Jesus tells a story in Matthew 13:44: “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” Everyone searches for that one thing that is worth everything, in order to have and hold. The loftiest of career goals, the most romantic of love stories and the most daring of feats, all point to the desire to find the most valuable treasure and the price many of us are willing to pay to have it. In Nepal, those who find the hidden treasure are those who may give up the love from their families, their acceptance in their communities and even their safety.
Consider the price our brother Nanda Kumar has had to pay. Once a Buddhist priest, Nanda was a highly regarded member of his community. Buddhist priests are actively involved in the building of temples, particularly participating in the cutting and delivery of wood for the construction. Whilst in the forest cutting wood, for the construction of a local temple, he fell and suffered severe injury, resulting in the amputation of his leg. Nanda tragically paid a heavy price for an empty and false religion.
Nanda’s daughter had become a Christian and was spending time with Christian leaders. The group shared the gospel with Nanda. Praise be to God, he became a Christian. Having once counted the cost of losing his leg for a false religion, Nanda found the faith that is truly worth paying all to have, reminding us of Jesus’ story of the treasure hidden in the field.
The Thakali culture, where Nanda is from is strictly Buddhist. When Nanda became a Christian, he lost the privilege of attending family functions and faced rejection from his community. His eldest son has even refused to accept Nanda as family. Nanda furthermore gave up his former lofty status of priest. But he does not care about what he has sacrificed – he knows God and His love. Therefore, Nanda is willing to accept the loss of what he once had. It reminds us of Paul’s words: “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ” Philippians 3:7. Paul didn’t look for the acceptance of family or his community – he sought only the acceptance that comes from the Lord, humbly approaching Him with the acknowledgement that he was a sinner.
We can thank the Lord for His saving work in Nanda’s life, as well as in the lives of some of his family members, including his wife, who have since become Christians. Furthermore, some members of the community have accepted him once again, though most of the community still ostracise him and he is forced to live outside the village.
Voice of the Martyrs seeks to be in fellowship with believers who have undergone rejection, such as Nanda. Thanks to the support of believers serving in Christlike generosity, we have been able to support Nanda by providing him with a Bibles Plus pack containing a Bible, a pressure cooker, a blanket and a pot for cooking.
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