Dear Pastor Joe,
Greetings. Just to let you know that I was not feeling very well last week. My blood Pressure seems a bit high at 140/110. I have taken rest for few days and I am going to the hospital tomorrow.
The relief work in the aftermath of the devastating recent earthquake is going well. Last week we reached 566 families with 210 solar panel, lights and all families with food. We are preparing another place to accommodate 350 families in the Chitawan district with clothes and food. There will be a 5 hour gospel preaching campaign for these folks on the 28th of September.
There has been bombing of Churches! In the evening of September 14, young people from the Hindu Youth Federation bombed in 4 churches in Nepal. They placed bombs in two Church’s. In one of them the blast blew out windows, the other blast caused great damage and one child was injured. In a separate incident one bomb was removed from a church by the Nepal Army bomb Disposal team. When Jyoti Church posted the notice of church bombings, other churches began checking their buildings. One of them, Surunga Baptist Church, found a bomb at the back door, and they called the police. The police took this bomb away in a van, but it exploded and one officer was injured and two others were seriously hurt.
Likewise Hindu youth placed bombs in Pabitra Church, Urlabari, Emmanuel Church, Jhapa, and Gauriganj Church, Mechi. But these bombs were disposed by the Army with no casualties–thank God. These terrorists have formed the “Hindu Militant–Tiger Group” and “Shiva Shena Group.” Their main target are churches. They have announced their purpose of clearing churches and Christians from Nepal.
We are in prayer because tomorrow, September 20, the government will establish a permanent constitution. This will move Nepal to a semi-secular state and provide some religious freedoms for members of all religions–including Christians. Hindu culture and religions are protected by the constitution now. We thank God for demolishing 600 hundred years of Nepal being a purely Hindu Country. Now, Nepal is no more an exclusively Hindu country.
I have heard a report from West Nepal that some churches have been burned. But final proof of church burnings have yet to be confirmed. This is due to the curfew, employee strikes and control by the army. I have already met with local security and authorities to discuss this latest persecution against the church here. I plan to meet with the Home Ministers in parliament asap.
Thank you very much for the prayers and support of the saints. Please pray for me and for my nation.
Samuel Rai