One of the Diaspora Network's key values is prayer and fasting. We believe one of the most important and renewing gifts the immigrant church brings to North America is a deep commitment to prayer and fasting. We want to invite the broader Church to join in on what God is doing, and so each week as a network we pray with and for a specific group in diaspora. We often highlight a leader and church of specific diaspora group here on this blog and share how they have invited us to pray with and for them. All are invited to participate every Friday over Zoom (10-10:30 am CST). Click the link below to join us!
This week we are praying for the Nepali and Bhutanese diaspora! The video above is of Nepali/Bhutanese youth performing a traditional dance at the 2024 Austin Nations Festival & Worship Night.
Estimates show 250,000 people of Bhutanese and Nepali descent across the US.
Bhutanese estimates are lower because they are often registered as “Nepali” upon arrival (having gone through Nepal as refugees).
Over 1,300 Nepali live in Austin, while an estimated 3,181 live in Houston.
250+ Bhutanese/Nepali churches across the US with more being planted
Before Hurricane Beryl there were several churches in the Houston area, but most of the community have moved to Harrisburg, PA (primary hub of this community in the US) or Ohio
Leela, a member of our Next Gen Cohort and a Bhutanese Nepali who immigrated with her family when she was thirteen, says this: “We [Bhutanese/Nepali] are like the people of Israel that God took out of slavery. We were treated very badly but God brought us here and gave us a new life. We have to trust Him to provide like He did for the people in the desert.”
We praise God for their wholehearted dependence and trust in Him and His provisions. They embody what it means to “seek first the kingdom,” trusting that God will provide for their needs even as they are radically generous with others who are struggling. Watch the video below of Pastor John Monger sharing his testimony and his heart for IRC and the Nepali/Bhutanese community in Austin (and around the U.S.)
List of Churches:
Prayer Points
Gratitude: for their generosity to others & trusting in the Lord’s provision
Multiplication: for growth of Bhutanese and Nepali churches in Houston
Next Generation: 1.5 and 2nd gen would be equipped as bicultural bridge builders
Mutuality: for Nepali and Bhutanese churches to support, encourage, and empower one another in their work
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