Presbyterian Church in Ireland - Mission Overseas - NEPAL: Visiting UMN for 12 days

18th February 2010

This Sunday (21st), Rev Dr Trevor Morrow, Minister of Lucan Presbyterian Church near Dublin, and Nigel Eves, the Board of Mission Overseas' Asia Secretary, leave for a short visit to Nepal.

Trevor Morrow has been invited by the United Mission to Nepal (UMN) to be the keynote speaker at a two-day residential workshop for Nepali Christian leaders, UMN executives and Nepali members of UMN's Board.

The theme for the workshop, which will run from Tuesday 23rd to Wednesday 24th February, is: "Jesus: Justice and Peace" and its purpose is to help stimulate examination and reflection on where Nepal is today in the light of what the Bible has to say about Justice and Peace. The hope is that participants will learn together about different dimensions and biblical principles of justice and peace.

Trevor will also be the main speaker at a Retreat for UMN's expatriate staff, which runs from Friday, 26th through to Monday, 28th February (morning). In three morning devotions, Trevor will focus on Paul as Pastor, Prophet and Peacemaker; and in the evenings he will be reflecting on a number of the parables.

Nigel Eves is looking forward to what will be his sixth visit to Nepal, though it is seven years since he was last in the country, in December 2002. There's a lot he has to 'catch up on' as so much has changed since 2002, both politically and also within UMN, which today is a very different organisation.

While in Kathmandu, Nigel hopes to meet with various people, both inside and outside UMN. He is also planning to make a two-day visit to Dhading, one of UMN's Cluster locations, where UMN has been working since 2005.

Whilst Dhading is not far from Kathmandu (it can be reached by road in four to five hours), large parts of the district, especially in the north, are very remote due to the lack of roads. UMN works here with 11 partners whose work focuses on marginalised ethnic and Dalit groups (Tamang, Magar and Chepang). Gradually, beneficiaries are becoming aware of the root causes of their problems, raising their voices against poverty and taking positive action to transform their lives. Several partners focus on providing education for out-of-school children.

When in Dhading, Nigel also hopes to see something of the work being carried out by the project that funds raised by YAC's current 'Missing Peace' Project will help support.

Trevor and Nigel are also looking forward to spending time with Joe and Janet Campbell and the Hopkinson family, members of our Church, who are serving with UMN.

Related Links: Nepal| UMN | YAC | Lucan Presbyterian Church