Margot and Hadriel are two young French people who each made the choice to leave their comfort zone and plunge into a context completely different from their own, becoming involved in activities that did not necessarily have any connection with their professional training. They invite you on… a missionary journey.
I went on mission to Nepal with OM from 28 August to 29 November 2023. My time there was not always easy, but God worked greatly in my life during those months.
Nepal has big cities like Kathmandu, which has a large population and teeming traffic. In the villages there is little infrastructure but life is much calmer. People seem happy there and are certainly more pleasant and open.
Margot with a Nepalese woman on a trek to distribute Christian books in the villages
OM in France helped me to prepare for my trip, enabling me to present my missionary project in France and also fix a date for my departure. Once I got there, I was welcomed by the OM in Nepal team and got involved with them in communications. I made videos with testimonies about what God is doing in Nepal through OM.
What struck me most about Nepal is how religious everybody is! The devotion shown by Nepalese people for their religion often impressed but also saddened me. Everything is governed by religion … like the celebrations and festivals! More than once I thought how different France would look if people there had love like that for God.
In that context, many Nepalese turn to Christ, which is wonderful, however they often remain attached to their idols. We should pray that Nepalis would turn uncompromisingly to the true God. We should also pray for the protection of Christians and the local OM team, for, while their ministry is really flourishing, they also face major persecution.
On a personal level, I did not find the experience easy. I faced challenges I wasn’t expecting. Living in a country completely different from my own led me to reflect deeply and question myself a great deal. But, in the end, I concluded that going on mission gives God the opportunity to change us and make us grow as we encounter different contexts and cultures. It is definitely worth the effort!
Margot
One of the many suspension bridges we had to cross.
I went to Nepal for 4 months with OM, from November 2023 to March 2024.
Nepal is a beautiful country, bordered by the Himalayas in the north and plains in the south. Nepalese people are very warm and welcoming in spite of their poverty. The country has quite a temperate climate, although warmer than France. Unfortunately, it is plagued by pollution and the environment is littered with waste.
Life there is slower and much more relaxed than in France. People take time to talk and make new friends.
OM in France helped me with the process of applying to go there. In any crisis situation that might have arisen, the French team would have facilitated any contact I might have needed to make with my family. When I joined the OM in Nepal team on my arrival, they helped me settle in. My job involved working in the IT department, especially setting up a new network at the centre. But I also had the privilege of taking part in outreach organised by the Summit evangelism team.
What impressed me most of all in this new country, culture and language was the sense of unity amongst the believers. I was immediately made to feel at home by our brothers and sisters there, in spite of the initial language barrier. It was also very moving to see the local Christians fearlessly living out their faith.
Nevertheless, not everything is rosy, and we should pray for our brothers and sisters in Nepal, that they would continue to work for the advancement of our heavenly Father’s kingdom in spite of persecution, whether it be from the authorities or the family. Pray especially for the training and follow-up of leaders that OM is developing to provide enthusiastic new believers with the Bible knowledge they need for their ministries.
On a more personal level, the Lord used this time to enable me to grow in my knowledge of Him, to understand more about His great love, to be more sensitive to the wonderful bonds that unite us within the family of Christ and to increase my trust in Him in all circumstances. Far away from some of my points of reference in this new country and culture, I had to place myself in His hands, and through this He showed me how much He has blessed me. I have also come away very encouraged and filled with real joy at being able to share the good news with my neighbour when I might otherwise have been afraid to do so.
Jérémie*
- Nom d'emprunt