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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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.

Several days after a major earthquake that rocked Sikkim brought some death to Kathmandu, this message was preached to a crowd of more than a hundred in the open-air at Kathmandu’s Ratna Park (September 23, 2011). Sandwiched between some introductory and concluding remarks in the Nepali language, Jesse Boyd preaches in English while Bishnu Shrestha translates into Nepali. This message is a warning of coming judgment and a call to repentance in a nation overrun with Hindu and Buddhist idolatry. At the conclusion of this message, more than 500 Gospel tracts and 200 Scripture portions were distributed in a matter of minutes.

Open-air Preaching on Petaling Street in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Greetings, beloved brethren. Grace, mercy, and peace be upon you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ: God manifest in the flesh (I Timothy 3:15) and He who will judge the world in righteousness (Acts 17: 31).

Ricky Springer and I have safely returned to Nepal after two weeks of fruitful labor in Southeast Asia; and now, we await the arrival of my family in a few short days. Please be in prayer for traveling mercies as we trust they will find seats on Sunday’s flight to Delhi and then be able to secure a flight bound for Kathmandu a day or so after arrival in India. It will be very difficult for Jamie to travel alone with three small children, so please make intercession with intent. Thank God there will be someone in Delhi to put them up and assist them with securing the onward trip to Nepal.

In a couple of weeks, a small team from Beacon Hill Baptist Church in Owasso, Oklahoma will be coming to Kathmandu to assist our ministry for a month. Please pray for this time as we are planning some intensive outreach, mass literature distribution, a couple of village runs outside the Kathmandu Valley, and some evangelism trainings for Nepali believers. Eight of us will be bunking in our small apartment during this time, so pray for grace as we shall undoubtedly gain a special appreciation for the sense of community experienced by the early New Testament Church (cf. Acts 2:42-47). Pray also that the Lord makes financial provision for the anticipated work.

So, due to tourist visa regulations, Ricky and I left Nepal for a couple of weeks, debarking in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where we hoped to target the surprisingly sizable Nepali migrant-worker population that can be found there. We carried 1,000 Nepali Gospel tracts and 500 Project Jagerna Scripture portions with us, in addition to more than a thousand Chinese Gospel tracts and some English materials. By God’s grace, these made it into a relatively closed Muslim country without incident and were distributed in the name of the Lord.

Malaysia and Indonesia are closed Muslim countries where problems can arise for believers that seek to preach the Gospel to Muslims. To protect the security of local believers and foreign workers with whom we labored, I will not mention names or other customary details. Nevertheless, know that the Word of God went forth boldly, and, as is FPGM’s practice, we pushed the envelope in terms of public proclamation. By God’s grace, we were not bothered or apprehended by police, and at all border crossings, the Gospel materials made it across without incident. In fact, on one occasion, we were taking a bus from Singapore back into Malaysia. Late at night, we made the border crossing and were a little concerned about the Malay tracts in our backpacks. In customs, the officer on duty was actually fiddling with a Rubix Cube and didn’t even look up when our bags passed though the x-ray machine. Upon our initial early morning arrival in Kuala Lumpur with all the Nepali, English, and Chinese materials, there seemed to be no one around in customs. We just walked through. Such incidents were certainly a blessing from the Lord who acted to protect His Word. Thanks for your prayers.

Ricky openly shares Christ with Muslim students at UCSI University.

So, in Kuala Lumpur, Ricky and I had the great privilege of engaging in many activities for the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ: fellowship with persecuted believers whose church had recently been raided by the government; evangelism training for Nepali believers in three separate fellowships on the outskirts of the city; seed sowing in the National Mosque; distribution of Gospel tracts in Malay, English, Nepali, Bengali, Chinese, and the Myanmar language; and, believe it or not, open-air preaching at bus stops, in the heart of Chinatown, and on the commuter trains in what is supposed to be a closed country where such activities can get you arrested or deported. We also openly shared Christ with students from Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Iran, China, and Malaysia outside UCSI University on the south side of KL. The freedom we enjoyed actually forces me to wonder about the realities portrayed by many overtly paranoid missionaries in such contexts. While there, one missionary refused an invitation of fellowship with us as he believed it would compromise his security. He was adamant that we were being “watched” by the government and made reference to a church that had been recently raided. Ironically, we fellowshipped with some leaders from that church, and it was them that actually encouraged us to go sow seeds at the National Mosque and to preach on Petaling Street in Chinatown.

As I write on these things, a specific incident comes to mind. I had just finished preaching in Nepali to a group of Nepali-speakers on the streets in Kuala Lumpur. A young girl heard me, took a tract, and then ran down to find her Malaysian friends. These later approached and thanked us for having the guts to preach in a place where so many are afraid to do so. The Malaysian husband and wife had only been saved for a year and were so excited to see us preaching. I gave them some Malay tracts, we stood there in the streets and prayed for one another, and from that encounter, the fear I had been wrestling with all day seemed to fade. Immediately, Ricky and I headed over to a bus stop and lifted our voices, knowing that local brethren were praying for us. Going forward, how could we not be bold?

Jesse preaching at a downtown traffic island in KL.

Friends, I really don’t believe paranoia has any place in the life of a believer, much less a missionary on a foreign field. “For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (II Timothy 1:7). A spirit of power is not ashamed to proclaim the truth in relationships or to the masses; moreover true love bids a warning doom to children that play in the freeway. Finally, a sound mind does not cower before manmade laws that contradict the Great Commission of our Lord and Saviour or capitulate to false religions that damn untold millions to hell. A biblical response to persecution should mirror that of the Roman believers as a result of Paul’s imprisonment: “And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear” (Philippians 1:14). Like Paul, we should see persecution as an opportunity as opposed to an obstacle: “But I would that ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places” (Philippians 1:12-13). Friends, to labor in a context of persecution or government attempts to silence the Gospel really is a privilege, and believers therein should be good stewards of said privilege as opposed to paranoid delusionists: “For unto you is it given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake” (Philippians 1:29). Honestly, I grow weary of so-called laborers, particularly in Muslim contexts, who are beset with fear and try to make the Gospel more palatable for Islam by refraining from references to Christ as the “Son of God,” who are constantly “building relationships” with Muslims that never actually lead to the proclamation of the truth, who observe Islamic witchcraft out of “respect,” and who sometimes act as enemies of those that would preach the truth boldly. Trust me, I have encountered many such ilk over the years who seem to boast in a 007 secret agent status; and usually, these hate me or rebuff any efforts I make toward fellowship. How discouraging this is, but God always preserves a faithful remnant; and in response to every encounter as described above, it seems the Lord has orchestrated fellowship and mutual encouragement with local brethren or faithful missionaries who don’t labor under such bondage, and in some cases, truly know what it is to hazard their lives for the Gospel. Thank God for His faithful Remnant.

As for us and the context in which we labor in Nepal, there seems to be an incredible open door, at least for the moment. This could change at any time, but our job remains the same. Some of you, out of genuine concern, have sought to inform us about some “new government laws” that restrict “proselytizing” here in Nepal. Undoubtedly, such information came from Voice of the Martyrs, a notable ministry that wrote of this several months ago. Please understand that their reporting was an exaggerated picture of the situation well beyond reality (something they have been accused of before by people on the ground). We have preached in many open-air venues, oftentimes with police around, and never has an attempt been made to silence us. Besides, having a law in Nepal and actually enforcing it are two completely different things (something VOM forgot to mention). We continue to preach boldly here in Nepal and make mass distribution of Gospel materials and Scripture portions. We will continue this effort with or without an “anti-proselytizing” law, as encouraged and recommended by faithful national believers with whom we labor. Still, we covet your prayers for wisdom in every outing and protection from the enemies of the cross. There has been at least one call to have us banned from this country by a local who observed us preaching and posted some stuff on the internet, but as expected, nothing has come of it.

Training Nepali Believers at a Fellowship in Nilai

Well, back to Malaysia: In Kuala Lumpur, the had the great honor of proclaiming Jesus Christ to a number of Nepalis, shopkeepers and migrant workers who come to Malaysia for better paying jobs so as to send money back to their families. Many of those with whom we engaged were from parts of extreme eastern and western Nepal, so we trust the seeds sown will somehow make their way back to these places. As mentioned, we also conducted some evangelism training sessions at three Nepali fellowships in different locales on the outskirts of the city. The first was a real challenge as I had no translator. I almost called it off, but the Lord was faithful to help me exegete and exhort from the five different appearances of the Great Commission in the New Testament in Nepali (i.e. Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21-22; Acts 1:8). My prayer was that, like at Pentecost, the believers would hear and understand the message supernaturally in their own language, despite my communication difficulties. After the morning session, I thought to cancel the evening session due to my lack of language skills, but the brethren begged us to return and were so grateful for the teaching. By day’s end, I had done two things I had never attempted before: I had exegeted Scripture in Nepali and I had translated for Ricky as he shared his testimony in English. To God alone be the glory for all this. So, by the next two trainings, I insisted upon teaching in Nepali and only used a translator if needed to communicate a particular thought. All went well, and three local bodies, I trust, were edified. To each of these, we provided Project Jagerna materials for evangelistic outreach. And, after one of the trainings, we actually took the brethren out into the streets and shared Christ in a couple of Nepali bars. I couldn’t believe that one tavern owner actually let me address his clientele as they sat eating and drinking. For the first time, I did my little Gospel presentation rope trick in the Nepali language. Glory to God. In summation, all of the Nepali Gospel tracts and Project Jagerna Scripture portions that we carried into Malaysia went into the hands of Nepalis, whether to the lost on the streets or to Nepali believers for their own evangelistic outreach. In this, I rejoice. After all, the stated goal of Project Jagerna is to preserve the pure Word of God for the Nepali people all over the world through translation, publication, and DISTRIBUTION.

Also in Malaysia, as mentioned, Ricky and I were able to preach in the open-air in several venues. Interestingly, the only real hostility we faced came from American tourists. One hippie kept walking by and cussing us out as his two female companions expressed vocal disbelief as to why we would be “disrespecting” a Muslim country by preaching Jesus. As I looked at the attire of these two females, I found myself asking: Why would you two disrespect a Muslim country by dressing like prostitutes? Another man circled me as a preached, continuously shaking his head. Later, as I witnessed to a small group of Bangladeshi Muslims, he walked by and shoved me out of the way. I responded, “Sir, don’t assault me just because you hate God, your Maker.” He stormed off into the night–Typical Americans. One evening, as I was trying to conjure up courage to open my mouth, a Malaysian man saw me thumbing through my Bible. He motioned me to approach and then asked, “So, are you going to preach to us or not?” Ricky had preached at the same place a couple of nights earlier, so I guess they were expecting it. From this honest question, the Lord gave boldness.

On the commuter trains, I would preach through a rope trick or simply read Scripture from places such as John 3, I John 5, etc. Ricky was also bold to preach Jesus, the Son of God in these crowded quarters where many women sat wearing burkhas. Several times, Muslims approached and requested tracts after the preaching. They took them on the trains and at bus stops. The Lord was good to give increase to His Word.

Ricky shares Christ on the streets in Batam, Indonesia.

Ricky and I also had the great privilege of bussing down to Singapore and taking a ferry over to the port of Batam in Indonesia, a country with the world’s largest population of Muslims. In Indonesia, we enjoyed some wonderful fellowship with a local believer who once was a staunch follower of Islam. Basing out of a hotel, Ricky and I made a late night jaunt into the backstreets and distributed numerous Gospel tracts. We sowed seeds around a mosque, preached at a bus stop, and labored until our stack of tracts was dispersed. The next morning, we ferried back to the mainland. On the ferry, Ricky distributed tracts, and we geared up for a long day on the streets of Singapore.

Distributing Gospel Tracts in Singapore

In Singapore, the population is mostly of Chinese origin and there is much more freedom for the Gospel. Still, one has to be careful as Singapore has many crazy laws against normal activities. Moreover, the government is like a huge big brother that tries to maintain “peace” in a place sandwiched between two Muslim nations. Nevertheless, we had no issues as we distributed many Gospel tracts in Chinatown and outside a busy subway station. At a couple of bus stops, we preached Christ; and we met with a Nepali believer, supplying him with Project Jagerna materials for outreach amongst Nepali-speaking migrant workers. On one occasion, Ricky and I stumbled upon a huge open plaza near a Chinese temple. It was crowded with people playing chess or just sitting around conversing. As we prepared to preach, my eye caught a glimpse of a sign. It read, “Religious Activity is not allowed in this square. Offender could be fined up to $5000.” We decided to go somewhere else, probably a wise move.

At the end of a very long and hot day that began in Indonesia and culminated late along Singapore’s Golden Mile, I quickly gave myself a Mexican shower in a less than clean bathroom, and Ricky and I boarded an air-conditioned night bus bound for Kuala Lumpur. We arrived in the heart of the city around 4:00am and literally spent the night on the streets because the commuter train was closed. It was an interesting experience, and a bit fun. Unable to sleep under the awning of a closed train station door, I was actually able to catch up in my journal, an unexpected blessing.

Concerning Islam, we encountered it in Malaysia and Indonesia first-hand, as I have done in many other places around the world. Once again, I was reminded just how wicked, hypocritical, self-righteous, and blasphemous this religion truly is; it is a front-line enemy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and many are deceived by its wiles. An example to illustrate this was seen every evening in Malaysia as Muslims prepared to break fast at sundown during Ramadan. Restaurants were crowded, and plates of piping hot food sat on tables untouched as nervous Muslims tapped their feet and stared at their watches, waiting for “official sundown.” Once the hand struck, people starting shoveling food in their mouths as if there was no tomorrow. As Ricky and I observed in amazement, I was reminded of the children of Israel in the desert as they lustfully and gluttonously shoveled quail God had provided into their mouths (Numbers 11). The sad part of what we observed is that people actually think God is impressed with this. Of course, the feasting continued through the night as oftentimes restaurants were packed into the wee hours of the morning. Once, when we arrived in Kuala Lumpur at 4:00am on the bus from Singapore, I was astonished to see a McDonald’s filled with people eating. They say those that observe Ramadan actually gain weight during the month as they gluttonously eat far more than a normal day’s intake between the hours of sundown and sunup. I truly believe it. And of course, all the self-righteous propaganda about Ramadan displayed everywhere in Malaysia was enough to make one sick. Immediately, Isaiah 29:13 comes to mind: “Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men.” Manmade religion, it’s all the same.

Answering the Call to Prayer at Malaysia's National Mosque

Ricky and I did visit the National Mosque and attempt to engage some of the “tour guides” and propagandists with the Gospel on two separate occasions. The lies about Islam and the Bible that were fed to us were utterly astounding. One “tour guide” even tried to allure us by discussing all the sexual freedom that Islam offers as long as one unmarried stops short of “penetration.” Of course, these ravings are in direct contradiction to the Quran but seemed a viable means to attract Western converts. Sheer profundity! We were also told that Christians and Jews are close relatives of Muslims and that Islam has no ill-will toward such. When I pointed out Surah 9:30 that plainly speaks of Christians and Muslims as cursed, the propagandist had no answer. Of course, they always try to slither out of the Quran’s ridiculous statements by saying, “Well the Quran may say that, but that is not what it means.” Hmmm, I believe I have heard this before: “Well, I know the Bible says that, but the original Greek really means something else . . .” (Christian colleges and seminaries) OR “Well, I know God said not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but He actually meant that if you eat it, you will become like God” (the serpent in the Garden of Eden). There is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9), and Satan’s strategy is an old one that has proven effective.

Here is a sample of some of the “logic” used by Muslim leaders in the Kuala Lumpur mosque to try and convince us to convert to Islam:

- “People have memorized the entire Quran, and this proves it came from God. There’s no way a man could memorize an entire book unless God was with him” (P.S. I memorized five entire New Testament books myself, and Anton Levae had his entire Satanic bible memorized, the logic here is beyond me).

- “The Bible is full of contradictions. One of the biggest ones is when Lot had sex with his daughters. Lot was a prophet, and prophets don’t do evil things. The presence of this story in the Bible proves it has been corrupted” (Uhhh, I don’t get it).

- “Proof that the Quran is the Word of God stems from the fact that Mohammed was uneducated and illiterate.” It’s interesting that the Mormons use the same line of reasoning to argue the divine origin of the Book of Mormon from the pen of Joseph Smith.

- “The Quran forbids sex outside of marriage, but as long as there is no penetration, everything else is ok between a boy and a girl” (The man Ricky was speaking with actually said this as a means to lure him toward Islam. Many Muslims think all Americans are sex-crazed perverts and see nothing wrong with enticing such lusts to draw in converts. In reality, the Quran forbids intimate contact of any kind between male and female outside of marriage).

- “The Ingil [i.e. the Four Gospels] is the Word of God, but Jesus was not the Son of God” (Both of these statements cannot be true though the man who spoke them was convinced otherwise).

- “Why do we have sons? We have sons because we want someone to teach, to joke with, to play games with, to work for us, and other things. God does not need a son to do any of these things, so God does not have a Son.” I don’t think “foolish” is a strong enough word to describe this logic. Of course, “logic” is not a good word either, because this insanity is everything but logic.

- “Even the Bible points to Mohammed. Moses spoke of another prophet that would come in Deuteronomy, and Jesus spoke of a Comforter that would come after him. Both of these prophecies refer to Mohammed.” WHHHAAAHHHH, HA, HA, HA, HA, HE, HE, HE . . . . All I can do is laugh.

- “Islam is the perfected form of Christianity. After all, our women wear head coverings because Mary wore a head covering as you can see in all the paintings of her.” At this point, I was really starting to wonder if this Islamic apologist was on drugs or if his Ramadan fast was causing his nervous system to shut down.

- “God is all powerful, and He can do anything; He just can’t have a Son.” Hmmm, makes sense, NOT.

- “The Bible says that the world is flat, but the Quran is more scientifically correct because it says the earth is shaped like an egg.” I don’t know where this guy gets his information from. The Bible actually says in the Hebrew in Isaiah that the earth is a sphere; and I have never seen anything scientific that has referred to the shape of the earth as eggish.

This is just a sample, my friends, of the reasoning behind the Islamic juggernaut and the superstitions that hold many in bondage at the hands of their imams. How can we do anything short of proclaiming to these people Jesus Christ, the Son of God and freedom from the bondage of manmade religion? Christ died for the Muslim masses. How can we ignore them? How can we as ambassadors of Christ conceal Him before them out of fear or “respect”?

One of the Muslim leaders with whom we conversed at the National Mosque said a very profound thing that Christians would do well to remember. Speaking to me in response to my identification as a “man of the Book” (i.e. Quran’s nomenclature for Christians), he noted: “Those that believe the Bible and those that believe the Quran do not worship the same God. Your God is not the same as my God.” Did you read that, my friends, not the same God? Will someone please tell George W. Bush and half the pastors of emergent churches.

Ricky engages a Muslim guide at the National Mosque.

To the above statement, I replied, “Friend, you are correct. Your god and your book cannot answer the question concerning how my sins can be paid for. My God and my Book give a very clear answer to this question–the God-man, Jesus Christ. That is why I cannot follow the Quran. I had a real question in my life. The Quran does not answer the question, your leaders can never answer the question. But, the Bible provides the answer, and the Bible has fulfilled prophecy to prove its authenticity.” To this he responded, “The Bible is full of contradictions.” I said, “Show me one.” He retorted, “Well, I am not a student of the Scriptures.” I kept on him about this. Finally, the best he could come up with was the story of Lot having sex with his daughters (referenced above). He then said that Mohammed never sinned and that none of us are born in sin. In the end, Ricky and I proclaimed Christ and the Gospel as it is in truth. This leader mentioned that Christians and Muslims are close, near relatives in God’s family. I then showed him Surah 9:30 where it says Christians and Jews are cursed. “What about this,” I asked, “Am I your enemy, am I the enemy of God because I believe upon the Son of God?” He could not, he would not answer the question. It’s a dark web of lies, dear brethren: no logic, a lot of nonsensical reasoning, much bondage. But, the light of the Gospel was proclaimed in that place. Pray it takes root.

Please pray for T, a “door greeter” who approached me as Ricky initially engaged one of the men referenced above. T, like the others, could not answer the question about how the price for our sin could be paid. But, he listened as I shared with him Scriptures concerning the nature and work of Jesus Christ. This man, unlike the others, seemed very open and showed signs of doubt concerning the Quran. At one point, he stopped me and said: “You are a very wise man, and you know about the Quran than I do.” I emphasized that I was only a servant, a wicked man who had found the answer to the question he could not answer, a man who had been changed by Jesus Christ. He thanked me with sincerity. Please pray for T. Later, the man who Ricky spoke with the first week came on the scene and was surprised to see that we had returned according to our word. His reasoning was so flawed, he is so blinded. Still, Ricky spoke the truth in love. They didn’t kick us out; they didn’t threaten us; they didn’t get angry; they heard the truth. Soon thereafter, the leaders answered their call to prayer and entered their sanctuary. We prayed for these men aloud right there in that place, left a Gospel of John on their table, and then proceeded to walk around the outer court, praying aloud for those inside and reading Scriptures aloud (i.e. Hebrews 1; John 1; I John 5, etc.) Please pray that the seeds sown in Kuala Lumpur’s National Mosque sprout unto conviction and everlasting life.

Let me pause to say something about average Muslim people, as opposed to Islam’s deceptive leaders. Many show a level of kindness and hospitality that should make many so-called “Christians” feel ashamed at their lack thereof. I’ve met some amazingly hospitable Muslims who have shown me nothing but kindness and congeniality. I weep for these, knowing that they are perishing in manmade religion; and thoughts of such should compel us to be bold with the truth toward people of all duplicitous faiths. After all, it is the wicked that flee when no man pursues, but “the righteous are bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1).

One more thing, our time in Malaysia further confirmed a truth that I have been pondering of late. People claim that Christianity and Islam share a major truth in common – the worship of one God. I would argue, however, that Islam has more in common with atheism than with the truth of the Bible. For the atheist, man is his god. In a sense, the same can be said for Islam, for the god of Islam is really not Allah at all, it’s Mohammed. Everything is about Mohammed: Mohammed said this; Mohammed said that; Mohammed, peace be upon him, etc. Very little thought is really ever given to Allah himself aside from what is used to promote the “prophet.” The Muslim says, “Mohammed, peace be upon him.” I say, “Mohammed, may justice be done upon him.”

On that note, please pray for the people of Malaysia and for the faithful laborers who labor among them, those with whom we had the great privilege of enjoying some edifying fellowship. I cannot mention names for security reasons; just know that the Lord is at work in that place, and that Ricky and I consider it an honor to have sown seeds that others will undoubtedly water. And praise God; He gives the increase (I Corinthians 3:7).

So, we are back in Nepal with 9 months of labor ahead of us. Please continue to lift us, Full Proof Gospel Ministries, Bishnu Shrestha (our Nepali national partner), and Project Jagerna up before the throne of the Most High. Here are a few specific prayer requests:

- Safety and traveling mercies for Jamie and the children

- Bishnu’s wife is having blood pressure complications at the 4-month point of her pregnancy. The baby is due in February.

- The time with the team from Beacon Hill Baptist Church

- Pray that the Lord will send more teams over in the next 9 months to assist us with the distribution of Gospel materials. We chose an apartment here in Jhamsikhel so that we could house teams.

- Soon, we will begin carrying a cross around the entire perimeter of Kathmandu and right through the heart of the city, praying and preaching as we go. Pray that this proves an effective and bold means to reach many with the Gospel.

- In the next couple of weeks, we hope to see our first batch of the Project Jagerna Gospels of Mark come off the printing presses. Pray for these as they go forth into the hands God has prepared to receive them freely.

- Financial provision for FPGM: hyperinflation in Nepal makes our time here far more expensive than anticipated.

In response to several requests for information, I reluctantly offer these words: If the Lord should lay it upon your heart to financially support Ricky, Bishnu’s family, Project Jagerna printing, or the work in general, first pray with fervor to insure that said desire is from the Lord.  Checks can be made out to Full Proof Gospel Ministries and mailed to the post office box noted in the right sidebar.  Remember that all contributions are tax-deductible, and you will receive a deductible-giving receipt at the end of the calendar year.  Contributions can also be made online via Paypal.  Just be sure to note if any contribution is for Ricky, Bishnu, the printing, etc.  I will make sure it gets to the appropriate place.  Thanks for your consideration in this matter.  Full Proof Gospel Ministries commits to use all support to aid the public proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the printing and mass distribution of the Word of God, and/or for the training of believers in the needful work of Great Commission evangelism; not for creature comforts, manmade strategies, or complex platforms that become an end in and of themselves.
Alas, I have rambled long enough. Thanks for your faithful support and prayers. Know that the Word of God has gone forth with boldness and will continue to do so. We count it no small blessing that you all hold the ropes through your prayers and support.
I trust the video link posted below will be an encouragement as you see the Gospel proclaimed with boldness in a closed Muslim country.

To God be the Glory. In Jesus Christ alone have we power to accomplish anything for His Kingdom.

Grace, Mercy, and Peace be upon you,

Jesse Boyd

An elderly man, having received a New Testament in Ratna Park, reads aloud as another listens.

Much has transpired here in Kathmandu over the past 3 weeks as we have secured a place to live and have actively come alongside Bishnu Shrestha, FPGM’s national partner, in the open-air preaching of the Gospel and mass distribution of Gospel tracts and Scripture portions.

The video footage posted below provides a few glimpses into the incredible open door that exists here and the hunger that people have for truth in a land wholly given to idolatry.  I pray this footage is a blessing to you, an answer to your prayers for us, and a prod that would enjoin you to go out and be bold with the Gospel of Jesus Christ in your sphere of influence through whatever method the Lord has laid upon your heart.

As you might ascertain from this footage, the needs here, particularly for the printing of Scripture portions and Gospel tracts, is great.  As the Lord provides, we print.  Very soon, our translation work on the Gospel of Mark will be complete, and we shall endeavor to print 10,000 copies.  This year alone, we have already printed 30,000 Scripture portions and 25,000 Gospel tracts.  Nearly all of these have been distributed.  To God be the Glory.

This message was preached to a crowd of at least 300 in the open-air at Ratna Park, a public gathering place in the heart of Kathmandu, Nepal (August 13, 2011). Sandwiched between some introductory and concluding remarks in the Nepali language, Jesse Boyd preaches in English while Bishnu Shrestha translates into Nepali. This message is a call to repentance in a nation overrun with Hindu and Buddhist idolatry. At the conclusion of this message, more than 400 Scripture portions and 500 Gospel tracts were distributed in a matter of minutes.