ⓒ 2007 WATV

At the Awards Ceremony held on March 18, more awards were given to the members than ever before. Many Churches nationwide and worldwide received awards from God, and the overseas Churches showed remarkable growth this year, too. Among the Churches, the Kathmandu Church in Nepal received awards in five out of the nine categories. We met missionary Seong-Yeol Bae who had flown to Korea from Nepal to attend the General Assembly in addition to the Awards Ceremony, and heard from him the recent state of the Kathmandu Church.


Congratulations! We want to know how hard the brothers and sisters have been working until they were given such a great blessing.

I give thanks to Father and Mother for Their great blessing for us. I think God was pleased with the pure faith of the Nepalese brothers and sisters. They overcome all their difficulties with their fervor for the gospel and love for Mother. All of them preach diligently about the heavenly Mother with one mind.

Nepalese people start and finish a day early. Although Kathmandu is the capital city, buses run only until 8:30 in the evening. So, the brothers and sisters preach the gospel early in the morning before people go to work. It might be hard to preach that early in Korea, but many Nepaleses listen to the truth even at dawn. That’s why I think the Nepaleses are innocent and pure. When I see, early in the morning, the brothers and sisters studying the Bible and visiting the neighbors who show interest in the Word, I feel ashamed of myself.

The Nepalese brothers and sisters have no doubt about their faith in Father and Mother. In the past I wondered, ‘How can they understand God, who came at the ends of the earth in the east according to the prophecies of the Bible?’ But it was an unnecessary worry. Their deeds show how much they love Mother and miss Her. Everyone of them longs to meet Mother very earnestly.


You received the “Award for Branching Out.” Please tell us how the Kathmandu Church branched out.

I first went to Nepal in July, 2003. At that time, there were about 150 brothers and sisters. Even when all of us were gathered together, the temple still looked so big. We planned to double the number of the members and fill the temple with new brothers and sisters. With that plan we preached the gospel for one year, and the number of the members was indeed doubled. The next year, we doubled the number of the members again, and the temple was full. As the Chief Pastor said at the Awards Ceremony, God gave us more than what we had planned and opened all the paths for us.

The temple became small for the brothers and sisters, so two years ago we branched out a Church in Damak. Damak was a spiritual wasteland, but ever since the Church was built there, many people have been coming to the truth by the fervor of the brothers and sisters even under unfavorable circumstances. Then, we branched out the 2nd Kathmandu Church in July last year. It took us a long time to branch out the 2nd Kathmandu Church, but all the brothers and sisters did their best to participate in the building of the temple, and as a result, a beautiful Zion was built. The 2nd Kathmandu Church is famous for its modern look in the city of Kathmandu. The number of the members was 180 when it was branched out, but I’ve heard that it’s more than 300 now. I think it needs to branch out another Church very soon.

Now, the number of the members in the 1st Kathmandu Church, even after branching out two times, is more than 1,000. I am concerned about how all the brothers and sisters can keep the Passover this year. But it’s a happy worry.


We heard that last year the Nepalese brothers and sisters kept the Passover even though the situation was very bad at that time. You must have felt different than before.

I’m still get scared when I think of what happened last year. My faith was not strong enough, so I was extremely worried that the brothers and sisters might not be able to celebrate the Passover. A few days before the Passover, when the antigovernment protests went violent, the government proclaimed martial law throughout the country and imposed a curfew. It seemed impossible to celebrate the Passover in that situation. Not all the brothers and sisters have phones in their houses, so it was not easy to call and ask them to come and keep the Passover. I was very worried. However, while the protest continued on, the curfew was released from the afternoon the day before the Passover until the afternoon of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. So we were able to keep the feasts with no problem. If it had not been the work of God, it would have been impossible. The brothers and sisters were greatly moved.

Actually, a few days before that happened, Mother told us that we would be able to celebrate the Passover graciously. When the curfew was released, we recognized that it was done by the power and love of Mother. When Mother told us that by phone, at first I thought Mother just encouraged us by saying that because the feast was drawing near. However, after keeping the feast under God’s grace, I realized that it was the words of blessing from Mother who knew what would happen.


How did the Jerusalem Preaching Festival go there, and what about now?

Nearly 90% of the population in Nepal is Hindu. The Nepalese constitution clearly states that its religion is Hinduism. All their customs are related to the Hindu doctrines, and most of the public holidays are Hindu festivals.

When the Hindu festivals come, the people put red paste called “Tikka” on their foreheads and tie colorful treads on their hands. These are their own “symbols on their hands and on their foreheads.” What’s interesting is that nobody knows the reason why they put the Tikka on their foreheads. Nevertheless, if they hear the truth, they often ask, “Is it true that we should not put the Tikka any more if we attend church?” Then we tell them that if they become children of God, they will be able to put on a better one on their foreheads even though it is invisible.

ⓒ 2007 WATV

In Hinduism there are many goddesses. The Hindus worship idols as their mother, not knowing the true Mother of their spirits. We testify to them the true Mother who gave birth to their spirits. And in the Hindu bible, it is written that the earth is placed on a big serpent. However, 3,500 years ago, the Holy Bible testifies that the earth is suspended over nothing, and it is scientifically proven. The Nepalese people, who receive the truth about the heavenly Father and Mother after hearing the testimonies of the Bible, grow to be good fruits.

If you let me tell about the Preaching Festival in Nepal, in fact I am ashamed of myself. During the Preaching Festival of the Feast of Tabernacles, we preached in the early morning, mostly male adult members. However, after hearing the great fever of the Preaching Festival which occurred in Korea, the members of the Nepal Zion and I repented, realizing that we did not do the gospel work but just slept. Mother encouraged us who felt ashamed, saying that it was not late. From that time on, we renewed our minds and were able to find many of our heavenly family members with burning enthusiasm. On the Sabbath just before I came to Korea, we found our lost brothers and sisters the most we had ever found; over 50 people were born as the children of God on that day. I heard that there were no Churches that did not experience miracles. The Nepal Church also observed miracles done by God.


Have you felt the cultural difference in Nepal?

Koreans nod their heads up and down when they agree with something. On the contrary, the Nepaleses move their heads in a slanted horizontal motion. I heard of this from Missionary Tejendra when I first arrived in Nepal. Even though I was informed of it, when I preached at the pulpit, I became embarrassed as I saw the Nepalese brothers and sisters moving their heads in this slanted horizontal motion, mistaking the gesture for meaning that they did not understand my preaching because my Nepalese was not good.

Above all things, what makes me saddest is that they are in spiritual darkness, being deeply rooted in Hinduism. So, when I see them coming into the arms of the true God, I’m overwhelmed with joy and give thanks to Father and Mother. Through the words of the truth and the videos, they realize the love and sacrifice of Mother and come to long for Jerusalem Mother. They are surely the children of God. Since we are all children of one God, the cultural difference has no meaning any more.


Please say something to the members who are planning to go overseas to preach.

The members, who are thinking of overseas preaching, may worry about their lack in ability. I also worried about that, and questioned myself, ‘Will I be able to do the gospel work well in a foreign country? I have not done well even in Korea.’

However, Mother encouraged me, saying that I could do well. As I preached in Nepal, all the fear and worries disappeared. Now I know that I am just an instrument, and that it is God who accomplishes the gospel. Through the overseas preaching, I’ve clearly realized that God helps us no matter how weak we are. The Bible prophesies that this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world, and now the smallest letter, the least stroke of a pen in the words, is being accomplished. I truly give thanks to God for sending me to Nepal in this age. I hope that more brothers and sisters will be used as the instruments for the gospel, believing that nothing is impossible if we have faith, so that they may receive more blessings from God.


Lastly, we’d like to hear about the plans of the Kathmandu Church.

In Nepal, the freedom of religion is being expanded under the grace of heavenly Father and Mother. In God’s grace, we will do our best to spread the gospel to all parts of Nepal. We are planning to branch out the 3rd Kathmandu Church, and expect to establish Zion in Pokhara, too, which is famous for Himalayan climbing and trekking. Because Pokhara is a resort area, many people come from all around the world, so we will be able to fulfill the world mission as well. The members of the Kathmandu Church also dream to do the overseas preaching. They are able to go to India if they want, without visa. If the Nepalese members, who can speak the Hindi language, go to densely populated India, the gospel will be spread more quickly. Recently a male adult member and his family moved into an Indian province “Shikim,” which is located at the national border between Nepal and India, because of his job. Now, about 25 people worship God together. One of the families who received the truth even came to Kathmandu to learn the words of the truth. They are all preaching hard, believing that Mother will send them a prophet if they find more brothers and sisters.

The gospel work is being accomplished more quickly than we expected. The members of the Kathmandu Church will testify about Mother to all the people we meet, whether they are Hindus or Buddhists, so that we will display the glory of Mother throughout Nepal and all over the world.