Pastor's Faith Not Shaken by Nepal Earthquake

When the 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal on April 25, 2015, Pastor Kris Moktan was in church.

“It was near the end of the service and I had just been giving a sermon about the end times,” the pastor of Omega church in Ward 5 of Manakamana said before adding jokingly, “After that sermon illustration, it was easy to convince people to give up drinking and smoking.”

At the time of the quake, however, it was no laughing matter. The small building, where his congregation of 43 believers gathered, was torn from its foundation. In a panic, the worshippers rushed to escape through the only door.

Moktan’s wife was pregnant at the time. She was hit on the head by falling debris and also broke her leg. She was lucky to get out alive, said her husband.

Saturday is the day of worship for Christians in Nepal and most churches hold their services between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., said Motkan.

The earthquake, which struck at 11:56 a.m. Nepali time, came as many services were ending, and thousands of Christians across the country were injured as they ran out of crumbling church buildings.

Some were trapped under rubble. Many died.

Moktan says that he is grateful no one in his congregation was seriously hurt. He is also grateful for the opportunity that this disaster has provided for strengthening the witness of the local church.

“Before, it was so hard to be a Christian in Nepal,” he said, citing how Christians make up only one per cent of the population in Nepal.

He had grown up in this village dreaming of starting a church when he was done with his studies. But he felt that his Hindu neighbors viewed him and his motives with suspicion.

“They were always wondering if I was trying to evangelize to them,” he said.

That reputation has improved since World Renew started working in his community, distributing food, tarps, hygiene supplies, water filters and shelter kits to those in need following the earthquake.

“I want to thank everyone in Canada and the United States who showed people here that Christians are loving,” he said.  “You have helped me in my ministry.”

He explains that while some people in the community continue to have some skepticism about why Christians would care about them, most have concluded Christians are loving people. 

This has even led some people to begin attending weekly services to learn more.

“Since the earthquake, ten people have come to Christ,” he said. “Hallelujah. Praise God.”

While his church building was destroyed, the faith of Pastor Kris Moktan and his congregation remains strong. Less than six months after the quake, they built a new building out of wood and galvanized iron sheeting where they could continue worshipping.

Moktan said he lives his faith every day and relies on God to help him overcome the challenges that arise.

For example, the landlord who owns the property where the new church is located has asked for the land back and told them they must leave.

But even in the face of this hardship, Moktan can find hope. He has found other land just down the road and is in the midst of fundraising for the new building.

Asked where he finds the motivation to respond to such challenges, he said, “My favourite Bible verse is Matthew 11:28, ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest’.”