Goats and Gospel

A submission story:

Bhaju Ram Shrestha

"Oh, gods, we have done everything to prevent our goats getting sick. We have gone to the veterinaries, to shamans and what not. Our goats suddenly get sick and they die. As a last resort, we are calling  you all the way from Kathmandu to pray for our goats and ward off the evil spirit" the lady of the house pleaded by folding her hands.  Her husband and his brother together own about 50 goats for their income.  All of them were Hindu family except the lady who claims to be a Christian.  Raja Ram was the elder brother who requested us through one of our church members in Kathmandu to go to his village and pray for the goats.

So four of us from upon the direction of Pr. Umesh Pokherel of Gathaghar Church-two ladies, Durga and Indira and Mr. Sharma (80) and I went to the village that was over 50 miles from Kathmandu that took us about 3 hours.  When we arrived in the nice village I saw many healthy goats, sick goats and a couple of sick kids who were sleeping under the basket. After the lady's plea we tried to console them through the Bible. I read Psalms 24 and the promise from James. Other urged them to believe in Jesus, so that the evil spirit would go away. Mr. Sharma pointed the story of King Hezekiah and in fact he urged the younger brother to read. Perhaps that was the first time in his life that he read the Bible.  They all gave the words that believed in God and eventually they would spread their interest in Bible and join the church.  We did not have a Bible to give to them; however, we left the illustrated Bible that we published and the Steps to Christ. Both were in Nepali language. After sharing our faith, I poured the olive oil on the head of a sick kid as if I were a priest ready to sacrifice the goat. Each of us took the turn to pray and pleaded the Lord to make the goats healthy, drive the evil spirit away from the premises so that the owners would glorify God who owns everything.

     After the prayer the household gathered together in a room where I presented the power point on why we suffer.  It was my intention to direct the villagers' mind to Jesus through whom God showers the love, and He does not cause evil as all the major religions depicts.

     Within a couple of hours we finished our mission assignment and headed toward Kathmandu.

    Please pray for those goats in Sanga chowk which is in Sindupalanchok district that borders China.  Please pray that through the healing of the goats, the owners would glorify God and turn their eyes on Jesus.  In the book of Joel the plague of locusts was upon the land of Israel so that the chosen people would turn to God. Likewise according to John 3:16, God has chosen everyone for eternal life provided he or she chooses Him.

    It was the wonderful experience on last Sunday (Dec 9, 2012) that we had heeding the Macedonian calls from the goats.

Indira shows the Illus Bible

 The owner reads the Bible

 I Pray fort the goats and the owners

 

The Goat saving party

Wrestling With the Power of Darkness:

Not a Fiction
(Not for publication because of the sensitive information)

Nepal, the Land of 660 million gods and goddesses, is a unique planet within the planet earth. Every Nepalese is regarded as a god or goddess, animals too are not left out, This is the place, the voice that echoed in Eden Garden, “You shall be like gods” (My theology does not say God), have been successfully spread in the mountain garden of Nepal.  Truth is truth, whether dark or light.  Though according to John 3:16, God loves Nepal too, it has been my personal conclusion that Lucifer has made his capital here.  Not only us, the power of darkness also struggle with each other.” From childhood I witnessed such darkness, for example: masked dancers putting their fingers through the piglets body to take out their hearts to eat raw, the power of a man who carried idol for in order for him to walk toward the temple hundreds of people had to push him, necromancer performing his feat, a holy man healing people right in front of my eyes, naked sadhus smoking hashish invoking the power of Shiva, and me living with a step mother who was schizophrenic but having a super power to break her chain and stock in spite of witch doctors, shaman, divines tried to fight demons with her. As early as I was five when I had to rescue my few months old step brother when his mother tried to butcher her own child. I was kept locked with her in a small room.  Due to famine of mental hospital in Nepal (even now only one in entire country in spite of one out of 4 are mentally disturbed population according to the survey), my step mother was not cured by any drum beating shamans, and she was put in a prison where she died. Before she died I had to visit her every day to give her food, and I used to see her naked in an isolated room in the prison.

      Little did I know that the Lord was preparing me to let me understand the Great Controversy between Jesus and Satan in a larger scale through concentrated action pact incidents.

  October 8, 2012 was a normal Sabbath worship day in Gathaghar main SDA Church just a few miles from Kathmandu. Brother Gavin Simpson from Maryland was the visiting speaker that day. It was during Sabbath School program that he witnessed a scene as never before in his life no matter where he had been. A woman in congregation started to go into convulsion. She started to shake, became stiff showing her fearful eyes and putting up her fearful face. The ladies immediately surrounded her, held her powerful limbs as many of us prayed asking Jesus to chase the demons from her. I personally put the Bible on her head and prayed. It was about 30 minutes of intensive prayer of all of us that she came to normal position. But immediately the demons seem to enter into 15 year old gentle girl. She was lifted by over half a dozen ladies and took her down to the room to pray for her. Brother Gavin was so stunned that he knelt and prayed outside of the room.  We had ex-witch doctor who became Adventist who started to pray and grab her head and chin, which I had to force to release his grip, he prayed, spoke in tongues, read the Bible, and put it on her head and chest. All the while the girl was in such a feat that she started to tear the Bible with her mouth, her body was so strong that all of us about half a dozen tried to hold her down not to harm herself and any of us. She bit my knee. After 90 minutes of struggle with the demons within her through pleads  and songs, she came to be normal, and she did not have any clue what went on during that 90 minutes.  It was too much for Brother Gavin to understand the reality of demons power. After everything calm down, the service was resumed when he presented a powerful message on Rev 12 proving through history and the scripture how the devil particularly  is making war with the Remnant Church.

    Then a week passed, but on Sunday Oct 13, Brother Gavin was to witness another feat after him requesting us to see that girl. Pr. Umesh Pokherel of Gathaghar Church arranged the girl to be in the Gospel Worker’s home nearby church. Brother Gavin and I went to see her. She was perfectly normal as she described her episode. As early as age of 5 she was working as a house girl in a neighbor’s family who had a shop. The girl’s aunt too had a small shop, but it flourished more than the family’s where she worked. The family asked her to bring hair or cloth piece from her aunt. Instead from her aunt, she took the thrown out piece of cloth around the water spring and gave to the family. The family later gave her a handful of rice to spread in the shop of her aunt who became sick. They found grain of rice spread in their room. Upon inquiry and torture from her mother, the girl, by the way her name is Maya Tamang revealed how the grains of rice  were spread on the floor. Police case took place and the villagers wanted to chase the family who bewitched away from the village, but the negotiation took place through the police intervention. However, after they came out from the police station the culprit family cursed Maya saying within 8 years she would die, and they would not leave her alone. It had been 6 years, and she has 2 more years go live. Maya does not have a father who too suffered the same fate. Her only brother beat her mercilessly and her mother is too helpless and poor to do anything. Maya tries to run away and hide from her brother(18)  whenever he comes home from the hostel. Maya said, she believed in Jesus, she liked to read the Bible, but often she experienced darkness covering her making her unconscious.  She had been taken to the hospitals, shamans and necromancers, and nothing have helped her and she believed only Jesus can cure her. She was to finish her grade ten but due to this, she slid down to grade 7.

        After she narrated her story, we all knelt down to pray, even she agreed to pray. But as soon as prayer started to go up, she went into convulsion. Her hands and legs became stiff, she started to shout, half a dozen of us including 6 feet tall strong Gavin tried to hold her down. She demonstrated super strength, tore the Bible with her mouth, scratched brother Gavin who was praying as never before now acting as exorcist, I put oil on her head and we all started to pray and sing.  Her face looked like snake’s fang.  All of us were asking the Lord to remove demons from her. I anointed her head with the olive oil, which I usually do when I pray for the sick. After 45 minutes of intensive prayer and singing, she came back to normal. When she was asked whether she knew anything, she admitted that she did not. As of writing of this episode, she still continues to suffer from the demonic possession. .Brother Gavin is trying to be a good Samaritan for Maya in trying to save  her from the grip of death but the power of the One who told the story of good Samaritan is more longed by all of us.

If this were the case in America, 9/11 would have been called, of course in Nepal such service is a myth. We are thankful that we can claim John 3/16 to solve the demonic problem.    The amazing thing is this hundreds of men and women with such cases were healed coming to the church regardless of denominations resulting many joining the church and alarming the Hindu fundamentalists.  One doctor of the doctors from a reputed hospital laments on their inability to cure such case this way, “Maybe we could ask the Christian proselytizers to give us some pointers on how to move forward. They have the required qualities and a track record of being able to deliver their target objectives (mental health cure).
I am certain they would be happy to help us, if we ask them.’
Dr Lakhey is the Professor of Orthopedics and an Orthopedic Surgeon at the Kathmandu Medical College
March 19, 2012 ekantipur (The full article can be read in the earlier blog)

Nepal is a place where myth is alive. We like to see socially, spiritually , politically, economically, mentally  catch up with the 21^st century, though we know that this century is moving into deep quagmire, It is a place where we come to realization what Paul said, “We do not fight with the flesh and blood but the cosmic power of darkness.” Eph 6:12.Yet he knew that people even believers can be bewitched (Gal 3:1)  It is also a place where innocent women are tried by communities as witches making the Salem's witch trial just lost in the pages of American history books.    Nepal is also a place where a true believer is more busy fighting with such power than with any leader irregardless  who traps people with the borrowed promises. Pray and don’t play with the devil have been our day to day challenge. Won’t you pray for us in Nepal?

Possessed gods, no one dare to fool with them as they dance in trance

A perfect normal girl as she narrates her story

She goes into convulsion  in the church

Holding her down as Brother Gavin Simpson prays

She demonstrates super human strength as she gets relapses

This is the previous case that happened in May 2012. This woman in the middle started to attend the church, she went to the same traumatic experience in the church, where she was prayed for. Then we went to her house to pray. She got well, but stopped coming to the church in spite of repeated visits of church members. I personally found out that people use our church for mental asylum. When they get cured, they stopped coming to the church. In Jesus' law it is okay, but as we continue hope the problem does not reoccur. 

Bhaju Ram Shrestha

bhajupurna@gmail.com

p.s. If you would like to continue to get such human interest stories of us who are ordinary people but running along with the Extra Ordinary God  so that you can join with us as a prayer partner and follow the plea of Apostle Paul who said, "Bear one another's burden" (Gal 6:2), please let me know. The Central Adventist Church under Pastor Umesh Kumar Pokherel in Gathaghar, adjacent to the capital is growing beyond a few of us could handle. Quite a few members are those who have been released by the power of darkness. It h as two other satellite congregations where too the members experienced the power of Living God more than the living Satan, yet unfortunately we have to live within Lucifer's territory  till Jesus comes.

Lament of Psychiatric in Nepal:

An alternative to mental health care
E kantipur MAR 19 - 2012
Many of my patients come to see me with complaints of pains and aches in their bodies. Careful history-taking, examinations, along with other necessary investigations usually help me come to a diagnosis. But then there are those patients who have vague, non-localised pains, and who don’t fit into any organic diagnosis. In these cases, I refer them to my psychiatrist colleagues for an opinion. Invariably, these patients are labeled as suffering from depression and go on to receive psychiatric treatment. Mildly depressed individuals do well with counseling and medication, but the moderate and more severely depressed individuals generally need longer and more intensive treatment.
There are often patients who require regular counseling, apart from being prescribed medication. Unfortunately, many of them live far away from urban areas and do not have easy access to psychiatrists, compelling them to give up on their treatment after a couple of sessions; logistically and financially, it is not possible for them to continue. In Nepal psychiatrists are a rather rare breed of specialists—there are just a little over 50 catering to patients in the entire country. The patient load is such that they just don’t have the time to counsel at length the way they would prefer.
Poverty and lack of education among the vast majority of our patients are also reasons why they may not receive any reassuring counseling from family members and proper treatment. This is why Mr KBC from Ramechhap district, who initially came to see me for vague body pains, could not follow up his treatment with a psychiatrist. In the UK, social workers reach out to the needy in their own communities and help them along in their treatment when they fail to come back for a follow-up. The Nepali state has no such provisions. In KBC’s case, as professional counseling was not possible and his family was not of much help either, he turned to religion for relief. Although he’d been born a Hindu, there wasn’t a single temple in his VDC or priests to counsel him in his time of need, which led him to seek support from a church in his village, one that had opened its doors 10 years ago with donations from foreign sources.
This highly-organised Christian institution gave him the support and counseling he desperately needed. He converted to Christianity, as have 300 others in the last 10 years from the adjacent three VDCs with a collective population of 30,000. KBC became better and left medication. He eventually relapsed, however, and returned to us and was promptly referred to a psychiatrist.
Depression is a huge problem in our country, as it is all over the world. From the seventh position a little more than a decade ago, in 2020 it is expected to climb to the position of second leading contributor to global burden of disease in the world. Our history of violent conflict in the recent past, widespread poverty. and societal inequalities—these could all be responsible for the high prevalence of depression. The prevalence, based on a small community survey done in Kathmandu 25-30 years ago was 15 percent, but this figure may be much higher today. And possibly as an outcome of the government’s inability to provide us with solutions to the many mental health problems existing in Nepali society, we are now witnessing the proliferation of churches all over the country as a result of steady inflow of foreign money from Christian donor agencies. These churches have taken up the role of counseling these poor patients who have been failed by their state and their own society.
Christian organisations have a history of providing good education (St Xavier’s school, for example) and health services (Shanta Bhawan ie the current
Patan Hospital, for instance), and have now extended their support to the mental health arena too. These churches do well because they are usually dedicated, extremely well-organised, well-versed in local societal problems and very result-oriented: traits I would actually like to see in our state actors if health care in our country is to be taken forwards.
Nepal is chock-full of complainers. We complain all the time of the perpetual problems of bad governance, poverty, injustice and inequality, but when it comes to putting in the effort to find a way out, we become passive. If our political leaders have consistently failed to place us in the path of peace, stability and prosperity, it would be logical to seek alternatives ourselves. Maybe we could ask the Christian proselytisers to give us some pointers on how to move forward. They have the required qualities and a track record of being able to deliver their target objectives.
I am certain they would be happy to help us, if we ask them.
Dr Lakhey is the Professor of Orthopaedics and an Orthopaedic Surgeon at the Kathmandu Medical CollegeMarch 19, 2012 ekantipur 

Grow or Row

"Growing in Christ" or Rowing with Satan

The Nepali version of last quarter of 2012 Sabbath School lesson has been unique one because it was translated in three continents-North America, atmospheric heaven (over 35,000 feet from New York to Delhi flight) and in Nepal (Asia). Written by Kwabena Donkor, the director of GC Biblical Research Center, the title of the lesson is "Growing in Christ". It is a call to grow in Christ, in spite of the row that is being created by Satan. This lesson touches some of the core doctrines of SDA Church but mainly focuses on the great controversy. It does not hesitate to point out that the Church is one of the stages where great controversy between Jesus and Satan takes place and each member is taking a decisive role on which side he or she is on without giving a choice of middle ground. Do we want to grow in Christ till we reach the stature as He planned or spend our precious life in getting busy with the row that takes place within the church or the church family? The answer to it is left to us. Man, salvation, God depicted in the Book of Revelation, power of evil power, God's law, life of a true Christian, last days events and all things will become new are some of the topics that this lesson dwells. The pictures of front and the back cover pages are the pictures of Niagara Fall which I took to give the message that no matter how much water fall we get (in the Bible water represents people, therefore no matter how much people fall on us), like the rock and plants underneath the fall we should stand firm in Him and not hesitate to grow. Since I do not have a copyright to put the global SS lesson picture for its cover, therefore I exercise the liberty to put the cover page that best suits the lesson. Though the picture of Jesus is the appropriate one, but because Nepal is an image worshiping society and it is easier to worship an image than the idea behind its image. I tend to avoid putting Jesus' imaginary image on the SS lesson. I do trust no matter in what language the lesson is being studied each reader will be helped to form a spiritual "Intellectual character (Ron Richhart) that the General Conference of Seventh Day Adventist wishes upon its member. We all need Christ's intelligent peace (EGW) and there is hardly any other alternative to the study of God's word for that peace.

    While working on the translation of this lesson, I had a privilege to meet the hard working Sabbath School Team in General Conference. It was quite transpiring meet Elder Goldstein, publication manager Lea Greve and Favlo Fowler. Of course I would have loved to meet other team members but due to the pressing of time I could not meet them. I am thankful for their moral support. It is the finest task the Lord has been placing on me for the last seven years in other to compensate the loss of my wife. Setting aside what I want to do but doing what the Lord wants me to do, the translating task of SS lesson or Bible study has been the most glowing aspect of my solicitude life.

     Though anyone is welcome to contribute for this ministry to grow, I am thankful for a friend who has been putting his effort to gather fund to print the 500 copies of lesson, Pr. Umesh who dispatches the lesson and Sujit Shah to get the lesson ready for the press.

   Above all God be praised for constraining the producers to bring out the lesson so that along with the Bible, it can help to form the image of Jesus in each recipient and reader of the Sabbath School lesson, for which Paul struggled two thousand years ago (Gal 4:19).

    I wish you a happy solitude life with the Bible Study.

Bhaju Ram Shrestha bhajupurna@gmail.com

Cover and back page

Pr. Umesh and Pr. Naseeb Unveils

With Lea and Elder Goldstein

With Brother Favlo Fowler

Lincoln Morikon Passes the Torch

    After serving for five years as a medical director of Scheer Memorial Hospital, Banepa, Nepal, Elder Lincoln Morikane passed his torch to Mrs. Cathy Jenson to take over the hospital. Cathy has taken over the hospital as an interim director. On August 25, 2012, there was a special function to say good bye to Lincoln and his best half Drucila and to welcome Cathy Jenson flanked by her husband Pr. Charles Jenson, who is the director of Nepal Field. On this occasion several officers and church leaders of SMH spoke recalling the contribution of Lincoln, also admitting the hospital was going through one of the most tried time. They hoped that during the tenure of Cathy, the hospital would be able to see the new sun rise. Mr. Ramchandra, Mr. Rakesh Lamichane, Mr. Sunder Thapa, Pr. Abirman Puri, Pr. Kumar Adhikari, Dr. Fernando, the medical director, Mr. Simon Lewis, the ADRA Nepal director expressed their appreciation for the contribution of Lincoln to the hospital and the church. Leaving the admonition from Ecl. 11:13, 14 Mr.Lincoln told the audience to stay close to God and it is not the people but God who will bring everything including secret intention into His judgment. In a tearful good bye, Drucie said heaven was waiting for the faithful ones to meet each other. Accepting the challenge, Cathy said because there were people who loved the church and God's work, the hospital was existed, and hopes that the same commitment toward the hospital and the church would be seen in her tenure. Pr. Jenson made an appeal to pray for the hospital, church and the Nepal Field.  Anil and his group sang "Side by side we stand."

September, 3, 2012

Bhaju Ram Shrestha

bhajupurna@gmail.com

http://bhajpurna.blogspot.com for photos

Mr. Lincoln and Durcie Morikone

Pr. Charles and Cathy Jenson

Would You Take My Mind?

            I would like to welcome to my Blog-Bhaju's log that is created with the help of my son Jitendra. I realize that this can be a neat way of sharing mind with those who think alike and would like to think alike without feeling my write-up is a waste of time, but realizing that it is the best of time.  This Blog is an ocean where I can throw bottles with all sort of things hoping that friends, loved ones and thinker alike would fish them out to see what things are in it-mostly things that erupts in my mind. Things such as: transpirational human interest story, interacting with people who are simple, complicated, duplicate (pretend to be who they are but not), politicians, Hindus, Buddhists, Communists, atheists, Christians (since I do not claim to achieve to this height to call myself a Christian, but only as an undivided dJC-devotee of Jesus Christ), Jews, men and women regardless of nationality, children, my multipurpose life with multi directional life, pushing myself to take 1 Peter 5:1-3 (as an elder feed the flock without expecting anything) personal experiences, miracles, cultural life, work life, submission (since I don't work for the mission, I call my visit to different churches as a submission trip) trips to about a dozen congregation to teach, preach mainly to inspire so that I can be transpired, fishing out gems from the Scripture, and wisdom from the street and lastly not the least, accepting the challenge "to deal with minds which is the nicest work which a man can ever be engaged "Ellen G. White, 3 Testimony p.269.

I will be sharing my goal, vision and mission. I will be sharing what made me VAP (value added personality) in Jesus but not a VIP (very important personality) while choosing to remain vip-very insignificant person because I want to see other increase and I decrease. My English language will not be controlled by Oxford or Webster, for who gave them authority over the English language anyway? While I may stumble grammatically, I will follow universal writing formula, "Write, write, write, and don't think grammar while pouring out stormy thoughts from mind."  I will be sharing my past life, lest I forget for past life was the foundation for present, and present life is the foundation for future, and future life is the foundation for eternity. I will be sharing the spice of humor without which we would not be able to live meaningfully.

Within Nepal's context I am living a borrowed life after I crossed 60, and the work that I am doing is under the grace period securing myself to be a minute man which means being thankful for every minute I have. So, whatever thoughts or experience emerges within me I considered precious and pleasure to share with you.

I do trust you will be willing to swim with me in the ocean of my solitude life. I assure you, you will not feel wasted but feel rested together in the joy of the Lord.

I would of course highly appreciate any graceful response from you. To keep the privacy, I will BCC -bhaju's close companion-it. My blog is not for the public and should not go on in the facebook.

 At Folly Beach,NC

My you have breastplate of love and faith while wearing the helmet of salvation.

Bhaju the "Ram" (sheep) dJC