none forbidding
Greetings Remnant Body of the Lord Jesus Christ, dear friends, and to whomever else may stumble upon this post. Grace, mercy, and peace be with you from He, who by one offering, “perfected forever them that are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14). Therefore, “let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering” (Hebrews 10:23).
With bittersweet emotion, I am forced to consider that our time in Nepal is winding down, at least for this calendar year. On May 29th, our visas expire, and we will be forced to leave the country. By July, Lord willing, we will have returned to our base in the United States, hopeful that from there, we might continue to faithfully follow the call to publicly proclaim the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ on American soil, a most fallow ground and one of the world’s largest mission fields.
But alas, I cannot afford to get too far ahead of the game. Since my last post of April 3rd, the labor has continued unabated here in Kathmandu, NO MAN FORBIDDING. This intense labor that has left us weary and worn out. Notwithstanding, we press on.
For two weeks, Kevin Borden & Ken Lightsey from California came to labor with us in this far-away place. These dear brothers delivered to us much-needed supplies and then gave of themselves in a strange land so that we might further saturate this capital city and a neighboring rural district with the Gospel message. Though very busy, this time provided us with some much-needed fellowship, and the extra hands and voices proved priceless. Thank-you for coming, dear brethren. For Brother Kenn, it was his first time out of the United States, and he came to Nepal, of all places. Hallelujah! I am suddenly reminded of some words from the late Keith Green, a bold preacher, songwriter, and modern-day prophet who was killed with two of his children and an entire missionary family in a tragic plane crash in 1982:
This generation of believers, that you and me are a part of, we’re responsible for this generation of souls all over the world. We are responsible for them; we are responsible to pray daily for the needs of ministries around the world and to ask God: “HOW ABOUT ME NOT SENDING MY MONEY THIS TIME, HOW ABOUT ME GOING?” It’s so easy to write a check; it’s so easy. But, God can’t cash out-of-state checks in heaven. He needs you.
Thanks, dear brothers, for not just writing a check. Thanks for going, for giving of yourselves; and the same goes out to Janine Ward, Matthew McMillon, Shawn the Baptist, Brother Eric from Pakistan, Paul Langford, and Sarah from India . . . all who gave of themselves to come and help us preach Jesus to the people of Nepal over the past year. We shall never forget our times together on this side of eternity.
I rejoice to announce that during the two weeks in which our California Brethren labored with us, more than 15,000 pieces of Gospel literature were distributed in Kathmandu, Kathmandu's suburbs, and in the rural Makwanpur District to the south, NO MAN FORBIDDING. Before getting started, however, the extra hands proved a huge blessing as we picked up from the press and delivered to our storage facility 20,000 newly-revised Project Jagerna Gospels of John and 25,000 Nepali Gospel tracts. Praise God for His provision in terms of printing.
Back in July, when Ricky and I arrived here, my heart was troubled as I again saw the city of Kathmandu wholly given over to idolatry. At that time, we set a goal of circumnavigating this mega-village (i.e. the center of Kathmandu Valley, a geographic bowl of 5 million people) on foot, preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the open-air and freely distributing the Word of God all along the way. We then constructed a large wooden cross and inscribed “ke tapaai tayaar hunnuhunchha?” (Nepali for “Are You Ready?”) on the front cross-bar. On September 29th, 2011, we set out from the Sanepa neighborhood . . .
. . . On April 10, 2012, with the California Brethren by our side, this cross-walking journey came to a bittersweet end down in the heart of Tripureshwor. The large “Are You Ready?” cross had been carried by hand all the way around Kathmandu via Ring Road and straight through the heart of the city (i.e. from Koteswor to Kalunki) along the Arniko Highway. Many heard the Gospel message in the open-air, NO MAN FORBIDDING US; and as for the number of Nepali-language Scripture portions freely distributed, we lost count long ago. Truly, my friends, the city of Kathmandu has heard the Gospel of the Grace of God through Jesus Christ. Pray for her. May she turn from her wicked idolatry and do what America will not do: humble herself and come to Jesus Christ. As for the cross, we will pass it on to Brother Bishnu to do with it as he sees fit. SOLI JESU GLORIA.
Below is a link to a video that I made recapping this cross-walking journey from the beginning. Enjoy:
bearing the cross in kathmandu
While Ken and Kevin were here, we spent much of the time, needless to say, walking the cross and preaching along Ring Road. However, we also took time to preach and distribute right out in front of the Hindu Temples in Patan Durbar Square; outside the gate and on the very top of Swayambou Stupa, a most sacred site for Tibetan Buddhists; out at Dakshinkali, the main temple in Nepal for the worship of the Hindu goddess of blood, Kali; and in the heart of Thamel, an uber-religious site for Nepal’s pot-smoking tourists. In other words, we targeted centers of all three of Nepal’s major religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, and Tourism. And like Paul in Rome at the end of Acts 28, we were able to preach the Kingdom of God and teach those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, NO MAN FORBIDDING (see Acts 28:30-31). Truly, this was the grace of Almighty God and an answer to your heaven-ward pleas.
Below is some video footage taken from when I sent the team out with Brother Bishnu to Dakshinkali, a most wicked place. I was very sick that day and sorrowful that I could not join in this endeavor. However, the Lord at least blessed me with the privilege of producing the video. Enjoy:
descending upon dakshinkali
The argument could even be made that education is viewed like a religion here in Nepal, particularly by the parents of children in higher castes. That being said, and for good measure, we also targeted Tribhuvan University, the center of this wicked “education religion,” after the manner of our previous outings to that place.
For two days, during the Nepali New Year celebration (i.e. the Nepali Year 2069 began on April 13, 2012), we hired a jeep and took the team down through the Makwanpur District. Because of the New Year festival, many villagers were out on the roads. By way of Dakshinkali and a very steep and winding road, we traveled down to Hetauda and then, the next day, up and over the Daman Pass back to Kathmandu. In many villages, the Gospel was preached with the 1/2-mile hailer from the roof of the jeep; and many Scripture portions and Gospel tracts were distributed . . . to Hindus, Buddhists, and Muslims. Along the way, we met several Christians and stumbled upon a few churches. Thereby, the Lord allowed us to encourage the brethren (some of which had seen persecution), to pray with them, and to supply them with materials for evangelism. I specifically remember two elderly ladies who approached us with tears as we proclaimed the Gospel. One woman came to Christ several years ago after her husband had died and the Lord had healed completely healed her of some ailment (a common testimony I hear in these parts). As we gathered around and prayed for these, and as I spoke of Christ’s coming for His children, this same woman began to weep with joy. Oh, that we would have such joy; and that this joy of the Lord would be our strength from day to day (Nehemiah 8:10). The journey to and from Hetauda was fun; it provided our brothers with a taste of the village life and turned all of our insides into a milkshake along very bumpy and winding roads with no guardrails and cut into the sides of mountains. I tell you folks, the terrain of Nepal beats anything I have ever seen anywhere else in the world. Only the remote corners of West Virginia can compare. On a side note, I rejoice that Bethany, my oldest daughter, has become old and mature enough to travel with me on such journeys. She made it even more fun, and her blonde hair and blue eyes were a Nepali-magnet. That just meant more people to whom we could preach Jesus Christ, NO MAN FORBIDDING.
Needless to say, after so much had been accomplished through divine grace for the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ, we were sad to bid our dear brothers farewell and send them back to California. Such sadness, however, was short-lived as we soon welcomed our friend Sarah Grace from Delhi, India. Back in February, we met this dear sister on the streets of Delhi while out preaching the Gospel with Shawn. She then later introduced us to Raj, a former high-caste Hindu and son of influential Indian parents who is now an American citizen. Raj and Sarah Grace, brethren of like-faith and like-mind, regularly proclaim the Gospel on the streets of Delhi, sometimes in the face of real persecution. Recently, Raj was beaten by Delhi police and interrogated for hours simply because he was preaching the Gospel. Later, when the corrupt officials discovered that Raj holds an American passport, they backpedaled like the authorities in Philippi when they discovered that Paul & Silas were Romans (see Acts 16). Anyway, Sarah Grace came up to Nepal to labor with us for a few days and to take possession of a half-mile hailer that had been brought in from the United States. They were so excited, and I am sure that hailer will be put to good use just like the one in Lamjung District that Lamjung John has been faithfully using to preach the Gospel from the hilltops to droves of villages below.
. . . Whoa, I am all over the place, true stream-of-consciousness writing. Please forgive me. So, Sarah came in for a few days, and the fellowship was an incredible joy for Jamie. They hit it off real well. All of us loaded up in a hired truck and preached the Gospel at several sites in northeastern Kathmandu one Saturday. It was a real joy to stand and openly preach Christ at Baluwatar Chok, right beside where Jamie and I lived the first time we came to Nepal back in 1999. Those many years ago, I never would have dreamed that the day would come when I could stand in that place and preach openly with fluent Nepali, NO MAN FORBIDDING. “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out” (Romans1:33). With Sarah Grace, we also went back to Patan Durbar Square and preached in the shadows of the temples, again, NO MAN FORBIDDING.
As mentioned, Year 2069, according to the Nepali lunar calendar, began on April 13, 2012. In partnership with Brother Bishnu and his publication ministry (DSMA Publications), Full Proof Gospel Ministries via Project Jagerna has set a goal of distributing one lakh Scripture portions to Nepali-speaking people in 2069. A “Lakh” is a term in the South Asian numbering system that stands for 10 ten-thousands (i.e. one hundred thousand). Therefore, one lakh = 100,000. Only by God’s grace and the favor of the Holy Spirit can this be accomplished. 2069 officially began on a backroad heading down to Hetauda in the Makwanpur District, and as of now, nearly 4,000 Scripture portions have gone out in 2069. We have a long way to go. Pray for us. For more information on Project Jagerna and to learn how you can be a part of helping us print and distribute to Nepali-speaking peoples, please visit www.projectjagerna.org.
As is customarily the case, there is so much more than could be recapped in detail. However, there is not time or place for such. Just know that in these last months of our pilgrimage here, the Word has gone forth according to your prayers and support; many have heard the Gospel, NO MAN FORBIDDING. Amen.
Now, my friends, we earnestly covet your prayers in the coming weeks. We are seeking the Lord’s guidance and provision in matters relating to our homeward-bound journey. As you know, travel has become ridiculously expensive, and getting a family of five plus Ricky back to the United States from Nepal is going to cost more than it would to purchase a decent used-vehicle. Nevertheless, the Lord never guides where He does not provide (Philippians 4:19). Here is what I have discovered, and such is the door of opportunity that the Lord seems to be opening (Prayer Request #1):
For roughly the same cost of flying directly home from here, we can travel overland from Kathmandu through China and then fly the family home from Beijing on guest-passes with an American carrier that services the Chinese capital. This airline used to service Delhi, India, and that is how my family came over here to meet me (a four-tickets for the price of one type of thing); but this flight route ended back on March 1st. Anyway, after some prayerful contemplation, some searching through the Word, and some crunching of the numbers, we have opted to leave here by road to then travel for eight-days through a very closed area where you can only enter from this side as part of a “tour group” with a government-appointed guide. With Ricky and the family, we are a “tour-group” by default, and the presence of ornery and tired blonde-haired, blue-eyed children will provide the perfect cover and a distraction for the guide that shall undoubtedly open doors for sowing seeds, if you know what I mean. We have already started the process for arranging this, so there is no turning back. Because of security issues, I cannot go into detail about matters of itinerary, strategy, and location. Just know that this is a unique opportunity that Jamie and I tried to make happen back in 2007, but it fell through at the last minute. From this closed area, our path, Lord willing will also allow us to sow seeds in China. The issue with standby tickets from the American carrier is also a matter of faith, with no guarantee that we can secure them upon arrival in Beijing. This particular carrier is undergoing bankruptcy issues and merger talks, so our benefactor’s job and benefits are day-to-day at this point. If we were to arrive in Beijing without this option, it would be a financial nightmare, as I would have to purchase six full-fare tickets. Nonetheless, we are going to step out in faith and follow the Lord on this one, believing that He is calling us to this route. Please pray for us in these matters. The travel through the closed region is already paid for; the Lord provided miraculously. The costs for getting from this place up into China with a family, basing in Beijing for a few days for the labor of the Truth, and getting the family back to America from there are matters of faith at this point. Upon entering China, we will have to be out of that country in 30 days; no if’s, and’s or but’s about it. We need your prayers. I wish I could go into more detail, but at this juncture, I have to be real careful with what I say or post online. If the Lord wills, after we send Jamie and the children back to America in mid-June via highly-discounted plane fares, Ricky and I will travel up to Mongolia for a couple of weeks. Since my high-school days, I have dreamed of traveling to this mysterious country and preaching the Gospel in the high-desert wasteland of nomads, yurts, and no fences. The Lord may be bringing these dreams into reality. Lord willing, Ricky and I will return to the United States by the first week of July. How were are going to get back there is completely up in the air (flights from China; Trans-Siberian railway to Vladivostok, an overnight ferry to Japan, and flights to America from Tokyo; a Trans-Siberian railroad journey all the way to Europe and then flights to America, etc.). We just don’t know what the Lord is going to do. I had Russian Gospel materials brought over here several years ago when Jamie and I were trying to organize an overland trip to Europe from here; the plan never took shape. I covet an opportunity to get into Siberia as we know a faithful Russian brother laboring in Irkutsk and would like to come alongside and encourage him and supply him with the aforementioned materials. But, this is a long shot. Getting a Russian tourist visa outside one’s home country is a long-shot, and near-impossible. But, we are anxious to see how the Lord provides and where specifically that He guides. The ball is already set in motion; I am excited to be making such an incredible journey with my family; and how it all turns out is up to Jesus. Please don’t underestimate the power and necessity of your prayers. Also, if anyone has contacts in Beijing, China or in Mongolia, PLEASE INFORM US. Hmmm . . . leaving Nepal by land, it will be bittersweet and less difficult than being whisked out of here on an airplane.
On the more immediate horizon, another matter warrants your fervent prayers. On May 8th, Lord willing, Ricky and I, along with a team of three Nepali brothers, will be making a long journey to Nepal’s remote Far West. There, up in the high mountains of the unreached Bajhang & Darchula Districts, we hope to travel on foot for 10-12 days, distributing Project Jagerna Scripture portions and preaching to the villagers in places where Christ has not been named. As far as we know, there are zero churches in Bajhang and Darchula Districts. Back in October, with a small team, we targeted the outer fringes of Bajhang along the road. This time, we hope to cross some 4-5,000 meter passes and descend upon the interior. Initially using the village of Darchula (road’s end at 10,000 ft.) as a base, we will endeavor to slog for several days up the Mahakali River Valley in a small sliver of Nepal sandwiched between India & Tibet, looking for villages and preaching Christ along a somewhat risky route often used by smugglers. Upon return to Darchula, the plan is to travel east and cross the high Pathrasi Pass and then descend into Chainpur, the end of the road in Bajhang that we did not reach back in October of last year. Hitching a ride from there, we can cover and saturate the 70km of road that went untouched last time. Friends, it will be difficult, and perhaps we have set unrealistic goals, but by God’s grace, we will take to the hills and preach Jesus in a place where there are no whiteys, no tourist facilities, and no options but to be content with what we can find in terms of food and lodging. I am so excited to be taking Brother Bishnu, Lamjung John, and Kiran (a local pastor from the Gandaki District) along with us. Bishnu has invested in both of these faithful brothers over the years, and we are excited to labor with them at our side (Such is biblical discipleship) . . .. . . Whoa, it has just come to my knowledge that these plans are already in doubt. I have received word that Nepal's Far West has been completely shut down for five days and the airport in Dhangadi (the airport we are supposed to fly into, tickets already in hand) has been padlocked due to indefinite political protests. Life is completely disrupted with no end in site. Please pray that this mess clears up before May 8th so that we can proceed with our plans to take the Gospel into the unreached Bhajang and Darchula Districts. Our time is limited as our visas expire on May 29th. God's will be done.
FRIENDS, AS ALWAYS, WE COVET YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT. IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO, WE WILL BE TAKING SOME BIG STEPS OF FAITH IN TERMS OF MINISTRY FINANCE, SECURITY, AND OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE THE GOSPEL INTO SOME OF WORLD’S MOST DIFFICULT-TO-ACCESS CORNERS. WE WOULDN’T DARE ENDEAVOR ALONG SUCH PATHS WITHOUT THE PRAYER COVER OF THE SAINTS.
If the Lord should lay it upon your heart to help us with the costs of getting back to America, just know that all contributions to Full Proof Gospel Ministries are tax-deductible and can be made online. For more information, please visit: http://fpgm.org/donate/.
For now, we count our remaining days in Nepal as precious and labor on, NO MAN FORBIDDING. SOLI JESU GLORIA.
For the Word of God & the Testimony of Jesus Christ,
The Boyd Family & Ricky Springer