Greetings again from Kathmandu, Nepal in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ:  Jayamashi (Nepali for “Victory in the Messiah”)!  I trust everyone had a blessed Christmas and is enjoying a Happy New Year.   Apology is warranted because this update has been so long in coming.  Things have been extremely busy lately, and earlier today, Jamie’s sister got on a plane bound for the United States, her eventful time here coming to a close.  She was supposed to leave two days ago, but for some odd reason, she was not allowed to board the plane.  After immense hassles and unexplainable problems, the only available option was to purchase another ticket in business class. Otherwise, she would have been stuck here for at least ten days (all the flights were overbooked).  This was an airline problem, so we are praying that they will honor the original ticket, admit their mistake, and refund the money once she gets back to the States.  If not, a major financial burden will loom.  Please join us in prayer about this; the important thing was to get her home.  We still have not been given an answer as to why she was bumped from her original confirmed and reconfirmed seat.  In my opinion, someone else was desperate for a flight out of here and paid a bribe.  The easy thing to do was just sell Beth’s seat to someone else.  That’s third world culture for you.  Praise be unto God, however, that she is enroute to America as I type.  Please pray for her safe arrival.

In addition to the above, there have been numerous other struggles lately, and earlier today, after dropping Beth off at the airport,  I found some aatmaako aushadi (Nepali for spiritual medicine), something to ease the mind and remind me about why we are here.  I went down to New Road (a very busy street in central Kathmandu) and started handing out Gospel tracts and Bibles.  Before long, I had a curious crowd, and the Lord allowed me to preach the Gospel boldly and publicly.  Several meaningful and deep conversations with interested Nepalis ensued.  I was alone this time, but the Lord gave me a special overflowing peace.  There was victory this day, and the cares of this world seemed to melt away in “the glorious Gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust” (I Timothy 1:11).

In my last update, I only made it partly through a recap of our recent work in the Manang/Mustang area on the north side of the mighty Annapurna Himalaya.  I cannot possibly get too detailed about the latter half in this update because so much else has happened since.  Against my usual custom, this update, though long, will be more of a general summary.  I apologize (Who knows?  This may actually be appreciated by many of you).  If I were to go into my normal detail, this could turn into a lengthy novel.  There is so much more about which I could write.

I last left off as Brandon and I came back into Humde, having boldly taken the Gospel to the villages of Humde, Upper & Lower Pisang, Ghyaru, Ngawal, and Ngawal Phedi.  From here, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, we would go on to do the same in Munji, Braga, Manang, Khangsar, Yak Kharka, Muktinath, Jharkot, Jomson, and Marpha—most of these being settlements that sit at over 10,000 ft.  To get over to Muktinath, so as to reasonably be able to get back to civilization, we had to cross the 17,764 ft. Thorong La.  We left High Camp at about 5:00am in a raging blizzard.  We had to go, or we risked being stranded on that side.  This would have meant a long, long, long walk out the other way back toward Pokhara.  Near the top of the pass, the wind was blowing around 60 mph, and the air was as cold as I have ever experienced.  Spit froze instantly, and I discovered that it was a big mistake to take off my gloves in an attempt to snap a few photos.  Needless to say, there was no view; and breaking trail down the other side was a formidable challenge.  Thanks be unto God that we had ice axes.  In places, the trail (with sheer drop-offs only inches away) was a solid sheet of ice.  Prem, our Nepali partner in these efforts, worked tireless to dig out steps in the ice while the elements raged.  Finally, God brought us safely out of the woods, so to speak.  The dry desert valleys of the Mustang and the residences of Muktinath were a welcome sight; I was reminded at times of Ladakh.  All in all, the Thorong La crossing was an awesome exploit.

Between Humde and the Thorong La, highlights included bold preaching, fellowship with some of the few believers who reside in Manang, and hiking up to some yak herders who were nestled in a remote valley.  Two of these yak herders are recently baptized believers (Ram and Jiban came to Christ and were baptized in an icy Himalayan stream).  We took them a couple of nice, big-sized Bibles and some other discipleship materials.  The fellowship was incredible and memorable.  Though language barriers existed, our spirits bore witness with each other that we were the children of God according to the adoption that is only found in Jesus Christ (Galatians 4:4-5).  The warm yak milk was actually pretty tasty, and the sunset views of the mighty Chulus were awe-inspiring.  Please pray for Ram and Jiban—may the Lord help them to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ; and may they be bold witnesses for him in a spiritually dark and forlorn land.  Please also pray for the small handful of believers that live in Manang (As far as I know, there are only about seven believers, including Ram and Jiban).  It must be tough for them seeing as we encountered much hostility in this place.  Notwithstanding, there was some openness in Manang.  Bibles and tracts did go out, and we found one man who claimed to get saved two weeks before when some Korean Christians came through and shared with him.  Mukhya was in desperate need of discipleship, so we hired him to help porter some supplies up to Thorong La  (This gave Prem lots of time to talk with him) and introduced him to some of the other local believers.  There has been further contact with this man since returning to Kathmandu.  Pray that he embraces a biblical understanding of salvation and that he will follow the Lord in believer’s baptism and spiritual growth.  In Khangsar, we spent some time with a poor family who seemed open, and in Braga, two brothers were very open and showed visible signs of conviction as we boldly shared with them around a woodstove.  Please pray for Karma, Ravi, and their family.  We later saw Sonam (the father) again, and he asked us for a Tibetan CD that contained Scriptures and Bible teaching.  

The town of Tenki Manang also holds special memories for me.  The first day that we planned to go there, the village was empty.  The entire town had gone out to observe the funeral rites of an elderly lady who had died the day before.  In Tenki Manang, we had been asked by some long-term workers (who regularly visit and labor in that area) to track down one particular woman who had shown some openness to the Gospel—Ongma.  A villager pointed us to her home, and as it turned out, it was her mother who had died the day before.  Numerous people were there in mourning, so I asked if I could come in and pray for them.  At first, Ongma was suspicious, but, in response to the Holy Spirit’s pricking, I mentioned my friendship with one of the long-term laborers who has done Kingdom work in the area (something we do not normally do).  Her face immediately brightened, and she invited us inside.  Though very poor, she served us tea and biscuits as we offered our condolences and then publicly prayed for her and her family.  She allowed me to preach briefly to the group gathered there.  All took tracts, and some Bibles went out.  I don’t consider the timing to have been coincidental.  When death was at the forefront of peoples’ minds in this small settlement, we were able to come in and share the words of eternal life.  Please pray for Ongma’s salvation; and pray for the Christians who will specifically follow up in these lives.  All in all, Tenki Manang was very open.  Many heard and showed interest that day. 

On the Mustang side of the Annapurna, after crossing the Thorong La, our three-man team also experienced some opportunity and success for the Gospel.  The Word was spread as we slogged down the trail, and there were several good conversations about the things of God in Muktinath, Jharkot, Kinga, Jomson, and Marpha.  Marpha, a small village and a bit of a gem on that side of the Annapurnas, served as a nice respite for a couple of days.  The narrow cobblestone streets were nostalgic, and we stayed in a quaint little lodge where the young hostess has shown some interest to the Gospel in times past.  Please pray that Anusha will embrace a clear understanding of who Jesus is and why she needs Him.  She definitely heard the Truth again and observed Brandon and me being bold on the streets of her hometown.  May such efforts not return void.  While in Marpha, Prem went out to visit believers in a nearby village.  Brandon and I, on the other hand, targeted a Tibetan settlement.  Ultimately, we were kicked out of this place as a young “educated” fool (probably the son of the head lama) showed up and lured the initially interested crowd away from the Truth with his rantings, blasphemies, and allegiances to Tibetan Buddhism.  Sadly, the people vocally made their choice to follow “Lord Buddha” and ordered us never to return.  We shook the dust from our feet, openly rebuked them for deceiving their children, and committed their folly to the Lord (John 12:47-48; Mark 6:11).  In all this, even the rejection, we declare victory in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (I Peter 4:14).

Our last Tibetan CD had been rejected in the Tibetan Camp, but we were able to later get it into the hands of a young monk at the Buddhist Monastery in Marpha.  Initially, Brandon and I went straight for the puja room.  An old monk was lighting butter lamps inside, and we proceeded to talk to him about the sure path to eternal life.  At first, the lama showed interest, but the moment we mentioned the name of Jesus, he expressed open disdain.  The Lord gave me the boldness to preach the whole Gospel right there in the puja room until he kicked us out.  All the while, a young janitor listened, but he would not take a tract for fear of the lama.  Not willing to concede defeat, Brandon and I went to the roof of the monastery and prayed in earnest over the town, that God would deliver the people from the deceitful and dark devilry of Buddhism.  Then, we started singing old hymns and Christmas carols to the glory of God.  Soon, we had an audience of young boys (i.e. monks in training) who were peeking at us from their nearby windows.  These had undoubtedly observed the earlier confrontation with the lama, and it sparked an interest in them about the message we were bringing.  Eventually, one of them snuck out (peeking over his shoulder the whole time) and took from our hands a stack of Gospel materials in the Tibetan language.  He took them back to his peers with a big smile on his face.  So, the same materials that were rejected by villagers in a Tibetan settlement were ironically received by young monks in a Tibetan monastery.  Again, the victory was the Lord’s.

From Marpha, the walk back to the road was grueling, especially since we covered it in two days.  The hot shower and steak dinner in Pokhara was a blessing not to be taken for granted.  A lot happened during these two weeks of adventure.  Over a period of twelve days, we walked over 100 miles and saturated fourteen mountains villages with the Good News of Jesus Christ.  Many heard the Word of God.  To Him alone be the glory!  Thanks for all your prayers.

Back in Kathmandu, Christmas came around, and we prepared for Beth Crafton’s arrival.  On Christmas Day, before going to the airport, I decided that the least I could do for Jesus was go out on the streets and tell a few people about him.  At a nearby school, some Nepali churches were putting on a “Christmas Celebration.”  Mobs of people were out on the streets, and a large elephant was walking around the neighborhood with Santa Claus riding on top.  I started handing out tracts and openly praising God for becoming a man so that sinful men could have eternal life.  Many heard that day, and several Christians expressed encouragement by the example.  I must admit, this will be one of my life’s fondest Christmas memories.

While Jamie’s sister was here, our schedule was packed.  Our objective was for Beth to experience third-world culture in such a way that she would be emboldened for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  We experienced the culture alright.  On two separate occasions, political strikes left us stranded, and then there was the airline fiasco.  So, in a weird way, our prayers were answered.

For several days, we ventured out to Daya Ram Pokharel’s (my long-time Nepali friend) village.  Enroute, we found ourselves stranded in Gorkha because two local bus companies got into a big feud.  As a result, the Gospel abundantly went out into this ancient city (the original capital of Nepal).  How could we be upset about this?  Finally, the buses were running again, and we look a bumpy ride across a river to a remote bus stop.  From there, it was a long walk up to the village of Choprak—high on one of the terraced hillsides.  We were able to hitch a ride on the back of a tractor for a few miles.  Bethany enjoyed this, but our intestines were shook up beyond the worst level of discomfort.  Walking again was most welcome, except for the fact that I fell off a terrace into a disgusting pool of mud.  Finally, we came to Choprak, a remote Nepali village way off the tourist trail.  The villagers acted like they had never seen a blonde-headed little girl, so Bethany was the center of attention.  She had the time of her life.  There were all kinds of children and farm animals to play with.  On one occasion, she disappeared for hours with a group of kids only to return dragging along a baby goat.  The mind of a child is an amazing thing.  The lack of common amenities that we so often take for granted did not bother her in the least; and her eyes saw no racial or cultural differences.  Ultimately, her presence was a bridge for the Gospel.  The peoples’ love for her allowed us to boldly share with them.  For two days, we lodged in a humble mud-brick abode with beds of straw.  We were well taken care of, and the nights were so quiet and peaceful.  Jamie and Beth spent much of their time fellowshipping and sharing with the women of the village.  I, on the other hand, walked all over the hillsides and through several other villages with Daya Ram’s young son.  Along the way, many Gospel tracts and a few Bibles went into the hands of lost souls.  The outing also allowed me to find some medical supplies that were badly needed by a young girl back in Choprak.  She had crushed her finger in a grinder, and it looked bad.  A few simple items from another village allowed us to bandage up the wound and make inroads to fighting the infection.  In this, another bridge to the Gospel (i.e. spiritual medicine) was created.  Praise be unto God.  Interestingly, we ran into a few local Christians who lived in the area.  I was encouraged to see one house with a wooden cross posted on the outside (a bold move in a Hindu village).  One lady sought us out when she heard that someone had been going around giving out “papers about Jesus.”  Kesap had been saved a while back after God had healed some leg problems she was having.  The fire of the Holy Spirit was very evident in this woman, and our fellowship was sweet.  Please pray that she will be a shining light in those remote villages.  After a memorable time, we left Choprak the way we came in.  Bethany was carried down the mountain in a basket, and the morning fog made for some interesting scenery.  Unfortunately, the weather was pretty lousy the entire time we were in Choprak, so the Himalayas (normally majestically visible) never availed themselves.  The hazy sunsets, however, were some of the most glorious that I have seen.

From Choprak, we walked down to a bus stop.  From there, it was a very bumpy ride back to the main road.  There, Jamie, Beth, Bethany, and I caught a microbus going to Pokhara.  About ten kilometers outside of the city, we ran into a traffic standstill.  The local bus companies were angry because Nepalis were buying tickets to ride on tourist buses (much nicer and safer).  So, local bus drivers (a bunch of crybabies, if you ask me) completely blocked the road off with two big buses.  There was no way in or out of the city.  To make a long story short, we had to walk amidst streams of stranded motorists for several miles so as to get past the roadblocks, burning tires, and rioting mobs.  Finally, we found a taxi to take us into Pokhara.  There, we were stuck for two days until a compromise was reached and the road going back to Kathmandu opened up again.  Some really nice Nepali Christians run a hotel in Pokhara, so at least we had a pleasant place to stay and some good fellowship.  Again, the weather was pretty lousy, so Beth did not get to enjoy the amazing Himalayan panorama that normally graces the Pokhara Valley.  It’s funny:  The Nepali people clamor for democracy.  But, when a Nepali wants to make the free choice to ride a tourist bus instead of a local bus for the safety and security of his family, the local bus drivers (supposed to be in favor of democracy) get mad and act like a bunch of foolish children until they get their way and the average Nepali no longer has the free democratic choice to ride a tourist bus.  To put it mildly, this so-called “democratic” society does not work, and perhaps, it never will.  Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus.

Back in Kathmandu, we kept Beth on her toes day in and day out.  On one occasion, we met up with Brandon at the Bouddha Stupa (the second holiest site in all of Tibetan Buddhism).  That day, a famous rimpoche (Buddhist leader) was visiting, and crowds came out to see him, acting almost as if he was a god.  We decided to be bold in the face of such idolatry, and many Gospel tracts and Bibles went out.  A supply which would have taken hours to exhaust on the streets of any American city was exhausted at Bouddha in about half an hour.  We also took the Gospel to the Thamel neighborhood and to a couple of villages in the Kathmandu Valley.  A few days ago, we hopped on motorcycles and made the scenic drive up to the hilltop village of Nagarkot.  Beth rode with Brandon; and Jamie and Bethany rode with me.  Finally, Beth was able to behold the mighty Himalaya.  God opened the skies according to our prayers, and from the hilltop, one could see from the Khumbu Himal on the east all the way over to the Annapurnas in the west.  It was glorious.  Because it was a Saturday (the weekly holiday), many Nepalis were picnicking and partying up on the brow of the ridge.  We utilized the occasion to hand out some tracts and engage in conversations with people about the things of the Lord.  It was fruitful.  I particularly think of Karma.  Please pray for his salvation; he seemed very open.  Back in the actual town of Nagarkot, we saturated the streets and gave out quite a few Bibles.  Again, there were fruitful conversations about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  

Many other things happened over the past two weeks; but space and time will not allow any further elaboration.  We feel like the entire experience (trials and all) was unique and constructive for Beth.  And, her coming was a major blessing to us as far as re-supply was concerned.  We now have a hefty supply of Russian and Chinese Gospel tracts (These will be needed for our proposed overland return trip in the summer); and some other important items needed for the work here are now in hand.  It was also a huge blessing to be able to send back a trunk of stuff.

Before signing off, I need to mention some important prayer requests:

1. Again, please pray for Beth’s safe return; and pray that the mess with the airlines will get straightened out.

2. In order for us to be able to stay in Nepal until June (when the family we are house-sitting for is set to return), we need to spend several weeks outside of Nepal between now and then.  A person is only allowed to be in Nepal on a tourist visa for up to 150 days per calendar year.  Obviously, there are more than 150 days between January 1st and mid-June; and other types of long-term visas are very expensive and difficult to secure.  An opportunity has come up for us to go to Bangkok in a few weeks and then on to Bangladesh (I have mentioned the latter several times before).  I have a stash of Thai Gospel tracts that I would like to get out on the streets in Bangkok, and we have a few medical issues that need to be addressed.   Thailand has some of the best medical services in the entire world, and the prices are very cheap.  Getting to Bangladesh via Thailand is a lot safer and more reliable than trying to get there from Kathmandu.  This would keep us from having to fly Bangladesh’s national airline, something I have been advised from a trustworthy source not to do.  Please pray for us as we try to discern the Lord’s will in this matter.  We have been asked to come to Bangladesh by current long-term workers.  There is a good supply of Bibles and tracts that need to get out into the streets of Dhaka; so again, our roll will be to come in and be very bold, stirring the pot so longer-term laborers can follow up less vicariously and avoid the risk of being kicked out of the country.  For us, getting kicked out is no big deal, and it could very well happen.  So, the exploit is worthy in more ways than one, and we are trusting God to provide the financial means.  Lord willing, we will leave Kathmandu on February 6, the day our current tourist visas run out.

3. In a couple of weeks, Lord willing, I will be going out to Western Nepal to help with some evangelism training.  Please pray for fruit in these efforts as well.

4. The political situation in Nepal is very strained right now.  Some issues are being discussed and decided on January 15 that could have a profound effect on the country.  The potential for chaotic problems is great; and there is much unrest amongst the general populace.  In Kathmandu alone, there have been numerous strikes in the past couple weeks.  I am sad to say that we must be ready to leave the country at a moment’s notice.  Please pray that this does not happen.  January 15 will be a big day.  If things go badly, our work here could be finished for the time being.  This is completely in God’s hands.  Join with us as we earnestly pray for peace and resolution.  It would be tragic to see the open door for the Gospel that now exists slam shut in the face of political meltdown.  I am not trying to sound sensationalistic or to exaggerate reality.  Actual chaos is minor; it is the potential for chaos that has recently skyrocketed.  Hopefully, January 15 will come and go with everything returning to normal.

5. Please pray for Daya Ram Pokharel’s family.  It was his village that we visited while Beth was here, and because of work, he was unable to join us.  He is the lone believer in his family but is still highly respected in the village.  As a result, our friendship with him made us most welcome guests.  The Lord did provide the opportunity for us to share with his mother, his wife, his children, and some of his extended relatives.  Please pray that these will come to salvation.  Daya Ram has prayed for them for a long time; and their lost condition is a real source of sorrow for him.  I cannot even begin to know what this is like.

6. In a previous email, I mentioned Ashik, a young man very close to the Gospel.  He recently moved to Singapore and will be there for two years.  We never saw him come to the Lord, and we did not even get to hook up with him one more time before he left.  However, he has been emailing us.  Just continue to pray for this young man.  He is very close to salvation.  May the Lord put Christians in his path in Singapore.

7. Please pray for the Thapa family.  Seven years ago, these folks were our landlords, and we lived above them.  We got along well and they were very sad to see us leave Nepal.  The last thing Mr. Ram said to me back in February of 2000 was:  “I will pray to your God that he will bring you back to Nepal because I believe he will answer this prayer.”  In recent days, I have reminded him of this statement, and God has given us opportunity to renew the relationship and share the Gospel boldly.  When Beth was here, they invited us over to our old apartment (they now live there), and his wife cooked up an incredible meal.  As we prepared to leave, I gave Mr. Ram a Bible and boldly spoke Truth right there in the living room.  Please pray that we will see fruit from this.  The Thapas are high caste Hindus that are very attached to their religious rituals.  Notwithstanding, we have earned their respect and the freedom to be bold in their presence.  May God bring them to salvation. 

Until next time, be steadfast and bold in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Yeshu Khristle mero jivan pariwatan garnubhayo.  Tyashile wahaako barema dherai dherai mancheelaai bhannu parcha! (Nepali for “Jesus Christ changed my life.  That’s why I must tell many, many people about Him!”).

Jesse, Jamie, and Bethany Boyd