Nepal is an isolated country surrounded by mountains on its borders with India and Tibet (China). The capital Kathmandu is the gateway for more adventurous tourists to the Himalayas and Mount Everest.

Since 1995 Maoist (Communist) rebels have been stirring up trouble – nearly 2,000 people have died. The unstable situation was made worse in 2001, when the Nepalese crown prince assassinated the King and eight other members of the royal family.

Hinduism is recognised as Nepal’s official religion. Although people are free to follow any religion it is against the law to convert to others.

Many people live in terrible conditions as slaves in Nepal. In order to borrow money for simple necessities like food and medicine some peoples’ only option is to try and work off their debts are slaves. In reality this means that families can be working in slavery for life, passing on their debts to their children.

500,000 children work as labourers before they reach the age of 14.

Before 1960 no Christian could even live in Nepal. Now there is more freedom of religion, but it is still difficult and dangerous to tell other people about God.

In 1959 there were just 29 Christians ‘secretly’ living in Nepal – now there could be as many as half a million. Thank God for this amazing growth!

Pray for peace and wise leadership for Nepal as it balances on the edge of civil war and increasing violence.

Christians who have tried to share the gospel with Hindus face imprisonment or even murder. Pray against the threat of violence that many Christians face and pray that Nepalese authorities would protect religious freedom for everyone.

A quarter of a million Nepali girls have been sold to work in the sex industry across the border in India. Up to 70% are HIV positive and few of them will live to the age of 25.

Much of the country is desperately poor – 42% live below the poverty line; only 15% have any access to electricity.

Pray for people who are working to translate the Bible into a further 12 languages for Nepal. There are still another 83 languages without any translations of the Bible.