I first met Bhim Monger two years ago after he arrived in Austin as a refugee from Nepal along with about 300 others, brought here by the United Nations as a way to help them start a new life. In fact, many cities in the U.S. have opened their arms to these people from multiple countries around the world. People who have been stuck in refugee camps for years. In Bhim’s case, 15 years. Bhim is originally from Bhutan, where he grew up the son of a wealthy plantation owner. At 16 Bhim was told about Jesus Christ by others his age while they met deep in a forest as a church. Bhim responded by giving his life to Jesus. From that moment on Bhim would no longer be known by that name, a name that represents his Buddhist life according to him. The Holy Spirit gave him a new name to represent his new Christian life. From that time on Bhim was known as John and from what I have heard and seen, he has lived up to that name as a Christian.
Once John told his father about his new faith, his father turned him over to the government, who tortured and beat him to renounce Christ. When they realized their efforts were futile, the police took him to the Nepales border and threw his body over the fence. As they turned to leave they warned him they would finish the “job” if he ever returned to Bhutan. Over time John fell in with 12 other young brave Christians who daily would travel from village to village sharing Christ in Nepal. One day, the son of a high ranking government official converted to Christianity via their testimony. When his father found out, the 12 were arrested and thrown into a prison. For the next 15 months John and his brothers and sisters in Christ were crammed together in one large cell, striped of all their clothes and physically and mentally tortured everyday. All they had to do was renounce Christ and they would be freed. Not only did they say no everyday, they tried to explain to their torturers that they were already free and it was them, who did not know Jesus who were in prison. They also would teach them that their harsh treatment was deserved, but Jesus had promised them something they did not deserve, eternal life. Everyday they were tortured in all kinds of creative, yet evil and cruel ways. Everyday, John and his team would love and pray for their torturers. After Voice Of The Martyr, had finally convinced President Bush to do something, our President somehow convinced the Gov of Nepal to release them. By the time the prison gates had opened John had led half the guards to Christ, all of which are now themselves pastors of under ground churches in Nepal and India. John returned to the muddy riverside refugee camp and picked up where he left off. He eventually traveled to Nagaland in NE India to attend a Christian seminary. Nagaland is the only Christian state in India and everyone pretty much leaves them alone. The tribes in Nagaland are a feared people among the Indians and Nepalese. Before converting to Christ as a people group not all that long ago, they were known as fierce warriors who literally ate their enemies. After John was ordained, he married his Nagaland bride, Tia and carried her across the threshold into his old muddy refugee camp, where the taught on Christ, discipled new believers everyday, planting new churches throughout Nepal and India.
When the U.N. decided to close his refugee camp a couple of years ago, John felt God call him to take the U.N. up on their offer to bring he and his family to the United States. He came without knowing what state or city they would end up in. They came with nothing but a few bucks and Jesus Christ. When I met John, he had been here for about 2 months and had already led over thirty people to Christ among the Indians, Nepalese, Burmese, African and Arab refugees here in Austin. Every Sunday he has held church in his U.N. sponsored apartment. He’s doing this while also overseeing his 50+ underground House Churches in Nepal and India. His disciples are also leading churches throughout the U.S. among the U.N. sponsored cities, so he travels to these cities when he is able to scrape enough money to encourage them. John understands and lives Love like no other human being I have ever met.
Please pray for John and if you feel led, you can send money to help with his efforts. so, feel free to contact me and I’ll put you in direct contact with John. One final story here. When my two daughters traveled to New Zealand and Brazil to lead YWAM teams on mission trips, John and his little apartment church of about 60 at this time stepped up and handed us a wonderful offering wrapped in a little white paper envelope. I remember thinking “Ohhhh, how nice, the little poor refugees want to support our daughters with 30 or 40 dollars.”. After leaving their church to head home, Leslie opened the envelope and gasped and then dramatically says “Oh My God” and then begins to say my name over and over as she starts to cry. I of course start panicking thinking the envelope is full of nasty photos or something, so I slam on the brakes and pull over, nearly causing a 20 car pile-up. After seeing these brothers and sisters in Christ, who have nothing, had given $1,000 out of their poverty, I too began to cry and right now am struggling to hold back my tears. What no one knew was both our daughters were on the last day of their deadline to be able to travel with the team they were to help lead because they each were $500 short for covering their plane tickets. Without the gift, the next day, the girls would have had to come home early. I just want to say and do to John what the Pope said and did to Saint Frances…”We in our riches are put to shame by you in your poverty!” The Pope then got on his knees to kiss and wash Saint Frances bare feet in full public site. John 13:34-35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
the Jesusfreak
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