Dear supporter,
This month we consider the outcome of an important board meeting of the college. They were considering the proposal to extend the training from 5 months to 1 year, and discussed the questions you kindly raised, as we seek together the will of our Lord for this work. Kathmandu director Dil Bahadur shares:

Honourable Dr. Rod, and the friends/partners in the UK,
Greetings from Nepal.
First of all, let me express our collective thankfulness for your love, prayers and partnership with us in training, equipping and empowering the Nepalese grass roots leaders. Thank you also for your kind patience in hearing from me in regard to the extension of the course from five months to a year programme. I am glad to inform you that I attended the local board meeting of the training centre in Surkhet on Monday 27th February, and thank God for the way the Lord has been using us for His glory.
Let me now share with you what we discussed in the meeting and request you for your prayers and suggestions concerning it.

The reasons for extending the course from five month into a year programme:
1. A felt need for a longer period to prepare students to LEAD their congregations.
So far, none of the graduates of Surkhet have gone on for further studies after graduating from the five month residential leadership training. In five months, the training centre is limited in its ability to go deeper into study of subjects on the curriculum. Of course, there are many areas that a leader has to learn about. So, the one year program could include some more subjects and could also offer a deeper study.
2. Vocational skill development training along with the biblical training.
In many situations, in the rural context, the local congregation is not able to pay the pastor for his service. If he/she gets a job to pay for his bread, he usually has to go outside his village. But the leader of the congregation cannot leave his home if his flock is to grow, needing his care and nourishment spiritually. Therefore, if he/she can get some vocational skill development training along with the biblical training, he will not have to leave the family and the church for survival.
3. Other short term training centres exist now in the Midwest and far west Nepal.
I am glad to inform you that there are other short term training centres established in these two regions which could meet the need for five month training for grassroots leaders. Those who could not come for a year program, can access training elsewhere. So, it would be more practical and needful to upgrade our training centre into a year program.

Course design (Draft)
1. Thorough Biblical studies : 5 months
2. Vocational/ Skill development training : 3 months
3. Training on Evangelism, Church planting and missions : 1 month
4. Internship/field experience in their own churches : 1 month (Return back to the training centre for one more month)
5. Leadership skills: 1 month (Graduation after 11 months)
Total duration 11 months. (One month gap for preparation for the next session)

I would appreciate your ideas and input in this regard, as this is only a draft proposal. Thanking you, Dil, Nepal.

Any thoughts or suggestions reading this would be gratefully received. Thanks for continuing to pray to the Good Shepherd to continue to lead us into green pastures.

Since this board meeting, you may have heard that our board chairman pastor Padam Nepali was attacked by thugs on a motorbike on waste ground near his home in Surkhet. He was apparently knocked unconscious but is recovering at home. He is said to believe that they were intending to kill him for his Christian witness, so he is rejoicing and praising God he is alive. I have emailed a message of sympathy to Padam on our behalf. Please pray for him to be safe, for his body to be healed, and for his family.
Yours in Him, Rod.