empowering for life

Prayer

Ajay 4yrs and his Mum with reconstructive surgery

Nepal Leprosy Trust is a Christian Charity and has relied greatly on the prayers of many supporters over the years. Prayer has kept our staff safe, it has protected us during difficult times, it has helped our work to flourish and make a real impact on the lives of those we are helping. It has opened God’s treasure house at times of particular need, and it has helped to make sure that God is honoured in our work in many ways. Prayer remains a very important way of supporting the work of NLT and we are very grateful for all those who do pray for NLT.

The list below includes some of the key issues that need your prayer. The first item is a new request from UMN for prayer for their building in Kathmandu:

  • Dear Friends,Greetings from Nepal and UMN! We are looking forward to welcoming many of you to the GA later this month and I will be in touch in the next few days with further details about this. The purpose of this email is to ask for your prayers regarding the issue of UMN’s property at Thapathali where our headquarters is situated.

    UMN has occupied this site from 1959. Originally the property was rented, but in 1986 there was the opportunity to buy the property from the owner. As an INGO UMN was not allowed to purchase property in its own name so the land was purchased by UMN using the name of one of the companies it had set up (Himal Hydro).  At the same time an agreement was made with Himal Hydro that when UMN had an entity that could own the property (e.g. a local company), it would be handed over to that entity. UMN has now set up a local company (UMN Services Ltd) for this purpose and over the last few years has been requesting Himal Hydro to hand back the property as agreed in 1986. However Himal Hydro has to date not been willing to do this, mainly due to the high value of the property.  Recently the ownership of Himal Hydro has changed and we have had discussions with the new owners (Chaudhary Group and Coastal Projects Ltd. – an Indian company) regarding handing the property back to UMN.

    They have informed us that they will be meeting around the 19th May to make a decision on this, and we are hopeful for a final positive resolution to this long standing issue. We are therefore calling a 5 day period of prayer for the property from Friday 17th of May 2013 to Tuesday 21st May 2013.  We would be most grateful if you would join us in prayer over this important issue.

    A positive decision will not only secure this beautiful and strategically located  property for UMN (and we hope other like minded organisations too), but will also allow us to develop the property (e.g. to reduce the earthquake risk on very old buildings, make much-needed repairs, redesign office spaces more in line with current needs) so that we can serve the people of Nepal ever more effectively.

    Thank you for standing together with us over this important issue.  We know that it is only through God’s grace that it can be resolved! To Him be the glory!

    Yours,

    Mark

    Mark Galpin

  • Our patients, some of whom have suffered terribly before they arrive at Lalgadh. Pray that our staff can help them to heal physically, mentally and spiritually.
  • Some of you will be aware of the threatened demolition of our Offices in Kathmandu due to the road-widening programme. It seems that the front third of the office will need to be chopped off, and a new front built, in line with the new road-edge. Please pray for help for our staff in the Kathmandu office and for the contractor employed to do this work to be competent and reliable. While the alterations are happening, work in the office and workshop will need to continue, so please also pray that our staff will be able to relocate effectively in the neighbouring Long House during the building work.
  • Continued success in finding new leprosy cases and reducing the prevalence of the disease.
  • Travel in Nepal is not always safe due to poor roads, landslides, dangerous driving conditions, etc, and so please pray for our field staff as they go out to remote villages to take our leprosy services to people nearer their homes.
  • NLT Nepal have built some new facilities at Lalgadh, including more inpatient isolation beds, better maternity facilities, and 25 more inpatient beds. Please pray for the successful commissioning of these new facilities.
  • Nepal can be a challenging place health-wise, and our staff would appreciate your prayer support in this regard.
  • We need more orders for the various products made in our workshops. The economic climate has made it difficult for many Fair Trade organizations. Please pray that new markets will open up and existing markets will get stronger for products made by NLT in Nepal.
  • A general elections are supposed to be occurring sometime soon. Please pray that these go smoothly and that the new government of Nepal will be stable.
  • Christians in Nepal have been asking for a cemetery area where Christians who have passed away can be buried. Currently churches are not allowed to bury bodies even in their own land purchased for this purpose.
  • There is an increasing problem in the Christian churches of Nepal of false teaching. Please pray that this threat will be firmly withstood by the churches.
  • Please pray for the staff and particularly the senior managers in NLT Nepal, as they face many daily challenges in their work for people affected by leprosy.
  • One of our staff members, Parsuram BK was seriously injured through falling out of a tree. Thank you for your prayers for him, he is doing much better now (as at May 2013).