Jesus tells us in Matthew 10:34-37 that He had come to “‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” Imagine the applicable nature of this passage for those in a collectivist society like Nepal.
In a collectivist society, the head of a family or group makes significant decisions. Furthermore, Nepal is largely a Hindu country, where Hinduism is expected and Christians are viewed as ‘untouchable’. To face the pressure of disapproval, harassment and violence for conversion to Christianity is tremendously difficult.
Such was the case for Rachana. She was once married to Chepang, a Hindu man. She came to know Christ as Saviour after visiting a church, having heard that Jesus could heal her mother, Devna. Gloriously, she and her parents received the greatest hope imaginable – salvation in Jesus. Furthermore, Devna received physical healing from the Lord. However, this story of conversion came with a harsh reality of what conversion from Hinduism to Christianity might look like in a Hindu family.
Chepang was enraged and opposed Rachana’s fellowship with other believers. Rachana, however, honoured Christ at the cost of approval and acceptance from Chepang.
After some time, Rachana and Chepang’s two children also came to know the Lord, and Chepang eventually left Rachana and the children, relocating to another area and marrying another woman.
Without the financial support of her husband, Rachana was forced to work as a day labourer. When there was no work available, she would collect firewood from the jungle to sell. She and her children struggled to survive.
Sometime later, Chepang returned to the village, wanting revenge for Rachana’s ‘betrayal’. Taking petrol with him, he came to his former home in the night, doused Rachana in the petrol and set her alight. Rachana, in the kind providence of God, survived. Chepang was arrested and is now serving a prison sentence for attempted murder. After three weeks in hospital, Rachana began to heal. In God’s healing care, she has since fully recovered.
Jesus does indeed say that we are to love Him more than family and that this greater love for the Lord Jesus is also the motivator for the deep love for persecuting family members.
When asked if they had been able to forgive Chepang, Rachana and her son were both able to say yes. With the encouragement and counsel of their pastor, Rachana has been able to emotionally heal and now visits her husband once a week in prison and brings him food, while her son talks to his father on the phone, and both children visit from time to time.
VOM Australia assisted Rachana by providing for the education of her children so that they will be able to pursue careers that will benefit the family. VOM has also funded the rebuilding of the family home, which was in disrepair.
It is our great privilege to care for and uphold our brothers and sisters who have chosen to stand firm and honour our Lord in their lives, come what may.
Please pray for those who are opposed by their own families; that they would endure, through a love for Jesus which both surpasses the love of family and motivates gospel-centred forgiveness.
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