More people than ever are on the move. Whether they are refugees fleeing from war or natural disasters or migrants looking for economic opportunities
Nepali migrants: receivers or givers?
A question arises in my mind: are the people on the move only at a receiving end of discipleship or are they givers as well. My evidential answer is simple: They are both a receiver as well as giver of ‘the Gospel’.
There are about 700,000 Nepalis currently living in Malaysia. The majority of which are working in the manufacturing sector. I want to quote three examples among the Nepali migrants that I witnessed in Malaysia. These TEE tutors, who were trained in Malaysia, moved back to their country of origin, and became fruitful disciple makers.
Passion for discipleship
Rekha was a TEE tutor as well as Bible School student in Malaysia. After completing her B.Th. she went back to her village – Ilam in Nepal. Her disciple making passion and skill went along with her. She started discipling twelve women (mothers), in her Church with the TEE course “Abundant Life”.
Moving on: loss or gain?
A very effective tutor in the city of Melaka was Bikram. He tutored several classes in his congregation and encouraged many to join TEE courses. It saddened our hearts to see him go back to Nepal. But we now see the fruitfulness of our brother in his own village in East Nepal. He is not only a farmer now, but a disciple maker.
He has started discipling 21 men and women in his village using the TEE course “Abundant Life”. This reminds us of 1 Corinthians 15:58, ‘our labour in the Lord is not in vain.’ The question is, did we lose an effective tutor in Malaysia, or did we gain many more disciples for the kingdom of God in Nepal?
This evidence should encourage all of us engaged in discipling the people on the move! The process of training and discipling people on the move is certainly a process of multiplication and we must keep moving forward.
Connecting with ITEEN
My third example of migrants who both give and receive, is John from Nepal who was trained as tutor in Malaysia. He completed his course work of all six Life of Christ books. He tutored several classes and then went back to Nepal. Today he is training and equipping many tutors in different Churches in Nepal for ITEEN (the TEE organization in Nepal).
This is a fruit of the partnership between ITEEN and TEE Malaysia. Rina, with her husband Martin, were looking for ways to disciple the Nepali migrants in Malaysia in their mother tongue. In 2015 Increase helped them find an answer. ITEEN provided the training and material for the first group of Nepalis to start TEE in Malaysia. From there it spread rapidly.
Investing in disciple makers on the move
With these examples I can surely say that when we train a migrant tutor, they take this training with them, back to their country or onwards to other places. The tutor training and their experience of leading TEE groups, equips them for being fruitful disciple makers and trainers. I do hope this will encourage you in your journey with migrants and refugees in your own country!
When Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:5 -42), at first the woman received the eternal life herself. Then she became a witness to many in her village. We see this again today. Those who seem to be at receiving end ultimately become givers themselves.
I would like to leave you with this encouraging verse: “Therefore my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that our labour in the Lord is not in vain.” (1Cor.15:58).
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About Rina
Rina Robinson is part of the Diaspora Task Group and is an Increase Equipper. She and her husband Martin lead the diaspora work among Nepali migrants for TEEM (Malaysia).
Diaspora Task Group
At Increase we are committed to discipling the people on the move, scattered in diaspora. Our Diaspora Task Group has developed many resources to help you start diaspora work. Visit our diaspora resource page for more information and ideas!