United Mission to Nepal CONNECTED CHURCH United Mission to Nepal

SKILLS FOR LIFE March 2017

What are your most useful skills? Notes to leader: Use this question as a way to get people engaged in the update. Ask people to talk to the person next to them, and then feedback to you.

Believer Church is one of the biggest churches in Dhading Believer Church is one of the biggest churches in Dhading. Despite having over 600 members across 16 branches, it was not well known in the community. But this was before it started Sangsangai. Many churches in Nepal tend to focus more on spiritual matters. Often there is less of a focus on the poor and needy in the community.

The church started taking part in UMN’s Sangsangai program The church started taking part in UMN’s Sangsangai program. When facilitators, Sharmila and Shanti, began leading the church through the process, things began to change.

They started a tailoring course to help the poorest women in the community earn a living. The church helped pay for the equipment and a member of the community helped with the teaching. Through their Women’s Support group, Sharmila and Shanti identified that for the poorest women, making a living was very difficult. These women did not have skills or an education and were struggling to earn enough money to feed their families. To help ten of the very poorest women in the community, Shanti and Sharmila decided to organise a tailoring course. The church gave them NPR 100,000 (about £746) to buy four sewing machines and knowing of her tailoring skills, they also approached a community member Hira Gurung who agreed to give her time for six months to help with the training.

They know that it is a group who will help them. The ten women are now running their own tailoring businesses and see the church very differently. They know that it is a group who will help them. Today, life is very different for the women who were part of the group. They have started their own businesses and can now earn a living to support their families. Life is becoming less of a struggle and they are beginning to see many more opportunities opening up for them. It has also changed the way that they see the church. Now they know that Believer church cares for the community and wants to help make life better for everyone who lives there.

Sharmila and Shanti are very excited Sharmila and Shanti are very excited. The tailoring course is just the beginning and they are looking to get the church even more involved.

PRAYER Praise God for the transformation that has taken place in Believer Church

PRAYER Give thanks that the church was able to organise the tailoring course to help serve the community.

PRAYER Pray for Sharmila and Shanti, that they would be able to keep serving the communities where they live and help bring transformation to the lives of even more people.