Just returned from a 2 month medical elective in Nepal, spent 6 weeks at a rural mission hospital in a small town called Tansen.

Nepal is an amazingly beautiful country, a testament to the wonder of God's marvellous creation. The mighty snow-capped Himalaya, deep valleys, lush forests and raging rivers bear witness to our awesome Creator. And yet it is also a very poor and underdeveloped country, still reeling from the ravages of 10 years of civil war and struggling under an ineffectual government very much in its infancy. The very nature of the terrain makes transport and development difficult. Most of the people live hard lives as farmers; even those who have studied through college and university find it difficult to find jobs. Many are forced to work overseas in India and other countries. Schools have poor facilities and undedicated teachers who worry more about money than about their students. Corruption is rampant.

It is also the world's only Hindu state, where proselytising is illegal. Officially about 70% of the population is Hindu.

Tansen Mission Hospital was established in 1953 by the United Mission to Nepal. Today it is a tertiary hospital that sees many patients from the Western area of Nepal and adjacent India. It is a hospital for the poor- many patients are unable to afford the hospital fees and hence receive financial help from the Social Services. No patient is ever turned away because of lack of money, unlike most other hospitals in Nepal.

One of the greatest lessons I learnt there was the impact that Christ's love can have on the people. I remember particularly one Nepali brother I met. He had grown up under tough circumstances, his father being an alcoholic (which is a very widespread problem in Nepal). But after he came to Christ, his whole life was transformed. He recalled being a teacher in a rural school, which was very poorly equipped and in a bad state. While most of the other teachers around him were doing it just for the money, he determined to do all he could to help his students. He agonized to the point of tears before the Lord. Before long, his school had won an award for the best school in the district. Today he works in a local fellowship reaching out to his countrymen. This man was a real man of God, one who radiates Christ everywhere he goes.

Another man I met, a retired Indian Army soldier, had been an alcoholic almost all his life. But when he turned to Christ, his alcoholism stopped. A Nepali doctor in the hospital, himself saved from the brink of death from disease by a miracle from God, now serving his countrymen passionately when he could be working overseas for a lot more money. There are many of such stories. In a world where many profess to believe in Christ, but their lives show no sign of it- Bonhoeffer's concept of "cheap grace"- such living examples of discipleship and transformation were inspiring and refreshing.

St. Francis once said, "Preach the Gospel. Use words if necessary." 50 years ago, when the first 2 missionaries came to Tansen, they were the only Christians there. The hill where the hospital stands today was a barren wasteland, used for cremating dead bodies. Because of the work of the hospital, today there are 2 thriving churches in Tansen, and many daughter churches around. The hospital does not just treat patients, but reaches out to poor villages around the area, helping to transform them in areas of health, sanitation and work. It runs a nutrition centre that helps severly malnourished children and their parents. As the Bible says, "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden... Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." Matt 5:14-16

God's love and light shines through those who are willing to be used by Him, to those who need to receive it. Nepal needs the love of Christ. To a Hindu believer; life is a never-ending cycle of birth and rebirth. Your life now is determined not by your actions, but what has happened in your previous life (karma). There is much despair. But those who believe in Christ both present and future hope, indeed an eternal hope. And our actions in this life, by the grace of God, can touch and impact many around us in beautiful ways.

If you feel a burden for Nepal, do join us in praying for this country. It needs a good, upright government that works for the good of its people; it needs much prayer. If you would like to find out more about the hospital or contribute to their work, you can visit their website at http://www.tansenhospital.org.np/main.htm. I'd love to share more with you about our experiences there if you are interested.