Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Mat 10:8

Nepal is about the size of the South Island of New Zealand, turned through 90 degrees. But the mountains are bigger!  The southern strip is a plain, or terai, which is fertile and grows rice, wheat, and jungle! The central strip is foothills that are steep to very steep, and mostly terraced. The high Himalayas form the backbone along the northern border with China. They are snow-covered, and home to many unique animals and plants. The south-east is wet, tropical and grows great tea, while the west is dryer and poorer.

There are about 30 million people, of many tribes and languages, though most speak Nepali, closely related to Hindi. The majority are Hindus, but there are many Buddhists in the north and east, and many Muslims in the west. Most of the remote tribes are animist or practice a form of Tibetan Buddhism. Shamanism is common. But spiritually the people are wide open to the gospel, having become disillusioned with traditional religion and politics.

Politically Nepal is currently reasonably stable, but unpredictable. Nepal was recently declared a secular state, allowing access for ministry. There is a coalition government involving Maoists and others, who are redrafting the constitution. The country is very poor, especially in remote areas, and there is a huge lack of education, health care and basic needs. It suffers from chronic strikes and corruption at every level, and there are frequent shortages of fuel, electricity and other staples.

But the people are delightful - friendly, warm, open, resilient and tough. They have a unique culture and history (having never been conquered!), and it is a nation that everyone should visit! What better way than a missions trip that will change lives for the better?