THE MOVE OF GOD IN BHUTAN

Kikon Lotha/AO partner in Bhutan

We praise God for the foot soldiers in Bhutan who, in obedience to the Great Commission, have gone into the "regions beyond" with the Gospel of Jesus Christ even at the price of persecution. God has raised up faithful foot soldiers as His instruments to carry out His plan. The foot soldiers in Bhutan work tirelessly to take the message of God’s love and salvation to the lost as they desire that every Bhutanese come to know Jesus so their lives can be transformed forever. Although there are no violent attacks on Christians, they do face persecution through discrimination by the government and society. Christians live out their Christian lives underground and church buildings, Christian cemeteries or Christian bookstores are not allowed. As one Pastor said, “Once the government discovers that you are a Christian, nothing will be free for you as all the perks of a Bhutanese are stripped.” Although Christians are allowed to practice their faith in private homes, evangelism and Christian gatherings in public are prohibited.

Life is hard for the foot soldiers in Bhutan because they never know who they can trust as the authorities have spies everywhere. In 2015 Pastor Tandin was arrested during Sunday service for playing a music video of the song “Above All” to usher the people to worship when a neighbour reported him. Police also seized his computer and found a schedule in Tandin’s hard disk revealing his plans to show three Christian movies in the days to follow. They say the attempt to show these films without permission is punishable by the Penal Code of Bhutan. He was sentenced to 3 years in prison.

Despite concentrated efforts to curb the spread of Christianity, the efforts of the foot soldiers have not been in vain. House churches are being established and many remote villages are hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  God continues to raise up men who are willing to risk even their lives for the sake of the Gospel. We hardly receive any news on social media about the miracles taking place in this tiny Himalayan Kingdom but God is moving powerfully through the work of the foot soldiers and lives are being transformed through the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

Leah Chhettri, a Bhutanese woman had suffered from a heart condition which became quite serious. The doctors in Bhutan recommended that she go immediately to Calcutta for open heart surgery.  Leah was plunged into depression and fear that she would die before she could go for the operation. Finances for the operation was another problem too and she became more discouraged. She heard of a pastor in Likithung who could pray for her healing and his God would listen and help her. So she went and sought him out and she and her husband met Ps Lazarus who was filled with compassion when he heard her problem and he began to share the Gospel and about the love of God, His peace and His healing. Leah asked Ps Lazarus to pray that she would be healed without an operation. She continued to pray with Ps Lazarus and listen to the Word of God and she accepted Jesus as her Lord and Saviour even before she was healed.  After a month had passed Leah went to the hospital and to the amazement of the doctors her Eco test results revealed that her heart was in good condition. The doctors were baffled but Leah knew that Jesus had healed her and she was filled with joy.

A month later, Leah and her husband stood on the banks of a river near their village and under the pretext of having a picnic (to avoid detection that baptism was taking place) Leah was baptised. In the month of January it was very cold and the water in the river was freezing cold. Leah’s husband was concerned for his wife as she was still quite delicate even though she had been healed and Ps Lazarus encouraged them to have faith in Jesus and trust Him. As Leah walked into the river holding tightly to Ps Lazarus’s hand her husband saw Jesus standing between Leah and Ps Lazarus and he immediately fell on his knees in awe. After the pastor submerged Leah in the water and brought her out in just a couple of seconds they found to their horror that Leah was cold and unconscious and there was no pulse. Leah’s husband and everyone present rushed into the water and were crying and pleading for Leah’s life.  But that moment was to give God glory and honour. Leah opened her eyes some 6-8 minutes later to see them all crying around her. Her face glowed and she shared that the minute she went into the water she saw a bright blue beautiful light and her spirit soared up toward the light and she felt the presence of God. She wished she could have stayed longer but she had to return back. She still is a walking testimony for God and her whole family have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.  There are so many more miraculous signs and wonders that are occurring in Bhutan and many are coming to the Lord.

Recently a church member of Ps Lazarus gave birth to a premature baby (the mother was in her 7th month of pregnancy when she went into labour) and the baby was in a very critical condition. Doctors told the parents that the baby had very little chance for survival. The parents immediately called Ps Lazarus to pray with them. Ps Lazarus prayed over the baby for God’s blessings, healing and strength and the Lord healed that baby. The baby who is 3 months old now is strong and healthy. Praise the Lord!                                  

        

The foot soldiers urgently need our prayers and financial support. God has a great task before them and if we don’t support them who will take their place to go? Will you answer that call to be a sender or a supporter?  Will you help our Bhutanese foot soldiers fulfil the Great Commission in their nation? Our Lord’s cry for the world is getting louder and more urgent. His heart is yearning for the lost to be saved.

Romans 10:14

 “But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?”