INF and Ram Ghat Church: together growing towards the Light (I)

Eileen Lodge writes: 

The church in Pokhara actually began in India. Dr. O'Hanlon and Miss Steele were poised on the boarder of Nepal in their epic stand of faith, believing that God was going to open the door to Nepal for His Kingdom. This was not a passive waiting but an active bringing of the Good News to those in the Nautanawa area in winter and in Assam in the summer. 

Nepalies heard the word of life and believed. One notable such person was Buddi Sagar, an  ex-Hindu priest who had lost two families inside Nepal to smallpox, leading him to move Assam. His home had been in Pokhara and he still owned land there. He encouraged the missionaries to locate their work in Pokhara as it is the cross-roads to many places. He also gave them the authorities to use his land, on which the present church now stands. He did not know at that time that he would be such a backbone in the work of the Leprosy Hospital set up in 1957 or that after his wife would rise his three sons to take highly important position in the work of the Mission. Such are the amazing way of God.

The tiny group of believing men and women- six in all –who trekked in with the missionaries in 1953 were also the pioneers of church. God doesn't need highly educated people to proclaim His Kingdom and many people heard the gospel through Priscilla in the Shining Hospital as they were faced with the need of healing and spiritual life.

In 1953 pastor David and Premi from Darjeeling area had become of the member of the 'band' committing themselves to the life of faith on the same terms as the missionaries. They were in Pokhara and the Church –a small fellowship of believers- held their services in the Mission compound below the Shining Hospital.

However, it was felt that, in the eyes of the public, church should not be seen as a part of the Foreign Mission recently arrived in Pokhara, and Pastor David and Premi moved to a small house built of Buddi Sagars's land and a church, suitably built in bamboo and thatch, came into being.

Many people came to the Shining Hospital both of treatment and to hear the gospel. Significantly, some of the earlier believers were witch-doctor and  high cast Brahmins. People suffering from leprosy were accepted on an equal footing with others.  

When the church moved to Ramghat, soon a group of believers were baptized, during which they had to confess that they were willing to go to prison for His Name, or even die if that was the Lord's way for them.

Leadership in church was always in the hand of Nepalis with the leader of the Mission advising until this grew less and less and the church become independent. Although independent, we were all one; at the Lord's Supper. Service lead by Phillip Gurung, expatriate were sitting by side with their Nepali brothers and sisters, many of them deformed leprosy patients, listening to his deliberate wording of his thought- these were solemn and reverent times. Or Pastor David preaching, his spirit taking him into the heavenliest, dancing up and down as he exhorted his people to be sincere in following Him, the Savior of the church and World.

And so the mission and church were set to grow side by side to bring light to those who sat in darkness.  Cont...........see part II