Transforming Lives in Nepal: Faith in Action

Join Pastor Gary Kusunoki and Rajiv as they share inspiring stories from Nepal, including personal testimonies, relief efforts after the earthquake, and the transformative power of faith and community outreach. Discover how faith drives practical aid and discipleship in unreached areas.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:01

Welcome to God's Stories, the broadcast ministry of Ingadur National Relief, where our mission is to share the love of Christ with others around the world. We disciple and raise up leaders to preach the gospel to unreached people groups, minister to the inner city and poverty-stricken areas in the U.S. and abroad, provide support to local police and relief organizations in response to natural disasters. We work to train up chaplains in the police and civilian industry. And we assist churches in training teams for mission and disaster response. We hope you're blessed by what you hear in this next half hour or so about what God is doing through this ministry.

SPEAKER_03 0:49

Well, welcome to another episode of God's Stories. I'm Pastor Gary. I'm here with my great friend Rajit. And he is also our country director in Nepal. And it's great to have you on the show. Thank you so much. We're in Nepal, actually, and what a blessing to be here. And we finally got to meet our grandkids and uh Rajiv and Sumitris, um, two little children, and um we are so blessed to to meet Leona and little Jonathan and spend time with them. But um maybe Rajiv, can you start off by telling us uh your testimony, how you came to know the Lord?

SPEAKER_01 1:39

So yeah, I'll just try to do it like in very short. Um we were uh I was uh young, like I was raised in a mixed uh religion, and what I what I mean that is like uh my father's side was always from Hinduism and from witchcraft uh uh also, and some of the relatives were witchcraft, and my uh mother's side was a Buddhist priest. So and my father's mother, uh, she used to be she used to go to church, or she was uh Christian for about uh now 40 40 years plus, and um and so I was kind of like a you know religion was nothing for me, just you know, I mean like in in one one sense is nothing, in one sense is everything because I used to go and like I have all the uh worship to the idols and I can go to church. So and uh and my my sister got suddenly sick when we were teenagers, and uh since you know, as a Christian, my grandmother one time uh with her friends came and prayed for my sister, and um so out of nowhere she started screaming in a loud voice, and uh so we came to know that she was being possessed by demon spirit, and but at that time, you know, that's how demon tried to manipulate others, and we we thought like she, you know, the way she was speaking, and kind of like we stopped our grandmother like saying, Hey, you are causing all this problem, just leave it now, leave, leave, leave to um, you know, um my sister, and uh so we just told tell tell them to go away, and uh we we kind of like started following all the rituals and did all the wiscar stuff, nothing could heal, and we did all the uh Buddhist uh rituals and nothing could heal. And I still remember one day like she was washing her face and looking at my eyes and I say, I want to go to church. So deep down in my heart, I really wanted to go to church and you know and see what uh you know um the the God can do in in Christianity. So so we just went there and uh as soon as they entered in the church hall, she just fell down. And after some time we had to, you know, um so there were some leaders and my grandmother and my aunt as she they used to live in the church as a full-time worker, so they started you know singing, they started praising God, they started praying over her, and uh so on those she got healed. Wow, and um and she started sharing the testimony afterwards because in our former church there there's a John 14, 6. Jesus says that I am the way, truth, and the life, and she was saying testimony from that cross, I got the light, and that that life signs in signed in me. And so so that that time I believed Christ as the Lord and a savior. And uh so you know that's uh how my Christian walk with the Lord started, you know. And so yeah, and looking back here, and I never regretted and always been a joy to follow him and serve him.

SPEAKER_03 5:14

What's the make of uh of Nepal religion-wise? Like how many Hindu, how many Buddhists, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:21

Um Hinduism is always top, you know. Uh, there's some people say it's like you know, that you know, uh in the pie chart if you see the maximum is a Hinduism and the Buddhist and and all the religion, the Christian falls in like a very two or three percent. Yeah, that's the majority is a Hinduism and Buddhist.

SPEAKER_03 5:45

So it's kind of into this um environment that we came in 2015, um, after the 7.4 earthquake, and uh we responded to to help. If you remember, over 9,000 people lost their lives in in the 7.4, and then the following um a few days later later, a 7.2. Uh we're actually here uh for the 7.2 and uh very close to the epicenter, so it's pretty uh I'd have to say impressive and scary. I mean, I I grew up in California, so I'm used to um to earthquakes, but this was something different. Um being this close, actually, we're out in the village. And so we just started by um going and going to uh actually where we wound up was in um a small village up in the mountains. And the way that we got there is we would go to the to meetings with our team, our relief team from Anchored Relief and from Promised Child. And we would would just go to the UN meetings and hear what the needs are, and so we're trying to decide, you know, where to go, where to help. Obviously, Kathmandu is the biggest city. What's the population of Kathmandu?

SPEAKER_01 7:13

20. That's that's three Korod in Nepali. That would be like two or three million.

SPEAKER_03 7:22

Two or three million. Okay. So, you know, we knew that there was massive needs in Kathmandu itself, but we're at this meeting and this one guy can't get stood up and he just began to weep. And he couldn't even say anything because he was weeping. And so he said, Would somebody please come and help my people? And he said, We're we're very near the epicenter, we're we're in an area that has been badly impacted by by the earthquake, and many people have died, and and yet no one is coming to help us because we're remote, we're very hard to get to, and you know, some of the places you would have to walk in uh for a few days to get to get to. And, you know, for us, the the calling from for Anchored International Relief, you've all heard it before, is to the lease, the last, and the lost. And so, you know, this really struck a co chord with us. Uh, it was myself and uh Steve Bailey that was with me, and uh, and we just were like, that's where we need to go. And somehow we need to get there. And so um we were able to work with Mission Aviation Fellowship, and they were able to pay a majority of the cost to use a helicopter to fly into the area. Now, you know, to get into this area after the earthquake, we probably would have we might have been able to drive some of the distances and then probably have to hike for a day or two in. And but this way we got there in literally in 25 minutes from Kathmandu. And the um mission aviation fellowship, we wouldn't have been able to do it. I mean, the only part that we had to pay of the flight was$200. And so, I mean, it was it was amazing to be able to go and go in there. And we, you know, what we found was uh a couple things. One obviously was people, people in great need, and then the the second was that they were unreached, and I mean totally unreached, that that the area where we landed, uh, they had never met Christians or talked to Christians, certainly never met uh an American Christian. And uh so we were able to go and really just as we helped the people doing relief projects and sharing the love of Jesus Christ, it's just been been uh a joy just to see. And then we found um further down the mountain a a small church, and um we were able to at first the the pastor was was you know pretty suspicious of us, right? And he didn't know who we were, where we came from. And one of the things we found is that they'd never really gone outside the doors of their church. And he told me later, he goes, I had four days of training, and then they told me, Okay, you're a pastor, so go on out. Um what a blessing it has been over the years to pour into this pastor's life to um to teach him, first of all, and then then to um teach his leaders and the people. We just came back, we had a team there, and uh why don't you talk about what we did with the team?

SPEAKER_01 10:58

So it was a uh blessed moment that we uh able to share together, and the team came from uh uh Anchor, and we went again back to the village, and it was uh precious just to go and visit some of these schools and with the leader kids, and you know, as they are most of them are from poor family and doesn't have much money to buy the stationary stuff, so we were able to uh buy some notes and pencils and erasers to uh primary up to primary to uh high school. So and so that that that was one thing we were able to do uh with uh three 207 students, and also another um thing that we're able to do is like just to go and visit our old friends, the community that they know that we love them, and just to have again that relationship, um, you know, and just to say and meet with them, and uh you know, and it was just fresh. And another thing is like just training uh the leaders and those who are called uh you know to lead the church there. And uh by the grace of God, you know, it's it's all God and uh it's there there are four of the churches has planted since we uh started going over there. And from the four of four of the churches, the leaders and pastors come and we train each year. And also, you know, youth, and uh it's a blessing to see some youth, and uh, youth means like it's not only you know teenagers in and you know, some of them like a very like 12 or 8 or 10, which you know normally not in a youth group, but they have just desired to come and listen and you know uh learn like what we are teaching over there. So it was a great moment for all of us just to go and pour out the word of God to this young generation that is going to be a future leader. So yeah, that was a great moment.

SPEAKER_03 13:08

You know, the calling of Anchored International Relief is not just to go someplace, stay for a short time, do whatever work that you have to do, and then just disappear. That um, you know, our calling is to go and then stay. And so we've been going there for over 10 years now, and just been been so blessed to see the community as they grow and see the church as it grows and and as the gospel goes forth and um people come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. And all we're doing is is going and sharing the love of Christ, sharing it in plaque practical ways, sharing the fact that we're Christians, sharing what our beliefs are, and and then and then to encourage and strengthen the church because really that's where where the work gets done. It's the church that that does the work. And so um we've been excited to do that. And you know, speaking of the youth, on this last Monday, we had a youth meeting at um Rajiv and Semitra's home, and it was packed. I mean, that I don't know how many there were, more than 40 youth that were there, and just to see their love for the Lord, their excitement and their joy, it just just gave filled me with hope because you know, the youth are are the future of of the church, if the Lord should tarry. And so um, you know, sometimes I I I could get discouraged and think, oh, you know, the the youth aren't interested, but I'll tell you, uh, I was just overjoyed to see that. And then there's uh another aspect of our ministry, which is uh to a leper colony. And I know for most of us in America, it's like leprosy, does that even exist anymore? Or we only read about it in the Bible, and yet leprosy is still here and it's still claiming victims, obviously, not as much as it used to. Um, but you know, talk about maybe the life of a leper, you know, someone who has leprosy, and then um what happens to them, where they go, how we found them, and then what we're doing.

SPEAKER_01 15:29

Okay, yeah. I so yeah, there it's been more than 50 years, 60 years, I think that there was leprosy colony already over there, and uh, you know, most of the early Christians uh has also uh you know access to go and uh do um fellowship uh and uh you know take care of them. Uh one of the reasons that God tossed us to go over there is you know it's it's the Christ's love, you know, because that what it compelled us to go over there. And also God provided a way to go and meet and also see the need of the people over there who were being outcasted from the um you know family, from the community, and also, you know, uh sometimes you know it was kind of like a their heart is hardened because you know this is life. So what to do now? So in the midst of that, uh I mean like we are not special, you know, but God is special and He moved us in a different way. And we just went over there and it's just you know, in the midst of those emotions, you know, in the midst of those need, you know, we just went and showed love for them and and uh you know and uh we are able to do you know uh a couple of things, you know, that helped them to um you know uh in um hygiene wise and also uh in a community-wise to stay together and a couple of things that we're able to do go and also we reach them every week uh that uh we go and just cherish and just encourage the believers over there. What a joy to see them, even like they are very hard time to hear, just to be in the fellowship, you know, and just to be encouraged by singing and just reading the word is just free time always.

SPEAKER_03 17:32

Yeah, it it it is so incredible. I remember one of the ladies there um asked Carol and I, she she said, you know, our own family has abandoned us and will never come to visit us, but you guys keep coming back. And she said, Why would you do that? And we said, Because Jesus loves you and so do we. And and so um it's been incredible to go back, and there's now we know the people there, yeah, and they recognize us. And of course, Rajiv's there every week, but you know, when we come uh once a year, or or you know, actually have been a couple years since we had been, um, they're all like old friends. And I'll tell you, it is um hard in a in a sense. Um, you know, everybody in the colony that we're at uh no longer has active or infectious leprosy. Um, but you know, still the damage has been done, the nerve damage is done, so many of them have lost fingers or hands or feet or or whatever. And you know, the first time somebody reaches out to you um, you know, and to to shake your hand and they don't have a hand, it it's like I mean, it's overwhelming, and and yet um Jesus touched the lepers, and so that's what he called us to do. And some of the projects we've done is we redid their sewer system because the the drains and everything were backing up into their houses, and so they were having standing water inside their houses, and and um so we redid their sewer system so that doesn't happen. And we we also um provided concrete walkways because they were during the rainy season, they were were walking in mud, yeah, and then um we redid their bathroom shower areas, we provided a place for them to do their laundry and hang their laundry. We recently uh went in and redid um their cement ceilings uh because it was so bad that that powder, the ceilings were just beginning to disintegrate, and powder was just falling down on them, on their food, anything. And so we're able to go in and how many houses have we done?

SPEAKER_01 19:59

10.

SPEAKER_03 19:59

10. So um there's about 30 that we've we've identified, and so we want to do the next um uh 20, probably another phase of 10 and another phase uh of 10 after that. And but what we're trying to do is demonstrate the love of Christ, not just tell them that Jesus loves them, but show them that Jesus loves them. And and I think Rajiv, when when we do it like that, that it lends um credibility to our message because they could see the love first. Um we've done gone and done meals, we provided food. This last time with our team, we provided uh vitamin drinks, and um, you know, we've done school supplies and because it's a whole family that's there. So if a parent is the one that has um leprosy, then the whole family goes with them, and so that they could stay together. And and so there's actually a lot of kids there uh in the in the leprosy colony. So we want to do more, we want to do you know, a school program and backpacks and and things like that. And again, these are people that nobody cares about, right? You know, and so how does it it make you feel like um what when the what maybe the first time you went to the leprosy colony or or before when you even heard about it, did you always feel like a burden to go or or what?

SPEAKER_01 21:35

No, I would say that always feel a burden to go. I would to be honest with you, you know. Um I never heard about it, and it was even like being in Kah Madrid was never heard about it. And uh so I had a chance to go like I think uh I don't know, I don't remember, maybe 15 years ago, something like that. And uh so back then I when I went there, even the community itself, the There was no unity. And uh there was like a the place that I n we see now is like a totally opposite. It was like you know very unclean I would say. It was beautiful in a sense like you know, green and you know out from the valley and a nice area, but you know, with cleanliness it was very bad. I mean there was no unity amongst the people over there too, and and you know, yeah, I mean like once I went there and it saw the things and it's I would say that it's not even like a one-time visit that make me, you know. It was like a time and time, and I was just like, hey, let's go this time. I saw this, let's go another time. I had the opportunity to go again, even just to translate, you know, I just went there and meet people and slowly so it's kind of like a you know, it's kind of like a uh God like keep you know pounding and pounding and just to, you know, finally here I am, you know, just go to them just to meet and encourage the word and uh worship God together, and that's a beautiful thing, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 23:09

You actually grew up around Catman and you never heard of it?

SPEAKER_01 23:12

Yeah, never heard of it.

SPEAKER_03 23:14

That's that's incredible. So I mean truly these are are people that are forgotten by the Lord. Well, the the other aspect of of what we do, I'm really excited about. Yeah, and that is one-to-one coffee.

SPEAKER_01 23:28

So tell us about that. Yeah, one-to-one coffee stuff is um uh in my heart, like there was always I since I grew up in Kathmandu, as I said, um, even like in Kathmandu, there was not like this, like this kind of a city when we were kids, so it was kind of like a village area. Uh but when we are growing, uh when I was growing up, I used to see a couple of people and a couple of young people sitting and chatting and talking about the things. Deep down in my heart, it was like a kind of like a you know, growing by I never had that, you know, burden, never thought like what it would be. But when when it was like a slowly, slowly kind of like a understanding as I was growing up and I saw the need of a discipleship, mentorship, and uh that's why it kind of like a started, like, okay, we need to have one-to-one time together. It's just something that I think Christian young, especially young people, like not only young, but also like a Christian need to spend together. It's mentorship, you know, discipleship, and and and and and you know, that's that's how and you know, that's we had a burden for the young people to disciple uh to provide them a job opportunity and also to uh you know um mature them, you know, in Christ. So that's that's kind of like a heart, and at the end it's a psalm 121, one and two, you know it's God who is the provider, you know, who is the creator of everything, and we just call to him and it does how he led and just formed this ministry.

SPEAKER_03 25:12

Yeah, I th I love because we have Psalm 121 on the wall.

SPEAKER_01 25:16

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 25:17

And then also, um so me personally, I don't like coffee. So I know I don't know why, but I just never ever and and Carol, um, my wife she doesn't like coffee either, so God put us together. But but I do like tea, and they do have tea there, but they have good coffee. And um, they even do a little coffee art thing with the I don't know, with with the foam. Yeah, what do you call that?

SPEAKER_01 25:43

It's a rosita, something like double heart.

SPEAKER_03 25:45

Yeah, and so it's pretty cool, but they're starting to get a reputation for good coffee and also good food. Which we serve um breakfast and and lunch there. Really good pastries. If you're ever in Kathmandu and you want banana bread or you want um cinnamon rolls, oh we just had them yesterday. Or was that today? I can't remember. Scookies, yeah, our cookies. Oh man, they're so good. Um, but anyways, I digress. But what I wanted to say too is an opportunity. It's an opportunity, first of all, to encourage and strengthen the church when you you're the Christians are a minority, and I mean a very small minority, it's easy to get isolated, right? Yeah, and so here's a place where Christians can gather, feel at home, comfortable, safe. But not only that, it's not only Christians that that come in there, right?

SPEAKER_01 26:43

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's also, yeah, I forgot to say that it's also, you know, a platform to reach the community, the those who come who are not even Christian, who never heard. And one of these staff was also not Christian, you know, and uh that's how we started coming and uh get to know each other, and uh slowly he began to understand he accepted Christ as Lord and Savior. Praise the Lord. And there are also some customers who said, like, what is this? And we have you know some question answers sometimes. There are some customers who come to regularly who are not Christian, but have been, you know, uh impacted by how the people, how this stuff uh served there, you know. So it's all all you know, it's just reaching the people, you know, just giving them Jesus, you know, how we serve, how we talk, you know, how we how we are just functioning over there also, and also also the place for the Christian to just have a comfortable and talk about Jesus, how yeah, it's it's uh it's it's just it's small, but you know, sometimes it gets really crowded and and you know it's just a joy to see.

SPEAKER_03 27:52

Well, and then I'm really excited because recently we um were blessed by the Jesus Film Project with with um little QR invitation cards that um someone can come and they can um tap on the QR code and and be linked directly to the Jesus film in the Nepali language, um or English or Indian or what I mean Hindu um language or whatever it might be. Um and so um we're it was it was so incredible, and we really want to shout out to to the Jesus Film Project and and also Vance Nordman, you know, thank you guys so much for for doing that, and we're looking forward to see the fruit that will come from this. Well, tell me now, um, because we're gonna kind of wrap up here, but but so what's your heart for the future?

SPEAKER_01 28:53

So uh I mean like for me personally, it's always been discipleship, and um I really, really look forward to invest on the life of young people. And that's kind of like on my heart because that's kind of like God led me and you know brought people into my life where I was in need of a mentorship and discipleship. And uh that's that's how kind of strongly feel that hey, this is the thing that young people need here. And if God is calling me to do that, why I will not be obedient to you know follow his call and do that in the future. So that's kind of like a my prayer and heart, you know, to move forward in discipleship and see how God works in the different mediums. Maybe might be like planting another one-to-one here and there, or like some trainings, you know, or just uh which we do like a youth camp doing that. So there's certain things, you know, that God is just putting in my heart about how and what load. So that's that's uh just want to be faithful and follow his call.

SPEAKER_03 30:01

So so be looking forward to and watching our website, uh anchoredrelief.org, or check the blog, uh anchoredrelief.blog, because uh I think we're gonna be doing another trip to Nepal here in um November. So be watching for that. And it and and it's specifically um to take part in a youth conference. And so um I'm looking for some of you youth out there that would be willing to go and share of your lives and your heart here in Nepal. And uh you can can reach out to us at info at anchoredrelief.org. Uh, that's our email address. But again, you know, check out our our uh website, anchoredrelief.org or blog anchoredrelief.blog, um, Instagram at anchored relief, and uh we'd we'd love to hear from you. And we'd love to also hear how uh God's working and moving on your heart. And so what I really want us to take away from this before we pray is you know, so often we we just get so focused in myopic, really, and to our our own daily lives. And we forget that there's a world out there, and especially as Christians, we forget that that the calling of Jesus is to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the uttermost parts. And and so um here we are uh for Americans in the uttermost parts. I guess for you, the uttermost parts would be America. Yeah. So um maybe hopefully someday you'll you'll come there. So um, but you know, we really would ask you to be praying for us. Thank you for supporting us. We'd ask you just to really um uh seek the Lord on how he might use you, whether it's it's Nepal in November, you still have time to sign up for our Uganda trip July 17th to August 1st. And as the team is just finalizing right now, so please sign up for that. And again, all that you can do uh through anchoredrelief.org or um by emailing us at info at anchoredrelief.org. Well, Raziv, thank you so much for being on the program and and um we look forward to having you on again and continuing to update it us, and we'll also have some of our team members that just went on this last trip that um that we're gonna have on the the program in the next few weeks so they could share some of their experiences. But for right now, would you um go ahead and close us in prayer?

SPEAKER_01 32:56

Yeah, thank you for having me. Let us pray. Father God, thank you once again for this wonderful time. It is you, Lord, who does everything, God, and you are sovereign. And we just love you, how faithful you are, and uh thank you for using people like us, God, and uh thank you for using us for your kingdom, God, and thank you for using Anchor and for all the team. Anchor is not it's it's not just an organization, Lord, it's an organization that willingly has a desire to follow your call and reach people for your glory, God, and I just pray that you just minister each and everyone uh in Anchor, Lord, and just you know, provide and just uh protect and for your glory, God. And thank you for this wonderful time that we are able to share the things that you have put in our heart and also the things that we saw in a couple of days, and that how you minister us and uh you know also the people in village, in town, Lord, and thank you so much for your goodness, thank you for your faithfulness, thank you for everything. In Jesus' name we pray.

SPEAKER_03 34:17

Amen. Amen. And let me just leave you with this one thing, and um actually uh Rajiv kind of referred to it in his prayer. You know, it's not that any of us are special or that we have great faith. It's not our great faith in God, it's our faith in a great God. And God wants to use all of us, and so he can use you. Um and I I want to reach out and just maybe speak to some that are discouraged or or um you know feel like maybe you're going nowhere. God can use you, he will use you, and so we look forward to hearing stories of how God would encourage you to reach out for him. So until next week, God bless you.

SPEAKER_02 35:04

We like to thank every single one of you for listening to God's stories. To connect with us, go to anchoredrelief.org and follow us on Instagram or follow us at our blog at anchorrelief.blog. You could also subscribe to our YouTube channel as well as our Apple Podcasts and Spotify. To subscribe to our text thread, text the word air, A-I-R, to the number 949-384-9282. Again, that's 949-384-9282. Or you can call us directly on our office line at area code 949-432-6777. That's 949-432-6777.

SPEAKER_00 35:48

The proceeding was a production and broadcast ministry of Anchored International Relief.