The graduates spent three years in Bible college and now many of them will be serving in Bhutan.
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Sixteen young men stepped forward to answer Christ’s call on their lives when they graduated from a Gospel for Asia Bible college in West Bengal on September 18. More than 120 GFA and other Christian leaders attended the event where the graduates were commissioned for mission service.
The day was bittersweet for some of the men, as they plan to serve in the country of Bhutan, where less than one percent of the population professes faith in Christ. Many of these graduates are natives of Bhutan and feel a tremendous burden to reach their own people. They know that in order to follow the Lord’s direction for their lives, they will face severe resistance, and even persecution, from those in Bhutan who oppose the Gospel.
Bhutan is a small country that is bordered by China and West Bengal, India. The majority of the people are Buddhists. And with an anti-conversion law in place, those who choose to follow Christ are often harassed or even kicked out of the country.
As the civil rights of Christians in Bhutan erode, GFA missionaries there must be extremely careful and sensitive as they share the love of Christ. The government has recently barred some Christian congregations from meeting for worship. This caused at least two GFA-related churches to temporarily close their doors.
The graduates request prayer that God will soften the hearts of the Bhutanese people and that many will come to know Him through their ministries. They also ask for prayer that the government in Bhutan will become more favorable to Christians in the future.
Read how GFA missionaries are reaching Bhutan with the Gospel through film.
Learn more about the tiny country of Bhutan, which is only half the size of the state of Indiana.