30 Nov Leading with God’s Love
By Suzane Christie – Communications Manager
The first Nepali ever to hold the position of Executive Director at the United Mission to Nepal is also a woman, who holds the Imago Dei sacred and is spurred to work against injustice with that in mind.
It was 34 years ago when Dhana Lama first encountered the love of Jesus and discovered that she was made in God’s image. She never forgot it. This revelation was a paradigm shift for her; it was a truth that would go on to shape her character and set her on a course paved with God’s grace and faithfulness. “I became Christian knowing that God loves us and created us in His image; this truth still motivates and excites me today,” Dhana recalls.
In fact, this is what drives her when it comes to missions – to love people and work against injustice because all of us are created in His image and deserve love, respect, and justice. Dhana leads with God’s love – listening to others with her heart and treating every person equally.
When she was first encouraged to apply for the position of Executive Director at United Mission to Nepal (UMN), she knew deep in her heart that it would not be possible without God’s grace. Truth be told, Dhana never considered herself worthy of this position, as it was “a huge role with lots of challenges within and from outside” and one that was always led by expatriates.
She was also quite aware of her inadequacies. Dhana never had any formal theological education – in the early days, it was not possible to go to Bible college in Nepal due to persecution. While she knew that theological training would have served her well, she also believed that God would guide and use her even without it. To the world, Dhana says, she was merely “an ethnic minority woman with no connections or links with people in power or position, came from a poor family, and possessed nothing that the world admires.”
Yet, her faith was in a great and loving God who can raise her up. She knew that if God appoints her, He will surely anoint her to do the job. So, she applied and then rested in God to guide her path – after all, He had faithfully done just that throughout her journey with UMN since 1987.
Proclaim and Demonstrate God’s Love
Dhana began her time in missions after she received a scholarship from UMN for a paramedic course. “I witnessed people who had limited or no access to basic services for various reasons,” Dhana says. She realized then that she could contribute to address the issue and was stirred to go into full-time ministry. She subsequently served in a remote health post, followed by a position as Programmes Director, where she was responsible for leading the overall programme work of UMN and managing the respective team.
From the onset, she had a burden to proclaim and demonstrate God’s love to her people in Nepal. The mission of UMN echoed her heart – to be “inspired by the love and teachings of Jesus Christ, in partnership with the Christian community and others in Nepal and worldwide, to serve the people of Nepal, particularly those who live in poverty: to pursue peace and justice for all, to address root causes of poverty and to make Christ known by word and life.”
When she made the transition to Executive Director, Dhana as always, looked to her Saviour to lead the way. In this new position, she is tasked with providing overall organisational leadership and management to ensure that the mission and vision of UMN are fulfilled. This involves both strategic and operational leadership of all UMN’s work, including clusters, hospitals, projects, and central functions.
The journey has not always been easy but it has grown her faith – not just in height but in breadth and depth because “faith in Jesus is the focus as we grow older – the higher you are in position, the lonelier it can be, so faith in God must be your only anchor,” says Dhana.
In seasons of disappointment and struggle, she has found encouragement and support through her close circle of mentors and friends. “I talk to my seniors and turn to friends for their advice and prayers. I sometimes just share with them about how I feel, not necessarily asking for any suggestions. I also pray a lot, listen to God, and take some time alone to reflect and quiet myself. I also love reading!” Dhana says.
In specific times when UMN has faced challenges as an organization, amidst persecution and opposition, she found encouragement to keep trusting God through Revelations 3:8 – “I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for you have a little strength, and have kept my word, and have not denied my name.”
Dhana Lama is AsiaCMS’ Co-Mission Partner based in Kathmandu, Nepal and serves as the Executive Director at United Mission to Nepal (UMN).