05 Jun Ram Prashad and Kesari Shrestha
Name: Ram Prasad and Kesari Shrestha
Sending Organizations: National Missions Commission of Nepal (NMCN) along with AsiaCMS
Family: Amulya (Son) and Ashama (Daughter)
Location: Kathmandu, Nepal
CoMP Since: 2002
Ram and Kersari Shresta are the first couple to serve as part of the Co Mission Partner Program. Based in Kathmandu Nepal, they have been instrumental in founding NMCN which works alongside churches in Nepal to training and resource missionaries to serve in different parts of Nepal as well as areas bordering India, Bhutan and Tibet.
Nepal is just emerging from years of armed conflict and is faced with low levels of infrastructure, education, healthcare, employment and food production. This situation is static in face of unstable political situation and breakdown of state machinery in various parts of the country. Frequent strikes and ‘bandhs’ ( blocking streets and bringing vehicular traffic to a halt ) by various groups make development even more difficult .
There is urgent need to capacity build church leaders in their leadership skills and theological foundation. Many church leaders are held back from formal theological training due to lack of academic qualification requisite for them, family and ministry responsibilities and financial constraints are other reasons.
Besides sending out people in mission in collaboration of local churches , NMCN provides a missionary training program to train and equip missionaries, Mission training for pastors and leaders and workshops for Christian professionals and youth to encourage them to be linked and involved in Mission.
MNCN also runs and education program for children in slums and a wonderful work within prisons in Nepal , developing support structures and bible study groups within them.