Small Beginnings

The bus pulled up to a cluster of colorful houses tucked into the Himalayan mountainside. Americans poured out in anxious anticipation to meet their translators and church workers for the next week of ministry. Together, they would hike from unreached village to unreached village to share the gospel.

After meeting and eating lunch, the team sectioned off and took off on the trail. They walked into the first village and were immediately saddened by the sight. A funeral processional was in motion.

It was then that the spiritual reality of this area first hit the American team. Those in the parade did not have a relationship with Jesus and it was too late for the person they were honoring. The team proceeded into the village in hopes of being used by God to change the ending of the story for those still living.

Before the American team arrived, the national believers had prayed every family would have a chance to hear the gospel, and one by one they did. Some resisted, some accepted, some wanted to think about it and some came to faith.

Then the team moved to the next village.

Weeks later, the national team followed up with new believers to begin the process of discipleship and establish a meeting place for the young church. To their dismay, no one was willing to offer up their homes because of family conflict erupting from their conversion to Christianity. But one was willing to give a portion of their tea garden to build a new structure.

Supplies would have to be purchased, so the nationals counted the offering left by the American team just weeks earlier. God had provided exact what they needed to buy the metal and bamboo they needed!

The start of construction marked the small beginnings of this village’s first church gathering place.

“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” –Matthew 18:20