First Love Home

Zechi and Lola Lhomi were raised in a small Buddhist, Lhomi village near the Nepali Tibetan border. There are no roads that reach their village. To get there, one would have to walk miles through incredibly steep hills and valleys. Their village has no electricity and limited access to facilities such as schools and medical care. Zechi lived most of his life as cow shepherd and had to work hard for his livelihood farming wheat and potatoes.  

His village and culture are deeply rooted in Buddhism and the Lhomi people have strong spiritual pride. His life forever changed when he became a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. One day his younger brother became deathly ill. The Buddhist holy men tried to heal him but nothing worked. After many days a Christian man from a nearby village prayed for healing and slowly he was healed. Zechi and his family accepted Jesus as they saw the power of God displayed in their life. A church was founded in his village and Zechi became one of the leaders. A small revival sparked the surrounding villages and many people came to Christ. After some time a severe persecution rose from a Maoist Rebel group. They came with their machetes and threatened Zechi and the other church leaders and told them to leave. They tried to burn down the church and beat some of the Christians. They had to flee for their lives. After a while another village killed the Maoist rebel leader. His body was cut up into pieces and thrown into a river. He left a small boy behind named Thudok.

 

Three years ago Zechi and Lola felt God impress on their hearts to start First Love Home for Tibetan children. Their vision is to disciple children and train them up to be responsible Christ-filled adults who will return to their villages to share the Gospel. Currently they have 14 children and 4 of their own. Thudok (right pic), the son of Maoist rebel leader who severely persecuted them, now lives at First Love Home and he loves Jesus.

*Names have been changed

Psalm. 98:2 The LORD has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations.

Seeking God's INSTRUCTION

There is, perhaps, nothing a Christian needs to more closely examine than his or her own presumed views and habits, for we are so prone to take God’s divine approval of them for granted, rather than seeking out his counsel and instruction in the Word! Let us examine ourselves, our habits, our ways and see if there is anything that is hindering us from fully following God. 

1 Chronicles 13 tells the account of King Davids endeavor to bring the ark of God back to Jerusalem. David just became King of Israel and is living in Jerusalem. He has good intentions of bringing the ark of God to Jerusalem. All Israel goes to get the ark. They put it on a new cart to bring to Jerusalem. "And when they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah put out his hand to take hold of the ark, for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark, and he died there before God. And David was angry because the LORD had broken out against Uzzah."-1 Chronicles 13:9-11 

Even though David and all of Israel have good and right intentions to please the Lord, they did not seek His instruction. Uzzah perishes because of his lack of knowledge in understanding of how to correctly carry the ark of God. David learns a harsh lesson and seeks the Lord for instructions of how to correctly carry the ark of God.

Two chapters later, David realizes God is blessing the house of Obed-Edom because of the ark. He goes to bring it to Jerusalem, however he does it differently this time. He does not put the ark on a CART like he did the first time. David seeks the Lord's instruction. He realizes that no one but a Levite can carry the ark of God. In 1 Chronicles 15:13-15, David says, "Because you (Levites) did not carry the ark the first time, the LORD our God broke out against us, because we did not seek him according to the rule."

The priests and the Levites consecrate themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord. This time, the Levites carry the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the LORD.

"So all Israel brought up the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD with shouting, to the sound of the horn, trumpets, and cymbals, and made loud music on harps and lyres" (vs28). 

So often we are like David and Uzzah, we have good intentions to follow God and seek him but we are not going about it in the right way. Hosea said the people perish because they lack knowledge. We must examine our own presumed views and habits, rather than taking God’s divine approval of them for granted. Let us examine ourselves, our habits, our ways and see if there is anything that is hindering us from fully following God. 

Lord, search us this day. Search our hearts and minds and bring to our attention any hbait or presumed view that might hinder us from following You!

Take your candle, and go light your world

Carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the hopeless, confused and torn
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle, and go light your world

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:14

The church has had nearly 2000 years to share "this gospel of the kingdom" yet there are still nearly 9,000 unreached people groups (Joshua Project).

How are you directly involved in fulfilling the Great Commission…especially among the unreached?

I believe it all begins with PRAYER!!! 

Father God, we come to you in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ asking that you give the church a renewed and urgent passion to fulfill the Great Commission. May your Kingdom come to the unreached...to every nation, tribe and tongue. Show us how to empty ourselves so the Holy Spirit might well up in us a spring of LOVE that will overflow and spread to the ends of the earth. Make us weak, foolish, poor, lowly and unknown for your Kingdom here on earth. Send us, Oh God…send the church to the darkest places so it might shine with the brightest LIGHT as the fullness of Christ transforms our lowly sinful bodies.

Jesus said ask anything...anything in his name and for the glory of God the Father…so we ask for FAITH, HOPE and LOVE…for wisdom, knowledge, understanding, truth, grace, holiness, and humility. We ask for freedom from the sin that so easily entangles and that we might walk continually in Your presence…for we know that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is FREEDOM. Father God fill us with the fruit of the Spirit…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear.  Unite the church and make us one just as your Son is one with you. Fill us with zeal for your house…zeal for spreading Your kingdom. Come Lord Jesus...the Spirit and the Bride say, Come!

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Ephesians 4:6

Story of FAITH.....Nepal.....

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Sher Lama runs two children's homes in Nepal. He loves the Lord and 

-->is dedicated to transforming the lives of children. His goal --> is to raise up a generation of children who will transform the communities and tribes of Nepal for the Kingdom of God. I had the opportunity to visit him and hear all that the Lord is doing. He told me the spectacular and inspiring story of how his father, Shiva Tamang and his family came to know the Lord Jesus Christ.

1968 

Sher Lama's father, Shiva, lived in a remote village in Nepal. His older brother, Suk had been working as a porter in Pokhara where he received a Gospel track and accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior. Around this time his seven year old son, Dal became ill. Unknown to him, his family had taken Dal to a Buddhist Lama (holy man) who performed rituals to try and heal him. They also took him to a witchdoctor who sacrificed goats, chickens, and roosters to appease the gods, yet he remained ill. When Suk heard his son was sick, he instantly knew that Jesus could heal him. He went into his house and closed all the windows and prayed for his son to be healed in Jesus name. The next morning Dal was healed. The relatives in the village saw this miracle, including his brother Shiva. After some time they started a fellowship inside a mud hut with a small kerosene lamp that barely lit the room and an torn New Testament Bible that Suk had brought from Pokara. Slowly, the number of the believers increased. 

1971

After three years  there was a severe persecution. All the village leaders along with many Buddhist Lama’s came from the surrounding area and tied up 13 leaders of this church. They beat them with their hands and told them to leave the village. Many of the believers fled to the surrounding areas of Nepal. God used this time of suffering to spread to Gospel.

While this persecution was taking place Shiva's wife died from Tuberculosis. She left three small boys behind all under the age of 6, Sher Lama, being one of them.

Because of the persecution Shiva and his youngest brother, Rana Bahadur, fled to a nearby forest and found some caves to live in. During the night they would return to the village to have fellowship with the other believers who were living in secret. Shiva had been living in the caves for three years when Jesus came to him to him in a vision. Jesus showed Shiva all the villages and the leaders of these villages who had previously persecuted him. Jesus told him, Do not think you are all alone, I will make all these villages your friend. After six months a lady named Miriam, from a nearby village became deathly ill. She was taken to a witchdoctor and many Lama’s (Buddhist holy men), but still she was not healed. The villagers knew that Shiva and Rana lived in the forest. They brought them to the Miriam and said, "If she is healed we will believe in Jesus, but if she is not healed we will beat you." Shiva and Rana prayed in Jesus Name for healing while all the village people waited outside the house. To the villager's shock and unbelief the Miriam woke up the next morning completely healed!

All the leaders of the villages came and asked Shiva and Rana for forgiveness and accepted Jesus. Shiva and Rana returned to live in their village. Many of their friends and family accepted Christ. The story of God's miracles spread to the surrounding villages along with the Gospel and many people came to Christ. Now thousands of people have become Believers!

A church was built in the very place where the 13 Christian leaders had been tied up and beaten. Shiva became the pastor of that church even though he had never gone to school. Jesus used an uneducated villager to bring his Kingdom to an unreached group and he can use you mightily if you only step out in faith!

Jesus LOVES the little children......

Introduction

Mercy Children’s Ministry is a Christian, faith-based, non-profit organization. It is registered under the act of Social Welfare of Nepal. Mercy Children’s Ministry is dedicated to transforming the lives of children.

Mercy Children’s Ministry believes that children are a heritage from the Lord (Psalms 127:3). Lamentations 2:19 urges God’s people to “Arise, cry out in the night, as the watches of the night begin; pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to him for the lives of your children, who faint from hunger at the head of every street.” Countless Nepali children have become victims of prostitution, child labor and abandonment. Mercy Children’s Ministry is devoted to offer these children a lifeline of hope. Some of the children are orphans, some are from impoverished tribal mountain villages, and others have been rescued off the streets. Through the love of Christ, these children are filled with hope to live a life of purpose. 

Background

Sher Lama worked with Youth For Christ for a few years in the late 90’s and as his ministry was coming to an end he began praying for God's calling on his life. He asked God what he should do and as he was praying, he saw a big field filled with many banana trees that were cut off but from those cut off banana trees, tiny new banana plants with two or three leaves were coming up. He asked God in his prayer, what is this? Then he heard a voice within his heart say, “This is your ministry.” He new God was telling him to start a children’s home.

  

In 2001, Sher Lama met a man from the USA who began to support his street children’s program. In 2003, by God’s grace, Sher Lama and his wife Kalpana opened Mercy Children’s Home in Pokhara, Nepal. They went through many struggles and challenges but God was faithful to provided their every need. In 2008, Sher Lama registered Mercy Children’s Home in the government of Nepal. Now, they have 18 children in Pokhara and 13 in Kathmandu.

Mission

MCM exists as supportive Christian home’s that offer a lifeline of hope to Nepali children from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and equips them to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults.

Goal

MCM’s goal is to raise up a generation of children who will transform the communities and tribes of Nepal for the Kingdom of God.

Vision

MCM’s vision is to reach fifty of the most unreached people groups of Nepal by establishing five children homes around the country. 

Support MCM

Write "MCM" or "Sher Lama" in the memo field. 100% of any donations by check will be sent directly to Mercy Children's Ministry.

Mailing address:

Holly Liedstrand MCM

1008 Biltmore Ave.

Lynchburg, VA 24502

email: holly.liedstrand@gmail.com if you have any questions

GRACE Orphan Home

Lila Tamang comes from a small Buddhist village situated in the Himalayan Mountains. When Lila was six years old his mother became very ill. She consistently went to a witchdoctor and tried to appease the gods to no avail. One day a Christian came to her village and prayed that she would be healed in Jesus Name, slowly she was healed. She saw God’s power in healing her sickness. Her husband was curious about this Jesus who heals and decided to buy a Bible to look for errors. After reading it, he could not deny the TRUTH and PEACE he felt. Slowly his whole family came to accept Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior. As his father matured in his faith he boldly shared the Gospel with his family and village neighbors. They, however, were indignant and responded with harsh persecution. They beat his father with a club. His uncle came with an axe and cut the center pillar of their house so it tumbled over. The neighbors stole their crops, corn and rice. Another uncle stole all their belongings. Eventually they were kicked out of their village for three years. After a while his father came back and the Lord opened a door for him to plant a church. Now there are nearly 300 believers in his home village!

Presently Mr. Lila and Rina Tamang care for 7 orphans and have two children of their own. They live 40 km outside Kathmandu in a city called Dhulikhel. A few years ago Lila was working with a mission organization called YWAM. His ministry commitment with this organization was about to end. He knew he needed to spend time in prayer to seek God’s guidance about his next step in life. He decided to fast for three days. The first two days he did not hear anything from God. As the third day rolled along he began to struggle with hunger pains but he persevered praying and worshiping God and as he did, he felt the Holy Spirit whisper in his heart...You have to do something for orphans and widows. He shared this with his wife and she supported him in this calling. Two years ago the Lord gave them the opportunity to start Grace Orphan Home in addition to pastoring a small church down the road. 

 

Please pray for Lila, Rina and the children at Grace Orphan Home.

If you would like to know how to support this ministry please email: holly.liedstrand@gmail.com

OUT OF darkness.....

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Saimon is from a small city, Dhulikhel,

--> 40 km outside Kathmandu, Nepal. He grew up in a Buddhist family. From his childhood he had suffered from chronic sickness. A few weeks out of each year he believed an evil spirit would severely inflict him with sickness. When he was 20 years old he became very sick once again but this sickness lasted longer and was more severe. His throat hurt, he was constantly dizzy and his knees were in pain. He lost his job and was nearly bedridden. He was tormented with nightmares of snakes and people who would chase him and try to kill him. He believed this was spiritual and tried to appease the gods through practicing Buddhist witchcraft. He would go to the witchdoctor for treatment and spent all his money offering chickens and goats. The animals were killed, the blood offered to the gods and the animal cooked as a meal.

After he had spent all his money visiting the witchdoctor he had no hope of being healed.  Soon after a Christian told him that if he came to church they would pray for him and he would be healed. Desperate for any help, he came to Pastor Misheal's house for prayer. As they prayed it was clear that Saimon was demon possessed. He would fight and kick and scream in rage. After much prayer he was delivered from the kingdom of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of the Lord Jesus. Now, two years later Saimon feels called into full time ministry and works with Pastor Misheal and Grace Orphan Home.

Names have been changed