Can you imagine walking for two days straight through the mountains, arriving at a bus stop, and then traveling via bus for 19 hours to arrive at your destination? That is what one ServLife Nepali mission worker did to get to a 3-day ServLife conference and graduation in Kathmandu, Nepal, in mid April.

Joel Vestal and his wife Elise traveled together earlier this month to Nepal to lead in a three day retreat and conference for the 42 ServLife workers who are scattered throughout Nepal, starting churches and sharing Christ. This year was our first year to bring together all of the former graduates for a time of encouragement and teaching. It also marks the fourth graduation ceremony of the ServLife Leadership Institute in Kathmandu.

ServLife is committed to the training and sending of young indigenous leaders to return to their villages and start churches throughout Nepal and beyond. We believe that it is through a local community that the most effective opportunities to reach people for Christ arise. These workers also become the eyes and ears for ServLife to be able to begin ministries in the communities among neglected children and impoverished adults.

“We have seen God use these individuals to open other doors for ServLife to step in and be hope for those in the community with children and the poor,” Joel says of the Leadership Institute graduates.

The students come from their home churches to the ServLife Training Institute for one year. They come from Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Independent church backgrounds to be equipped and trained to start a church back in their community. They continue to relate to their home church and we encourage their home church to support them in their new ministry, even with limited resources. Some of the churches have given the workers goats, bags of rice, and money.

Elise Vestal shared with the workers the role that their wives can have in their work and encouraged them to reach out to women in their villages.

Joel & Elise Vestal were at the recent graduation of the fourth group at ServLife’s Training Institute in Nepal. ServLife operates another Training Institute for church leaders in Bihar, India.

Please pray for these committed church planters, for support and success in fulfilling the vision God has given them.

(Source: ServLife News)

(Posted: May 5, 2009)