light into such a dark place? I am no one, a filthy sinner saved by His grace. Soli Deo Gloria!

Tibet Gallery

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As for the work in Kathmandu and Nepal, it has continued unabated. By God’s grace, we persist in preaching on the streets and making distribution of our Project Jagerna Scripture portions in a variety of venues without any trouble from the authorities. Several weeks ago, we were able to send 500 Gospels of Mark and 2,800 Gospel tracts to Nepali-speaking believers in Malaysia. A Nepali brother carried them down, and all made it through customs safely, a miracle as most Nepalis get searched when they travel to Kuala Lumpur. Again, the Lord blinded the eyes of the authorities in that Muslim country. Pray for all these materials as they go out into the hands of the Nepali migrant workers. Upon our return to Nepal from Tibet, the sweet smell of freedom, albeit amongst the trashy dump that is the Tadopani border town, compelled us to saturate those frontier streets. In less than twenty minutes, 300 Gospels of Mark went out. The day before Thanksgiving, Bishnu took a team of believers, Ricky included, up to a festival in the Sindapulchowk District. There, another 1,400 Gospels of Mark were distributed as were nearly 2,000 Gospel tracts. Brother Laxmi, an elderly brother saved out of years of staunch Hinduism was bold to lift up his voice and preach in that place, fruit of our discipleship efforts.

Let’s see, we have also continued our pursuit of carrying the cross all the way around Kathmandu’s Ring Road. The whole section south of the Bagmati River is now complete. So many Gospels of Mark and Gospel tracts have gone out along the route. A few days ago, a huge crowd gathered at the Koteswor Market as we walked in with the huge cross and preached for more than an hour. Oh, it was awesome. Then, a week or so ago, there was Gwarko Chowk where we literally stood in the middle of heavily congested traffic with the cross and made distribution. And, as for individual encounters, there have been not a few. Wow, the 25,000 Gospels of Mark that we printed a couple of months ago are going fast. Pray for Project Jagerna; we are going to need more printing funds soon. Thankfully, I was able to place an order for 50,000 Gospel tracts just last week. We wait anxiously for these to come off the presses. 10,000 of these are my Blunt Truth and Haven’t You Heard tracts in English, something the university students and young people like to read. It’s funny, in America it cost me $0.14 each to print these tracts. Here is Kathmandu, it averaged out to a mere $0.03 per tract. 40,000 of the 50,000 order are a new one-page tri-fold tract that Bishnu and I put together. Entitled What Provision Have You Made for Your Eternal Journey, it speaks directly to the Hindu and Buddhist worldview, declaring Christ and His salvation to be something very different from religion. I am real excited about this tract, and being only one page, we can print a lot for real cheap. The number-to-weight ratio is also good for portering up into the mountains.

With regard to Project Jagerna, I have been working hard to put up a stand-alone website that conveys information about this Scripture translation and printing work. Check it out at www.projectjagerna.org. There, you can seamlessly go back and forth between fpgm.org and projectjagern.org, donate online to help us print, and view pdf files of all our printed materials. I am excited that Nepalis can now read these Scripture portions and tracts online. A man from Assam, India contacted us recently and requested permission to print Jagerna Gospels of John for the Nepali speakers in his area. Thanks to this new website, the pdf can be easily downloaded and printed. Glory to God, the pure Word of God in Nepali is going out in Nepal, Tibet, India, Malaysia.

Nepal Gallery

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There is so much more that I could write, but time and space does not allow. I do pray, however, that the photos and video clips posted here tell a fuller story. If you have a decent internet connection, enjoy and give praise to Almighty God.

Before I conclude, let me lay out a few important prayer requests:

1. We are planning to make a trip up into the Mt. Everest region either before Christmas or the day after. Lord willing, Ricky and I will be taking a Nepali brother with us so as to disciple him in the work of evangelism. Back in 1999, God gave me opportunity to carry the Gospel up the valley that leads to Everest Base Camp. I haven’t been back since. This time, however, we hope to target the Sherpa peoples of the Gokyo Valley and in the vicinity of Thame. And, we hope to do it in such a way that directly benefits the work of fellow brethren that have more of a long-term focus in that very difficult area. Pray for us as we put our heads together with these brethren and develop a specific strategy that has a long-term effect. Some Project Jagerna Marks were already distributed up there back in the Fall around Thame. We look forward to following up. This time of year, it will be very cold up in the Solu-Khumbu, but the tourist traffic will be significantly diminished, thus creating a more open door for the Gospel. We may also be required to cross at least one very high mountain pass. Back in 1999, my attempt in December to cross one of these passes failed. With the Lord’s help, I don’t intent to fail again. Pray that the Lord makes financial provision for this journey. It will require round-trip airfare to Lukla, the hiring of porters to help carry the material, and subsistence in one of the most expensive areas in all of Nepal. The Tibet trip cost us a pretty penny, but it was well worth every dime. Now, we wait on the Lord to replenish our funds, Ricky in particular, so that the work can continue. We will also be covering all of our Nepali brother’s expenses. Fortunately, in this racist caste-based country, Nepali plane tickets are much cheaper than the foreigner’s ticket. On a side note, Lukla is known as the world’s most dangerous airport in terms of airplane landing and take-off. It’s literally built into the side of a mountain with very little room for pilot error. I was nervous back in 1999; I am nervous again in 2011. Stay tuned . . .

2. Please pray for Bishnu and his family. Bimu, his wife, is in the late stages of pregnancy and is battling elevated blood pressure. There is potential for medical complication, though nothing has materialized as of yet. This situation, by default, has hamstrung Bishnu’s ability to labor with us outside of Kathmandu Valley and will continue to do so for a couple more months. I don’t like traveling into the mountains without him, but it’s the hand we have been dealt. Pray for an easy delivery of a healthy baby, Bimu’s health, financial provision for this family laboring in ministry (Bishnu’s monthly committed support through FPGM has declined in recent months), and for opportunity for Bishnu to return to remote fields in his own country, especially while time remains for us to labor here together.

3. Pray for me, Bishnu, and our Project Jagerna team as we hope to complete translation work on the Gospel of Matthew and the Book of Hebrews in the next few months. Lord willing, we aim to run a batch of Matthew/Hebrews editions off the presses before my family and I return to the States in June. Friends, this work is very difficult as both existing Nepali Bibles are super-expensive, difficult to obtain in quantity, and fraught with translation problems. Right now, I am going back through the Project Jagerna John, Romans, and Mark looking for oversights and minor problems, the necessary work of revision. Pray for the guidance and wisdom of the Holy Spirit in this very important and laborious work. We need to print more Gospels of John soon, and I don’t want to do this until it has been reviewed with a fine-toothed comb once more. Also, I am trying to translate our new “What Provision Have You Made Your Eternal Journey?” Gospel tract back into English. It’s difficult, but God gives grace. Just pray for us as we try to properly balance this work with the needful work of bold preaching, distribution, discipleship, and church-planting.

4. Finally, please pray for Shawn Holes and his family. I have labored with this dear brother in many venues around the United States, and he is a bold preacher being used by the Lord on college campuses and city streets all across the home-front. Anyway, we are praying that he, his wife, and his teenage son can come labor with us for a month or so here in Kathmandu. I really could use his help; Jamie really could use the fellowship with his wife, her longtime friend; and I believe his boy would benefit immensely from what we have going here in South Asia. Our two families are seeking the Lord on this, and the plans are them to arrive here sometime around January 10th. January and February are prime months to be in Nepal, and there’s much work to be done during that window. Obviously, the cost of roundtrip plane tickets for three people (about $1500 each) is a barrier. Also, Shawn had a stint put into one of his arteries a couple months ago. It was a miracle that the doctor’s caught the clogged vessel when they did (i.e. the result of a random screening), and thankfully, Shawn seems to have healed nicely. Still, a big journey so soon thereafter bears risks. Nevertheless, this dear brother is willing and ready to come. And, we want his family to come with him. Just pray that the Lord makes provision and guides clearly in this matter.

5. Please pray for Jamie and the children. Homeschooling is challenging here on the other side of the world. Still, the Lord’s grace is abundant, and I am so thankful for a wife and children who see their role as nurturing and edifying Ricky and me as we go out to preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Without said tender care and concern, we would surely stumble into discouragement and self-pity. Praise God for my family!

Well, as Pilate said when the Jews whined about the sign posted on the cross of the Saviour, “what I have written, I have written.” Soli Deo Gloria.

If the Lord should lay it upon your heart to contribute financially to our ongoing labor in Nepal, the Project Jagerna Scripture printing work, Bishnu’s monthly support, Ricky Springer’s support, or to help facilitate the Holes’ family in coming to assist us here in Kathmandu, please visit www.fpgm.org/donate or www.projectjagerna.org/donate for more information. Don’t forget that all donations are tax-deductible for United States citizens. Moreover, for any contribution, please note how you would like it applied so we can insure it gets used in the proper fashion.

Again, thanks for all your prayers and support. So many gifts have come unexpected, and every dime has been greatly appreciated. May the Lord Jesus Christ be glorified in your lives this Christmas season as you spend time with family and friends. Don’t get caught up in the cultural and commercial insanity. Instead, utilize the opportunity to proclaim the One who came once in a manger as One who will soon come with clouds. As for us, Christmas will just be another day here in Kathmandu, and it will be lonely without family and friends. Nonetheless, we look forward to getting together with some of our Nepali brethren in our backyard and roasting a big old goat over an open fire. Mmmmmm . . . Oh, and then there’s the chance that Ricky and I will be sauntering below snowy Himalayan giants on cold, frosty mornings in high-altitude Sherpa villages next week sometime, singing old Christmas carols in praise to the God who became flesh and dwelt among us, and preaching the babe in a manger who went to the cross, rose from the dead, and now sits at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Soon, He’s coming back. Are YOU ready?

I like the words of an old song by Scott Wesley Brown:

Who would have thought that long ago, so very far away:
A little child would be born, and in a manger lay.
And who would have thought this little child was born the King of Kings,
The son of just a carpenter, but for whom the angels sing.
And who would have thought that as He grew, and with other children played:
This child with whom they laughed and sang would die for them someday.
And who would have thought this little child could make a blind man see,
Feed the hungry, make rich the poor, and set the sinner free.
And who would have thought this little child was who the prophet said,
Would take away the sins of man and rise up from the dead.
Oh, I believe, and I will always sing, this little child is the King.
Oh, I believe, and I will always sing, this little child, He is the King of Kings.

Many years have come and gone, yet this world remains the same.
Empires have been built and fallen, only time has made a change.
Nation against nation, brother against brother:
Men so filled with hatred, killing one another.
And over half the world is starving, while our banner of decency is torn.
Debating over disarmament, killing children before they’re born.
And fools who march to win the right to justify their sin,
Oh, every nation that has fallen, has fallen from within.
Yet in the midst of this darkness, there is a hope, a light that burns:
This little child, the King of Kings, SOMEDAY WILL RETURN.
And, I believe, and I will always sing, this little child is the King.
And, I believe, and I will always sing, this little child, He is the King of Kings.

Oh who would have thought this little child is who the prophet said,
Will return to judge this world, the living and the dead.
Oh, can’t you see that long ago, so very far away,
This little child, our only hope, was born a King that day.

“Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all the kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen” (Revelation 1:7).

Your Humble and Obedient Servants,

The Boyd Family & Ricky Springer

P.S. In case you haven’t had an opportunity, don’t forget to listen to the inaugural episode of “Out of Season,” FPGM’s internet talk-show. Here’s the link:

http://fpgm.org/podcast/out-of-season-episode-1/

I never got a subsequent episode out from Tibet, as I had hoped, but the plans are for the next episode to be broadcast from Solu-Khumbu in the shadows of Mount Everest.

Also, don’t forget to “Like” and follow Full Proof Gospel Ministries on FACEBOOK. You can also send a friend request to JesseandJamieBoyd.

The Api-Saipal Himalaya in Nepal's Far West

Greetings, dear brethren, in the name of the Matchless Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. He alone can deliver from the bondage of man-made religion (I Timothy 2:5). It’s been more than seven weeks since my last report, and much has transpired here in Nepal for the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ since Ricky Springer and I returned from Malaysia on August 29th. Thanks for your prayers and support.

My family is now living with us here in Kathmandu (Thank God), and we just finished a month of labor with a small team that came in from Ricky’s home church in Owasso, Oklahoma. Now, we are setting out sights upon some very difficult unreached areas, praying with earnest that the Lord would open a door of opportunity to go in to some of these places with copies of the Word of God.

Our Team

This past month, with the help of the team from Beacon Hill Baptist Church in Owasso, Oklahoma, much was accomplished in terms of the Great Commission. The Gospel was preached in the open-air at Buddhist and Hindu Temples, during religious festivities, on a college campus, and along the beginning stages of our journey to carry a large cross all the way around Ring Road, a highway that circumnavigates the entire city of Kathmandu. We also made a jaunt to Nepal’s remote Far West so as to preach Christ and distribute Scripture portions in places where Jesus had not been named. There, 1,400 newly printed Project Jagerna Gospels of Mark, as well as more than 1,000 Gospel tracts, were distributed in the Baitadi and Bajhan Districts where isolated hillside villages were targeted along the road to Chayanpur. We also visited the believers that Bishnu (FPGM’s national partner) baptized in the village of Haata more than a year ago. Getting to Haata involved heavy packs and a steep downhill slog of more than 10 miles with a loss of 4,000 feet in elevation from the road. Having preached and distributed all along the trail, we eventually reached Haata and were able to deliver materials to the brethren for evangelism. Moreover, we provided an afternoon of evangelism training. As far as we know, that grouping of believers is the only “church” in the entire Baitadi District. We are praying fervently that the Lord would raise up a pastor willing to move out there and shepherd that flock which, by the way, is already showing amazing signs of spiritual growth despite a lack of leadership. The trip to the Far West was simply amazing, true frontier missions at the ends of the earth. Lord willing, we aim to revisit once more before the winter snows come in force.

Project Jagerna Gospels of Mark Coming off the Presses

Other notable labors from the past weeks include a 3-day evangelism training that was conducted by Bishnu at a church in the Kapilbustur District and the printing of 25,000 Project Jagerna Gospels of Mark. All praise to the Lord for providing the funds to print, and since these were received less than a month ago, copies have already been sent to Kapilbustur, the Solu-Khumbu (the area around Mt. Everest), and Nepal’s Far West. Nearly 4,000 have been distributed or provided to village church bodies for evangelism purposes.

Pray for us in the coming days as we seek to get into some difficult areas, as we endeavor to build an evangelism team around Bishnu here in Kathmandu, as we plan to print more Gospel tracts, and as we continue to faithfully translate, publish, and distribute the Scriptures in the Nepali language. Pray also as Ricky, Bishnu, and I work our way around Ring Road with the cross preaching in the open-air as the Lord gives opportunity. We are literally trying to saturate this city with bold preaching, thereby stirring the existing believers and missionary workers to boldness while the door is still open in this unstable country. As always, please pray for the Lord’s financial provision. Things are expensive here, and again, our printing fund is nearly exhausted.

Below, I have posted some video footage from the past several weeks of ministry here in Nepal. To God be the glory. You will also find some photos of various peoples that have heard the Gospel and received a Project Jagerna Scripture portion. May these faces haunt you to the point of fervent prayer for the lost souls in this dark and forlorn land, a country whose patron Hindu deity is Shiva, the Destroyer (aka Beelzebub, Lucifer, the Dragon, Satan, that Old Serpent). “But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Corinthians 15:57).

Going forward, I will be conducting an internet talk show entitled “Out of Season.” I invite you to listen to the latest episode, and I pray you will thereby be encouraged and edified in the faith. Lord willing, I will be broadcasting once a week or once every two weeks from a variety of locations here in Nepal as we endeavor to make the Gospel of Jesus Christ an unavoidable issue for as many people as possible. I expect these broadcasts to be a forum to discuss a variety of theological and missiological issues as well as a platform for recapping in detail what the Lord is doing here in Nepal. CLICK HERE to listen to our inaugural episode in which the second hour features an interview with the young people from Oklahoma who labored with us here from mid-September to mid-October. Also, enjoy the videos and photos posted below.

For the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ,

The Boyd Family & Ricky

faces of the lost

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