Sword & Trowel 2015: Issue 1
September. Alongside the emergency and short-term relief work, reconstruction of a number of church buildings has begun in the worst- affected locations.
Churches bombed
Regarding the recent bomb- ing of churches, Pastor Rai reports that members of the Hindu Youth Federa- tion placed bombs in several churches, including eight re- formed Baptist churches, on the night of 14th September. Most were removed by army disposal teams but one church was damaged and one bomb, removed by the police, then exploded causing offi c- ers serious injury. Hindu youth have formed a militant group with the objec- tive of clearing Christian churches from Nepal. This occurred in the run up to signing of a new Federal Constitution, on 20th September, which defi nes the majority Hindu nation as a secular republic, after centuries as a Hindu monarchy. Christians are thankful that the constitution grants the right to practise all faiths but are concerned at restrictions on people changing reli- gion, or persuading someone to change religion. Various protests continue, motivated by both religious and ethnic concerns. Please pray for the safety of the Lord’s people and for freedom to proclaim the Gospel.
In August emergency help was given to hundreds of families from mountainside communities which had lost all their crops and food in landslides caused by the earthquake and monsoon rains. Many remote villages are unreachable by road, and treks over mountainous country have to be made.
page 8 Nepal Earthquake
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