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God's Mercies in Nepal
Prem Pradhan

Prem Pradhan (1924–1998) was a Nepalese preacher and evangelist whose remarkable ministry played a pivotal role in spreading Christianity in Nepal, earning him the title "Apostle to Nepal." Born in June 1924 in Ilam, East Nepal, to Hindu parents, he was educated at the Rama Krishna Mission School in Calcutta. Pradhan served in the British Air Force during World War II, surviving a plane crash in the Middle East that left him with a permanent limp from a leg wound. After the war, he became a tank regiment commander in the Indian Army. His life changed in 1951 when he heard a street preacher in Darjeeling proclaim Hebrews 9:27—"It is appointed unto man once to die, and after that the judgment"—leading him to accept Christ after returning to ask how to escape judgment. Pradhan’s preaching career began after he resigned his military post in 1955, following three months of resisting God’s call due to his physical disability, and returned to Nepal as a full-time missionary. Facing initial struggles, including three years without converts, his breakthrough came when he prayed for a paralyzed woman who was healed, prompting many, including a Buddhist lama, to turn to Christ. His open baptisms defied Nepal’s laws against conversion, resulting in his arrest in 1962 and a six-year prison sentence, during which he spent a total of ten years across 14 prisons between 1960 and 1975. In harsh conditions—small cells, scant food, and torture—he led "inside-the-prison" Bible institutes, converting and discipling prisoners from 12 tribes who spread the gospel upon release. Refusing an underground church, he also founded schools, including one in Kathmandu with 250 students before its 1972 closure. Pradhan died on November 15, 1998, leaving a legacy of bold faith that grew Nepal’s Christian population from near zero in the 1950s to over a million by century’s end. Personal details like family are not widely documented.
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Sermon Summary
In the video, Brother Prem shares his testimony of how God saved him. He confesses his sins to Jesus and asks for forgiveness, experiencing a change in his habits. He reads a book called Testimony over the Brother Boxing, which inspires him to seek escape from eternal punishment. After reading the Gospel of John, he still feels unsure, but eventually finds peace and happiness in knowing that Jesus forgives his sins. He shares his newfound faith with others, distributes gospel portions and tracks, and witnesses a miracle when his grandmother is healed and able to walk.
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Sermon Transcription
I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make a boast in the Lord. The humble shall hear thereof and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears. They looked unto him and were enlightened and their face were not ashamed. This poor man cried and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him and delivered them. O test and see that Lord is good. Bliss is the man that trusteth in him. O fear the Lord, you his sense, for there is no want to them that fear him. Young lion do lack and suffer hunger, but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good things. Let us pray. Dear father, we thank you and praise you, because thou art the only one who is worthy of all praise, honor, and glory. We praise thee, Lord, we worship thee, as thou made it possible through thy sons to sacrifice for us and redeem us from the fire that breaches blood and purchase us. Make us own. We thank you and praise you. Thank you for Jesus Christ, who not only died for us, but rose again the third day. Thank you of all power you have in heaven and in earth. Thank you, Lord Jesus, thou art the head of the church. We are thy member, Lord. We thank you and praise you, Lord. We are here now, Lord, gathered together in thy name. Help us to understand more thy will, thy work, thou desire of the heart for us, Lord. We thank you and praise you. Thank you, Lord, give me this opportunity to be here among the burdens. Thank you, Lord, what thou have done in my life. Help me. I am able to build up thy body, Lord. Use me for thy glory. In Jesus' name, Amen. I thank Lord, I find Jesus. I not, not know Jesus. In my country, no one know Jesus, until I find the Lord. My country has a good thing, just have a map. Otherwise, I bought a map, just a little map. The big China is one side, Tibet, actually. Now China take it over. So big China in one side, and three sides of big India, very small country, very small. But in the small country, we are three world highest mountains, the Mount Everest, and then Arunapurna, and then Kanchenjunga. Three world highest mountain in the Nepal. And another thing is that Nepal is the only Hindu kingdom in the world. No other Hindu king. Another thing is a small country. Buddha born in Nepal five hundred years before Christ, and Buddhism spread from Nepal other parts of the world. Our missionaries went everywhere. So that's the country. And we have twelve different tribes, twelve different language, culture, customs is different from each other. In this country, we had a king, and he's the only Hindu kingdom. India have many Hindus, and other parts have some Hindus. But king is a Hindu. He came from India, and he became king, take us. Our tribe, simple people, they came from India and take with them, brought with them their God, and then became the king. Actually we are mostly in Buddhist country. But when he came, he made some people Hindu. So on that time, he make a law that no one can change his religion. Everyone is free to worship as they want. So there is no question that anyone can change his religion. If anyone change his religion, punishment for that is one year imprisonment for changing religion. If anyone try to convert other in their religion, will be three years imprisonment. If anyone converted others, then the six years imprisonment. That's the law. Today, we had the same law in our country. And our country's people, we have not much land, only mountain, and a stone mountain. That's why not many land we had for agriculture. On the border with India, have some agricultural land, and that's the people grow what they can. Our people mostly work in army. Not in our army. Our country is small, and we need no need to have our army, because all people are army men, and they went in the British regiment, or now in India, Indian regiment. So that's the only job we had, professional soldier. We just give money, we'll fight for them. I am also a soldier. Now in our school, education very poor in my country. In my time, there is only one high school in the capital. My family sent me to India, Calcutta, where I educated in a Hindu mission school, Ramakrishna mission school. After my school, I joined the British Air Force. The World War started. I served with the British Air Force, not knowing Jesus. After war, I back home. Again, after few months, India called me back to serve in their tank regiment. So I went back to join the Indian tank regiment, and I worked in the tank regiment as a major. I was major on that time. In the Air Force, I was a captain, but in Indian Army tank regiment, I went as a major. I have to give one promotion for me. So I worked there, not know Jesus. My home are the eastern side of Nepal. This is east and west, north and south. So eastern part of Nepal is my home. On my leave, when I am on leave, every year in Indian Army, two months leave, sixty days a year we got leave. So I, my family, some live in India, my uncle, or the business. So I, only way I can go to my country through the Indian border and then enter in. Two days' work from Indian Darjeeling to my home. No road on that time, not a single road. So everywhere I have to go by foot. So I went in Darjeeling, and when I stay, before I left for my country, the Saturday, in the market day, I went in the market, and I find a group of Christian people. In Darjeeling there are peoples are Nepali originally, and they are Indian part, so they are Indian citizens, they have freedom. There, some Christians group preach the gospel in a street meeting. I went there only if they sing song. Nepali people love to sing song and hear sing people's song. So I went there for sing song, and they start to preach. They preach, it is appointed unto a man who wants to die after the judgment. And judgment also, whose name was not found in the book of life, they are cast into the lake of fire, were tormented day and night forever and forever, no escape. Born and brought up in a Hindu family, educated in a Ramakrishna mission school, where I learned from the beginning, my man can go, be in heaven by doing good gradually, not one day. Have to go, raise himself doing good, and that way gradually he can be, once from where he came, he can be with them, again back to God. But if do bad, can born in an animal or insect in a fifty-four million cycle of life, have to back to be a man again, and then do good or bad. So no hope. This, for their way, the man, no hope. Because I asked, when I was a student in my school, and I asked many time, have a question in my heart, if a man do good, can go in, born in a good family, in rich family, in that way he can going up step, step by step. But if do bad, born an animal, what the animal can do good to be a man again? So I asked questions, my teachers are all are sadhus and gurus, but they never answered me, only say, sit down. So I always sit down and no answer. Even I finished the higher school, then I finished the college, still got no answer. And now this Christian people also preach, it is appointed unto a man, wants to die, after that the judgment, and judgment also, whose name was not found in the book of life, they are cast into the lake of fire, were tormented day and night forever, and forever no escape. So soul is not going to die, and have to be either in heaven or in punishment. Either in, my born in a Hindu family, so either in a punishment, so go to the animals and, well, fifty-four million cycle of life, so no end. And these people say, also no end, forever and forever. I just start to think of it, and I went to them and asked them, you preach this way, but do you know that how can a man escape the eternal punishment, what you preach? They tell me, so we have to preach in many different places, that's the market day. So tell me that you can come back to our home, where we talk to you in the street, not much time we have. You must, we sit together and talk to you. You can buy two books, some of the books. So I buy books. They gave me one John Gospel, I buy, and a small book called Testimony about the Brother Boxing. It's a one man born in a Hindu family, found the Lord, and he's happy, and he start to preach the gospel. That I learned. I went home, I have no work to do, so I just start to read the book. I want to know how I can escape the eternal punishment. That's come in my heart again and again. So I finished first book, small booklet. I'm not able to know how I can escape. Then start to read the John Gospel. I never read before, the first time. And I finished in the same night, I finished all John Gospel. I'm not finding how I can escape from the eternal punishment. I was tired. I sleep a little, and morning I went out again. A very beautiful place. Darjeeling is a very beautiful place. All snow cover mountain. In Nepal, Himalaya, also can see from Darjeeling. Very beautiful place. I gave a walk and walk try to make me fresh, but question is in mind how I can escape. These people tell me to come, but where I find them, I not know. But I saw two of them also coming on that side of the road. So I went to them and say, you men preach all the punishment, but give me the book. I buy it, I read it, I not find any answer. So they said, very kind they are to me, and said, you come to our home and he tell me, give me the place, tell me where I have to go. So at eleven you come and we'll talk to you, and then you will know. We'll tell you surely you'll be happy to know. So I back home, take bath, have food, and back again at eleven to their place. I am searching for their place, but they start to sing song again, and I follow the song and went to their home, where they are worshipping. They take me, receive me, and there one of the men open the Bible, another man telling about something, about the Bible they teach. So I just hear from them, not understand any. I sit all the time. From eleven to two, they had worship and all those things, meeting going on, and after that meeting is over, they take me to another room and again ask me what I want to know. I say, one thing only, how I can escape the eternal punishment for to preach. So one of them prayed, and another prayed. So then another brother, he tell me, that God make a provision to save man from the eternal punishment. He sent Jesus, who take upon Him all the punishment for all men, and He died and paid the price, and through His blood He forgive all man's sins. God will only look to the blood of Jesus and not to any man's sin, and those who accept Him as His personal savior and confess their sin before Him. So Jesus is here. You tell all about your sin, He will forgive you, and you will know that. And they read from the Bible, some of the verses. If you confess your sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanses us from all unrighteousness, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. So I believe that the Hindu God is there, not as a Christian God. I know the God is there because the Hindu man. So they said, you just tell God is here and He will forgive you and you will know that. So I still in my heart, so I will tell. I just tell. I not know how to pray. I just tell all about my sin, what I have in my mind on that time. When I finish all, and I have a burden in my heart, that's how I can escape the eternal punishment, that's gone. And then they also read from the Bible many place that God forgave my sin. I'm not remember anymore. I'm a new man. The new, He changed my heart. He tells, they tell me that you now, your new creation, you, your old thing, God passed away. Now you're a new man, you are a Christian, and you, and they tell, give me a Bible. I buy it from them, and they tell me to how read the Bible. They tell me, read the John Gospel seven times. Then read the New Testament seven times. Then go to the Old Testament. Then you'll learn, you can understand the Old Testament. Otherwise it will be hard for them. They had daily meeting in someone's homes, five or six. On that time, five, six family only. So they tell me that Monday will be prayer in that, my brother's home, so you can come. You must come and learn. So I had no work. I'm on leave. So they, I read the Bible, must try to finish seven times the John Gospel. And an evening I have fellowship with them and learn something. In that way we spend. And then Saturday again I'll be opening a meeting. So tell me, brother, you also come and join us. So I went there with them, and they gathered together on the street, and they knelt down in the road, and they prayed. And the people gathered when they prayed. Some people came, and then they finished their prayer, one, two, three, four, oh, many people start to pray. And when they finished, people already there, some, they start to sing song, and people gather more, and they read from the Bible and start to preach. After telling something, one of the brother said, Brother Prem, you tell how God save you. I look to many people, and so many people, and I, I feel very difficult to tell them, what I tell them. My foot shaking. They prayed, Brother Prem, tell what God done for you, you just tell them. Oh, I, I start. When I start, I've got little bit strength in my heart. I tell Jesus, forgive my sin. I tell all about my sin, and He forgive my sin, and might change me. All of my habit, He take away from me. And a happy man. So that's the way I, first day, after a week, not even one week, I start to tell the people. They are, they teach in that way. After that, I have, I again have fellowship, and then tell them, I must go back to my country. So they say, yes, you can go. I went to my home, the two days work. They give me some of the gospel portion, some tracts. So I tell me, you can tell the people, and you distribute them on the way, when you go your home. So I do that, and I still start to tell the people, that Jesus said, forgive my sin, and I'm a Christian. I reach my home and tell my grandmother, that I'm a Christian. God, Jesus, forgive my sin. I'm happy. My grandmother feel happy. My mother died when I was just one day's baby, one day's boy. So my grandmother I know. So grandmother and grandfather. So grandmother feel happy because I feel happy. I'm a only grandson. I feel happy. So she is happy. I tell to my grandfather. And grandfather say, all right, you are happy, but you not know the law. You must not tell anyone. If you tell you are Christian, then you will be put in trouble, and our family will be very much in difficulties. You must not tell others. Already I tell many people, and I could not keep myself. I start to tell many people, many of my friends. So when I start to tell, some other police officers also learn, and call me and say, ask me, pray, he became Christian, I heard. Yes, sir, I'm a Christian, and Jesus forgive my sin. But that's all right. But one thing, we cannot let you go. We have to work according to the law. We'll put you in prison. As you like, they put me, take me to the police station, and then from there send me to prison. And I sit there in the ground, the dirt floor, nothing there. Evening came, I asked them, how can I sleep? You must give something to spread, and I feel hungry. I must have something to eat. No, you have to brought from home. We not give anything in prison. You have to brought from home. So let me go then. Oh, you are arrested, you cannot go. I cannot go, I cannot have food, how can I live here? So help me. So some of them went and tell my grandmother, put me in prison. So send some food and a blanket. My grandmother's much sorry for that and tell my grandfather, help him. You must go and bring him back. Go to the governor. My grandfather is a, our family is a head of my tribe, is a most respected man. So we go to the police officer and tell him, they pray not know the law, because he, when a little boy, on that time he is in Calcutta, he started there. From there he went in army. He not know, not stay long in Nepal, and he not know the law. Help him for this time, leave him, and he will not do it anymore. So police officer tell that, okay, I will send one man guard, but not now. Night I cannot send. Night he have to stay in prison. You better send some food and blanket. Morning he will go to come to your home, and then from there he take your things, take his things and back with the police man. Police man will escort him all the way. So mad night I spent there. Food came from home and I alone in prison the first time. And morning I back home, take my things and went again to Darjeeling. My, that day is a Sunday, I went to them, the Christian group. So I first went to them, and not yet meeting started. So they asked me, brother, you back soon, what happened? I tell them what happened. I tell them how all the tracts and gospel I saw all sold. I sell it all, but police arrested me and put me in prison, and they keep me one day, and then my grandfather helped me, and I'm back. So I, they all of them start to thank God. I'm a new Christian, new man, only two weeks. I feel very sorry in my heart. These Christian people are good people, good lovely people. They love me. All of them love me. But when I put in trouble, they all give thanks to God. After meeting, I tell them, brother, you are good people, but I am in trouble, and now you all give thanks. Open the Bible and tell me, brother, you know, that's the first time someone go and preach the gospel in Nepal, and at least someone here, and you must be happy that for the good work, for Christ's sake, you Christ count you worthy to be suffer for his sake at least one night. You must rejoice for that. They quoted me verses. If I take all time, we'll go. That way he teach me, and I learn, and I stay with them, and learn from when my time is near over, I have to back in my job. I tell them, I must go back to my job. I say, yes, you can go, but brother, you must take a baptism in the evening. Need to take that. So I not know what baptism is, not yet baptized. So they teach me what baptism is, and they went in a procession, they go, they write a banner, many banner, people holding their hand, verses, and they went to the river and baptized me, and back, and back to this group again, and had a breaking bread and all, and a very good time. Happy, I'm more happy. Next day I back to my job. When I back to my job, I start to tell the people that I am a Christian, and I find it hard. Everyone asks me, what kind of Christian you are? I not know. Some say Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, Protestant. I not hard. I have seven time I finished the New Testament, and on that time I start the Old Testament. I might, I thought it may be in the Old Testament. It is too big. I cannot finish, finish yet. So I just, I just thought it's better to write them and ask them what kind of Christian I am. So I just write a letter to this brother. After a week the letter came back, and the, quoted a verse, and mark it in the red ink, and 1126, Act 1126, it said, the disciples are called Christian first in Antioch. So you are a disciple, you are Christian, you are not a Catholic, not a Protestant, not any name. Only you are Christian. So I learned that I'm Christian, and not, not like them. Other name they had, not I had. So I start to tell them many thing, and this brother all write me letters, and quoted many verses, and tell me, you better tell them they are not a Christian. They might born in a Christian family, but they not know Jesus. But you tell them about Jesus, and make them Christian. So I try to tell them, and I find they not know Jesus. They not know, they only born in a Christian family. Some Catholic, some Protestant, some Baptist, some Methodist, all they are. But not know, they are born again. Now they have to born again. Not know that. I start to tell them, and the Lord help me. I stay here with them in the job again, and when I, after a year again, got a 60 days leave, back to this group, and work with the workers. The brother preach the gospel, I went with them. All the two months spent, and God help me. And this brother saw me, that how can, how Lord using me. They start to pray, that God may call me, and I may back to my own country, to my people. But I not feel that way, because those who preach the gospel, I look to them. They all are poor, no money, they have no job, only preach the gospel. So I not feel in that way. When all the brother pray for me, I in my heart say, Lord, it must not be that. I not say amen. When I back my job again, one day, it's my habit to read the Bible before I go to bed. Few chapters I read. So, when the God spoke to me, Prem, go back to your country, tell your own people, what I have done for you. So I, no Lord, I do not want. I write a letter to this brother, the same time I write a letter to this brother. Brother, please pray for me. God wants me to go to my people. I do not want. So I will sending money. Please send someone on my behalf to my people. And half of my salary, every month I send tenth, one tenth of my salary. But that time, that time I send half of my salary and tell them to go, send someone. They wrote me back. Within a week, I got a letter from brother Prem, when God call you and your money, God not wants. He wants you. You must have to go and resign back. I not feel that way. So I just, I just pray. But when I pray opposite way, God not, not only hear me, but put more burden, more things, you must go, you must go, you must go. So I find hard. I stop. I always have a habit of at least three, four chapters I read, and regularly. That's the way. Not one here, one there, one book, finished next book. In that way I read. So I stop Bible reading, and after few days I stop prayer. I do not want to go. But in night I could not sleep. Habit to pray, read and pray and sleep. So I stop. I could not sleep. I turn one side, another side. In that way 15 days, no sleep. I have to work. Officer not means that officer more work to do in the army. So all day I have to work, and night no rest. And after 15 days I could not stand even. I was so much tired, and I came to my bedroom and say, Lord, I could not resist anymore. I will go back. Please help me, that I might get a rest tonight. I write a resignation letter, and fold it and tell it, Lord, now I resign. Help me to rest in the night. And that night I sleep well. Morning I give my letter to my colonel, and he send it to my journal. My journal is a Christian, you know, and all the verses I quoted, and little I write about why I want to resign. I quote it seriously. In that way it is a resignation letter. So they accept my resignation. After three months I back to this small group. They are happy. They prayed for me and tell me, Brother, you go, and we will pray for you. So I went to my people to preach the gospel. Where no road, no place you can buy foods. Only in evening when you go to someone's home, any village, they will give food and a place to stay. But when they learn that I tell about Jesus, another God, not there, they afraid to give me place inside their home. They give me food, but no place to stay. I spend the night with the cattle, and then there, in our country, most of the home, half the kitchen, half cattle, and upstairs people live. So I stay with them, spend the night with the cattle, and one morning went out, preach the gospel. That's the way it goes. Sometimes I could not reach. So I climb a tree and spend the night in a tree. I cannot stay in the ground. We have rhino, bear, leopards, tiger, snake, all animals. I cannot stay in the ground now. So went out and spend the night. Morning went out, preach the gospel. Tell the people, as forced when I came, I thought, while I was preaching in that Darjeeling, I try to, I bring many people to the church. And those who know more, senior, those who are preacher or the elder of the church, they give word to them, and many of them converted. So I feel that will be for me in Nepal also. But no one, three years, not a single soul I able to win. Lord break me. I was tired, but I know He called me definitely. I just tell Him, Lord, You call me now. I did the way three months. Now three years. Help me, Lord. I know You died and raised from dead. You are living. You said, Your word said that You will be with me even unto the end of the world. You will be with me. Definitely. And You say that way. And as I read, I like to read, Mark, you see? Mark 16, 15, I read from that. And He said unto them, Go unto the world and preach the gospel to every creator. And he that believe and baptize shall be saved, but he that believe not shall be shall be demanded. And those signs shall follow them that believe. In My name shall crossed out devils. They shall speak with new tongues. They shall take up serpents. And if they drink any deadly things, it shall not hurt them. They shall lay hands on sick, and they will recover. So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up unto heaven and sat on the right hand of God. And they went, the disciples, they went forth and preached everywhere, and the Lord working with them, conforming the world with signs follows. I just tell, Lord, Your people, You sent the people. They will preach, and You work with them. So now work with Me. I am proud in my heart all the time. So He start to break, break, break, make me, teach me that I cannot do anything. I can do, I cannot do anything by myself. That I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against you. The builder, he is the builder. Jesus Himself is the builder of the church, not the man. I am not I am. I thought that I will go and build a church, Nepal. So I learned, no, I am not. He said, I will build my church, and He is the builder of the church, because He paid the price. When I learned, then, when I break and learned, completely learned that I cannot do anything, then Lord got to work. So I have two brothers in one home, and they are very kind to me. Many time I went in their home, they give me food, and every time they give me food, they take one plate in the upstairs, because I cannot go upstairs, because I am preaching another God. They are not to their God, so I'll stay outside. That's the outcast people. But they give me food. So I care. They, you give one plate to me, and another plate you take. Every time I get the same way. Why? Who is there in the upstairs? My mother is there. So why your mother not come down to have food? Our systems have food in kitchen, inside the kitchen. All sit there and eat. But why you take it? She is sick. Why not you ask Jesus to heal? So many time I came and tell to you all about Jesus. You know Jesus can heal. You pray. So I saw that. I'll go and pray. So I went up and look to her and ask what kind of sickness she had. She cannot talk. So his son tell me, half of her body is paralyzed. When I look there, I felt, Lord, the fear came in my heart. If I pray and she is not healed, then another thing, it will be more difficult for me. So I cannot tell anyone that Jesus can heal. And that much sick, six years in bed, very big sickness, very big, little fever, all that. I can't pray. So I feel in that way in my heart. So much sickness. Six years I claimed the world and I prayed myself alone. Lord, what to do? Inside my heart, the boy said, you pray and I'll do it. I got a strength in my heart. Still fear. I had the fear. I tell the truth because God is here. He hearing me when I tell to you. He also hearing all those things. So I just prayed, Lord, heal her. I give my hand and tell her to sit on her bed. Easily she sit on her bed without trouble. And tell her to lift the bed. She lift the bed and stand, but shaking, foot is shaking very much. And slowly she stopped and left my hand. She had to walk. When she walked, she cried out. She can talk. Get down from the first. See, we had no step like here. A big log and cut it, make a step and put in the corner. That way she came down and went out. She is crying outside. Many people gathered. But what my condition? I never saw it before. And I am so much to know this, that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is surely died and raised. He is the living God. I learn more. I'm so much happy. I just thanks, giving thanks. Lord, you are so wonderful. I just praising God in the upstairs, not come down. And these people came and called me, they all called me Brother Prem. So Brother Prem, many people gathered and they want to know how my mother was healed. So please come down and tell them. So I went down and in our way they brought many, they give to the, they are God, they give flour and rice and all things, fruits. Many people brought. See, I tell them, you take back all. I not heal anyone. I cannot heal anyone. I have no, I have nothing in me that I could help anyone. But I know one, Jesus, who died and raised from dead, He had all power in Heaven and in earth. In His name she is healed. So I can tell about that Jesus to you. Not only He healed the sickness, but He healed your soul also. You, if you die, or accept Him, if you die, you will not in the punishment. I start to tell them about Jesus and how man can accept Him by confessing sin. So that time, very hard to break the things, break the power of darkness. And family, family tradition is have, we had very, very difficult. If one man become Christian, he count as a dead. And he cannot, no, no one, even he cannot take water from the same spring. But that, God break that, break through, and seven of them accept Jesus that day. The whole family, this man and his wife and his mother, they are three, and other four also accepted Jesus, and their first group became Christian. And I stay few days more and tell others, and then take them to, as they take me to the river, I take them to the river and baptize them. Many people ask me, in your country, they, you go and preach, you tell the people, that, that, you telling all. But after meeting, they ask me many times, many places, then who will ordain you? How, how, how? Who will ordain you to do all those things? Now, my answer to them, read John 16, 15, 16, and tell them what God word said. You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you. And that you should go and bring forth fruits, that your fruit should remain, and whatsoever you ask of the Father in my name, He may give it to you. So God called me, God sent me, He ordained me, and I do preach, I, I, He established the church, and I do work with Him. So when I tell them, they say, that's not our way, I say, your way, keep it your way, it's my way, the Bible way. I start to work, and Lord, I have more strength in my heart, I start to tell the people everywhere, and people slowly come to know the Lord. Not easily. It takes another six years to make ninety-four Christians. Very difficult area, very difficult. World highest place, and they have all power there. Buddha is in stronghold, Buddha born in this country, and Hindu is strong. And people believe King as the Incarnation of God. That's the most difficult thing. But God breaking through. In one place have a nine Christians on that time, that's the 1960, up to 60, 54, I start to work, up to 60, were ninety-four Christians. In one place have a nine, not this first group, another group. The ninety, nine Christians on that, someone reported against the Christians, and all taken to the police station, and tell them, just you see you are not a Christian, you can go back. But no one wants to do that. All, one have a twenty-one days little baby with her, the first child. One was pregnant, after a month or two, she have a child, again in prison. Another woman have two boys, one two and a half years, one six years. And one was not married even, and other five men, all get one year imprisonment. And I baptize them, so I, they call me, so yes, I do. I baptize them. I tell them through the baptism the people not make Christian. I teach them. Tell the judge, you do not think through baptism people make Christian. No. That's not I believe. We save through His blood. He pay the price. If not, the water cannot wash away all my sin. So they not accept it. They say, we not know that. I tell him, the baptism means, we baptize Christians. With the first Christian, then I baptize. How can I baptize a non-Christian? They not take it. They say, you baptize, so you make them Christian through baptism. All right, you put me in prison. All right. So they put me six years. I got a six years, all of them got a one year. We went in prison, just in that floor, no food, nothing. Because first, thanks God, I first put in prison. One day I learned, I have to take all blanket, cooking utensils, and everything I have to take from home. So I make ready for that. And when they sent us to prison, I tell my wife to give all the cooking utensils and all the things, bed and everything in prison. Because my wife not put in prison. Because she became Christian when she is a citizen of another country, Sikkim, just next to us. Sikkim, another kingdom, small country. So she became Christian first with the same group I was converted. So she became Christian and then we married and she became Nepali. So law says, no one can change his religion. She cannot change his religion. She is free to worship as a Christian. So she is staying outside and it help us much. And encourage other Christian and those who went in prison, sometimes she sent some vegetable or other things for us. Otherwise, government give nothing. Only half pound rice a day and 25, your money, 25 cent. To buy firewood and other things. So we all put in prison and stay there. Child born in prison after two months. No doctor, no nurse, no medicine. But God protect the mother, protect the child. All one year, no one sick. After year, all released, and I got a six years to I stay there. I was feel sorry again. All gone. When all Christians together, as a little joy in my heart. But when all gone, I am alone. I start to pray, Lord, what can I do now? I am alone. I feel lonely. Lord, talk to me. Why You think in this way? They gone. They let them work outside. You work inside. There are so many people. Make them Christian. Make a church here. So I thanks God and I start to work with them. I start to tell them more about Jesus. Sometimes people became sick. They have to cook their own food. When became sick, cannot cook. So I cook for them. I nurse them, brought water for them, and I pray for them and tell them, now, say, you can die. But if you know Jesus, Jesus will forgive your sin, and then if you die, you will be in heaven. At least one punishment forever and forever, that will save. So people start to accept Jesus, because they are all criminal. So they are easy to tell about the sin and the Hindu. As a Hindu, what I learned, I tell them, as a Hindu way, you have to go that way, animals, insects, and fifty-four cycle, million cycle of life. But Jesus, God make a provision for you. Just accept Him. Feel all about your sin. He will forgive, and you know, you will be new man. And many of them do start to do that, very happy. Again, we sing song at the church again in freedom. Very good church. But devil is not happy. He is against us, against this kingdom of God. As he reported someone, the people reported to a jailer. And one day jailer with the police people came and, and take all, those who say they are Christians, they all take them out, and beat them, put the, hook them, and put both the leg tight, and that way they hook. That much in ground, and that way beat here. When beat in foot, people unconscious. That's the easy way to make unconscious. I learned that time. And then beat everywhere, and throw one by one, throw inside. Do it to me. And then they decided, no good. This man, no good to keep him inside prison. It is better to keep him outside. So in our prison, when people, many people died in prison, have a tuberculosis, cholera, and diarrhea, and no medicine. So one after another died. Outside the prison, in the wall, they make a room for the dead bodies. And the people died, they go, report their home. It take three, four days to reach their home. No road. And back again three, four days, if any family member come, they take the body out. Otherwise, when start to rotten completely, they take, throw it out, and some vultures, jackals, the animals eat it up. That's the end of a prison. They take me out, and they put my hand and feet in chain, and say, you will be in that room, alone. You make people Christian, inside the prison. I went there. I put hand in water. One blanket I had. I spread it and stay there. I cannot stand, cannot do anything. I cannot read, but thanks God, these good people who lead me to the tell me to read seven times, that helped me much. On that time, seven times I finished. Many times I finished. So I can remember, go through the Bible, can remember in my memory all the story, and go in that way. So that's the way I keep myself alive. And one day as I go through the axe and came to a place where Saul take a letter from the synagogue, and on his way to Damascus, the ninth chapter of the Acts, and the verse three, it said that Saul, he saw a great light, and he fall into the ground, and he heard a voice, and voice say, Saul, Saul, why thou prosecuted me? And then Saul said, who are thou, Lord? And the voice said, I am Jesus, whom thou prosecuted. I stopped. Saul prosecuted Christian. Saul not prosecuted Christ. Saul might be a student, I not know. He might be a student on the time when Jesus crucified. Now, Jesus after raised from the dead, stay for 40 days, went in heaven. But when Christian persecuted by Saul, Jesus came to him and tell him that Saul, Saul, why thou prosecuted me? Not say the Saul, Saul, why thou prosecuted Christian? You see? That's why I always tell the people, the Christ and the Christians, not two different thing. He is the head. We are the member of his body. Paul describe it in a different way. If one part of the body suffer, all suffer. Jesus also suffer with the church, with the body, with us. That's a great joy for me to learn that Christ not only died for my sin once in the cross of Calvary to save me from my soul, but he loved me so much, when I suffer, he suffer with me. That's a great joy to know. At least, at least 64 times I finish, but not see in that way. But when I'm in chain, in trouble, I saw in that way that Christ not only saved my soul, but in my chain, he is with me. He is suffering with me. How much he loved me. I just rejoiced and cried out loudly. And as I cried out, the God… See, with whom he was talking? I said, I talk to Jesus. I am on duty. How Jesus get in? I tell him that Jesus is with me. He is not believing. Open the door and try to find out Jesus with… Day also dark inside. Just a small door, not a two flap, only one flap door, small door. Just push the dead bodies. So with a flashlight try to find out, not finding Jesus. Jesus is not here. I tell him, Jesus is with me. Inside, he is with me. And I talk more about Jesus and how he, I find him, how he is with me. I tell, and tell him also how he can find Jesus too. And that, thanks God, that day he accepted Jesus. When he accepted Jesus, through him, other four, other three gods also converted. When all the four gods converted, someone reported to jailer, Prem converted gods also in that small room. So jailer take me out and look to me, see, so many months, six months, not saved, not washed, only little water I get, and some became Christian in prison, they send me little rice, no change of dress, the same dress for six months, not even walk, not even in the light, in the sun, the winter, whole winter I spent there. And I came out, and when I came out, the people tell me that, God tell me, all over I have lice born in my hair, beards, everywhere lice. These are lice. When I came out, so many lice in your body. I said, all right. How to do? I went, take me to the jailer. I went to jailer. Jailer look to me and say, he looks good. He is the Lord. He keep me good, never in sickness. He keep me good. He is living God. We don't want to hear from you all those. We will send you to another prison. And I say, thank you, sir, because I feel first, when they send me to another prison, I have to walk from that prison to another prison, the three days walk. I cannot walk with chain. They have to open it. I feel happy for that. They opened my chain, hand and feet, and this girl who became Christian, they brought water, soap, blood, to shave me, clean me, and give another pair of clothes. I find everywhere I have a wound. This cloth, vest, all stuck. When they take it out, lice eat the body and stuck it in the body. So not fine, I not feel it. But when they clean it, their all wounds came out. So that they do help me. And I went again in another prison. But this jailer write a letter to that prisoner, prison of another jailer, the dangerous prisoner. And twenty-two rifle guard is with me. So I went, it take five days to reach that prison. Twenty-two rifle guards, they were there with that letter, the dangerous prisoners. When the jailer read that, he did not know what kind of case. He tell the guard, come out and put him in stock. So they put me in stock, open, not in room, outside, open. I stay in front of guard room. They put me in wood, two holes, and spit. I stay there. Thanks God, the people give me Bible. On my way, my wife learn that I was transferred. So he send someone with a Bible, another Bible, and on the way they pass it to me. I had my Bible with me. I whole day I read the Bible. Because six months I not able to read. Now I got a Bible, so I read. And whole day I stay in that way, food straight. Night I sleep that way. Once a day they give me some cooked rice, that's all. One cup of water. I drink more water, but only they give one glass. I feel all the time that way. Fifteen days I stay. Then guard commander one day ask me, what kind of crime you have? I say, I'm a Christian. What Christian? My sin is forgiven. I am forgiven by Jesus, and if I die now, I'll be in heaven. That's not a crime. So we thought you kill many people, that's why I say dangerous prisoners, so we keep you here. So I will tell jailer to put you in with the other prisoners, why we have to extra duty for you. So he went to jailer and say, with fifteen days we look to him, he never do any wrong, trouble us, so let him stay with the other prisoners. He's good man, he not trouble us. So they send me to other prisoners again. So other prisoners start to ask me, what kind of crime you have? You are in outside so many days, now they allow you to be with us. I start to tell them what I have, I'm a Christian and what Christian, how they can be a Christian. After few days, people become Christian. Again we have a good church. Jailer learn it. Call a God commander. That's the dangerous prisoner. He make people Christian. He is spoiling our kingdom. He is spoiling all. You must not, we must not keep this man here. We better send him to another prison and let them do whatever they like to do. We not, it's no good to keep this man here. So send me again to another prison. Then another prison. Then another prison. Everywhere God give me soul. If I walk to the mountain, I could not reach all the people. We are different tribes. God give me people in different tribes, from different people. Then last I went to capital. There they keep me with a political prisoners. They thought political prisoners, educated one, and they are communist, and some congress. They might not change. I am not able to change them. They might change me. That's all right. I went there and stay there. Lord help me also. There I also win many brothers. Those who are now good minister, they are preaching gospel nowadays. So make many people Christian. When make people Christian, one day Lord spoke to me, came, go round the world, tell the people what I have done for you. I said, Lord, I am in prison. How can I go? I say, I say thank you. And then I start to pray. All right. I, another day again, he tell me, Prem, you will be released ninety days from now. I wake up and look, the date, I mark ninety days, and which day will be, and I tell. Morning, with me one brother who became Christian, I was in the same room. So night I tell him, and then morning I start to tell many people. I will be released in the, after three months. In this day you will be released. And I start to pray, Lord, you tell me I have to go round the world, and now you say I will be released in ninety days. I have to stay actually one and half years. Still I have to stay. But you say ninety days, I believe that. And you tell me, go round the world, and what will be the message for the people? You see, what you have done to me, you've done many thing to me in prison. Many time you saved my soul, not the physical body you saved me. Many, many time you do so much thing to me. So what I'll say to the people? Lord, give me one thing. I'll start to pray. And when most people sleep, I pray with, in my, in the prison, about that much room, fifteen people. So I only pray night when all sleep. So one day I just prayed, and the light came. It was that, only one door, the light, no way the light came. So the light came. I looked to the light, opened, opened my eyes, looked to the light, this one place only. I saw a torch light. So tried to find out no way to find, no, no hole. As I looked to the light, the light spread, spread, spread, spread, one side of the wall, full light. In the light, slowly, more brighter cross, a cross is formed. In that it is written, preach this only. And a hand pointed out the cross. I start to praise and thank God. And exactly, I've got the message to tell the people, world, wherever I go, and God made it possible to go around the world many times. Wherever I go, I tell the people, in the cross, he united us in his body, one body. He had one church, and he is the head. Through the cross, he made one body. You must learn that. Many thing he teach me through the cross, but most one thing I learned, he is the head of the church. Through his blood, he established his church as one church, as a no man made church. No man made church. Jesus made his church. And exactly in the ninety days, I gave up just myself, one dress, rest of my clothes, I gave others, my cooking utensils, my beds, I gave others, I'm ready to go. Some of the communist people, at about twelve, some of the communist people start to say, you better cook food, and you not yet have your food, better cook food and be with us. God tell to you. There is no God, how God can spoke to a man? As I talk to him, yes, I believe God spoke to me, and surely I will go. As I talk to him, from jail office, someone came, office guard came and say, from outside gate, they cried, Ephraim Pradhan, come to the gate, you are released. So I tell them, goodbye. My God never fails. Oh, I went to the gate, other, those who became Christians, they follow me, other people, those who love me, all follow me, up to the gate, first gate, they can go up to that, then other gate they cannot go. And they ask me, what is your other thing? Nothing I had, all I distributed before. I know I'm released. How you know it? They'll ask me, how you know it? God spoke to me. No, we decided three days ago. You decide three days ago. I know it ninety days before. Ninety days ago I know. How you know it? God spoke to me. We decided in cabinet, they call me and decided in the cabinet, because you make people Christian inside, we do not want to keep you, because in outside you have to walk and go everywhere and find out someone. Here they are all people with you and you make them Christian easily. So we decide to send you out, kick you out. They said that same word, kick you out. So you decide three days ago, but my God decided ninety days ago. I know ninety days before you decide. And he tell you to decide and you decide. I came out, wonderful thing, as always say that Jesus established his church. Whenever I left two or three Christians, they preached the gospel. Those who, from prison, those who released, they joined them. Every tribes have their own man to preach, their own language. So church grow. Where I left two or three, they became twenty, fifty, some places two hundred. I just visit them, and I find all became Christian. When they became Christian, I tell them about the baptism. And tell them they might again put in prison, and I take them to the river and again I baptize and within two months we are five hundred. So I just pray, Lord, for me, it is not possible. It take two months to visit the churches only, and on the way all the time. So it is not possible for me. So I prayed, Lord, give me some brothers. I take among the groups brothers from twelve tribes, twelve brothers, and take with me. What I learn, I take them and tell them to go and preach. They take another brother with them. That's the way start to grow. Ah, Lord, give me more. This one place have a two hundred. They cannot gather together in home. We have no building. So divided it, small group. And again they grow. Everyone, wonderful thing. Jesus, give us strength, give us wisdom. I tell everyone, every member of the body, for the same, and everyone have the same privilege, they can pray in the name of Jesus, and God will heal. That everyone start to tell the people. And they, Brother Prem, not all the place. There all the place, people got sick. People after meeting all gather together and pray and heal. That's the way church start to grow, grow, grow. Now we are fifteen thousand. Nineteen fifty-one, third June, I become Christian, only one. Today, there are fifteen thousand, four hundred church. Who will build? Jesus. Jesus build a church. Still have to go, many, many, many have to be finished, many. I prayed much, and God give me wisdom. I start a high school. Twelve hundred children now in my school, all, twenty-five teachers, twelve hundred children. Lord help me. I start, my wife started, I not. When I am in prison, I left two, my children one. She take care of ten others. When I back home, I find twelve children. When I put in prison, I have two. So she learn it. She is not, she cannot change her religion. It's God give him that way, God give her that way. She take care of all orphan children and raise them in our family. So they will be a family member. They cannot change their religion. That's the way I help her. Now I have three hundred children. Hundred of, at present in home, three hundred. Hundred already grown up, married, they are in job, some missionary work, some establishing churches, and some soldiers in the British Army in London, England, some, four boy now in England, some in army, everywhere. Some in government job, some are teacher. They married, many of them married. I think more than another two hundred will be grandson and granddaughter. God raising people. So Jesus established his church. I thank for that. Now I like to say another thing, brother. Philippians 1.29. Then I'll stop, because in your time will be nine, ten minutes more. I take long time. Philippians 1.29, it said, for unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake. It is given. It is given unto you on behalf of Christ, to believe on him. It is given unto you on behalf of Christ, to suffer for his sake. Both. Both is given. You cannot take one, leave one. You have to take both. Christ finished his work. He, for all people, all mankind, he sacrificed himself. His redemption work is finished. Now we have to suffer and tell the people and establish his kingdom in this earth. We have the responsibility. Church have the responsibility. It's Christian. Every Christian have this responsibility to tell other that Jesus finished the work. He finished. The other may hear the news and join the church. His body may grow in the glorious body. I not say about the, about the people, those who, big people, those who preach. And one day thousand came forward and accept Jesus. I not believe that. Have to be decide man and God. My soul, for my soul, I cannot do that. Thousand and thousand, one day came forward and at a moment everyone said, how many of them find Jesus? Forgiveness of sin. That have to be this. No. In the eternity, when will be? So try to convert people one by one and bring them to the Lord. And then, if one soul, no value can give. God said, if a man lose his own soul and gain the whole world, what a profit. Or what a man can give in exchange of his soul? Nothing. If one soul brought to the Lord, real conversion, then in heaven is very great joyous among, among the angels. So we got the privilege. Thanks God. God not choose angels to win soul. You know, wonderful thing. God not choose the angel to win soul. He choose man. God create man in His own image and in own likeness. We lose it. But now in Jesus, we're back to Him. So He give man this glorious things, to so win the soul. We have to do the task. We have to finish the work. I have job. Wherever I go, I surely tell the people, brother, in this country you have so much freedom. You have everything.
God's Mercies in Nepal
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Prem Pradhan (1924–1998) was a Nepalese preacher and evangelist whose remarkable ministry played a pivotal role in spreading Christianity in Nepal, earning him the title "Apostle to Nepal." Born in June 1924 in Ilam, East Nepal, to Hindu parents, he was educated at the Rama Krishna Mission School in Calcutta. Pradhan served in the British Air Force during World War II, surviving a plane crash in the Middle East that left him with a permanent limp from a leg wound. After the war, he became a tank regiment commander in the Indian Army. His life changed in 1951 when he heard a street preacher in Darjeeling proclaim Hebrews 9:27—"It is appointed unto man once to die, and after that the judgment"—leading him to accept Christ after returning to ask how to escape judgment. Pradhan’s preaching career began after he resigned his military post in 1955, following three months of resisting God’s call due to his physical disability, and returned to Nepal as a full-time missionary. Facing initial struggles, including three years without converts, his breakthrough came when he prayed for a paralyzed woman who was healed, prompting many, including a Buddhist lama, to turn to Christ. His open baptisms defied Nepal’s laws against conversion, resulting in his arrest in 1962 and a six-year prison sentence, during which he spent a total of ten years across 14 prisons between 1960 and 1975. In harsh conditions—small cells, scant food, and torture—he led "inside-the-prison" Bible institutes, converting and discipling prisoners from 12 tribes who spread the gospel upon release. Refusing an underground church, he also founded schools, including one in Kathmandu with 250 students before its 1972 closure. Pradhan died on November 15, 1998, leaving a legacy of bold faith that grew Nepal’s Christian population from near zero in the 1950s to over a million by century’s end. Personal details like family are not widely documented.