Voice of the Martyrs, 10 November 2022 (excerpts)
Sita is a 65-year-old woman and the only believer in her family. She was an active member of the church, but three years ago, her son married a woman who is aggressively opposed to Christianity. The daughter-in-law turned the family against Sita.
Since that time, the family has barred her from attending church. Sometimes she is able to slip out to a women’s fellowship group. Front-line workers have given her an audio Bible so that she can listen to God’s Word when she is alone at home.
84 percent of Nepalis are Hindus. Hinduism is more prominent in the south, along the Indian border, and Buddhism is more prominent in the north. There are small Muslim and Christian minorities as well as a growing Marxist (atheistic communist) movement.
The government of Nepal is taking an increasingly strong stand against religious conversion. Despite the 2015 constitution that guaranteed religious freedom, Parliament passed a bill in 2017 criminalizing conversion to Christianity. Christian communities are small, but they boldly witness for Christ despite harassment and risk.
84 percent of Nepalis are Hindus. There is a small, visible Christian community in Nepal, but believers experience opposition from extremists among the Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist and Marxist groups. Christians face harassment and beatings from local Hindu nationalists who envision Nepal becoming a “pure” Hindu nation.