Kirtipur means ‘city of glory’, and the views from this municipality in the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal are quite magnificent. Situated just outside the capital city, this area is populated primarily by Nepalis and the Newar people group, who created the area’s predominantly Hindu heritage. However, in these foothills of the Himalayas, Utsang longs to see this become a city which celebrates not the glory of Hindu gods or Himalayan mountains, but of the Lord who holds them all in His hand.

Utsang was born into a Brahmin family, the son of a Hindu priest. His conversion as a young man had caused a stir and led to him being cut off from his inheritance. He received a scholarship to study theology in the UK then swiftly returned to his home country, eager to utilise the gift he had been given.

KIRTIPUR KIDS

When Utsang first returned, there was freedom to proclaim the gospel. He would witness to university students and disciple them, spurring them on to good works and fruitful lives in the Lord’s service. However, new laws introduced in 2017 brought such ministry to a crashing halt, and the focus shifted to more relational, community–based outreach work.

The church which Utsang helps to lead has rooted itself in the community, seeking to be a blessing to the local area. A pre–school began in the church building, offering children from the poorest families the opportunity to attend. At just £7 per month, the service was provided for a fraction of the usual cost and yet many families struggled to pay the bills. In every instance, their debts were forgiven.

There have been challenges along the way. Last year, a funeral service was held in the church one weekend and for the entire week which followed the children were afraid to attend the pre–school. They were deeply concerned about the presence of evil spirits in the building.

Fast forward a few months, and it was not the children raising concerns but the local authorities. False accusations were made against Utsang claiming that he and the team had forced people to be baptised into the Christian faith. As a result, their license to run the pre–school was revoked just months after we had provided new toys and workbenches for the children. Utsang could only cling to the promise in Joshua 1:9, that he should be strong and keep his courage since the Lord is with him always.

The authorities suggested that the team shift their focus to vocational training to empower local women, and so they are prayerfully seeking God’s direction in that regard. It was also suggested that their pre–school license could be transferred to another district, with the authorities seemingly happy for the work to take place as long as it is not in their back yard.

 

MOUNTAIN MISSION

By God’s grace, Utsang had already been exploring the possibility of establishing a pre–school in the mountainous Salyan district. Here, two young men whom he discipled as university students have returned home to begin a church planting ministry in this remote and previously unreached area. They receive regular training from Utsang and his church family, who travel to the region several times a year. Forgoing the comforts of the city, they sleep on church floors and eat the mountain food unquestioningly, teaching from morning until night. The Lord has greatly blessed the work in this area, with around 400 people coming to faith and five churches being planted to date.

Even back in 2022, Utsang was making plans to engage the community in Salyan through a pre–school, and now that looks the most fruitful avenue for this ministry which rests so heavily on his heart. It seems that the Lord has been directing events all along, taking the evil actions of men and using them for good. Truly, the Lord is with us always.

 

HOW TO PRAY

• Give thanks for the witness of Utsang and the church in Kirtipur.
• Pray that the Lord would direct them in reaching their local community.
• Praise God for winning hundreds of souls in Salyan district.
• Pray that a pre–school might be established soon, enabling the church to serve and witness to the local community.
• Pray that an even greater harvest would be reaped here in the months and years to come.

Support Utsang today by giving to the Asian Workers Fund.