Trekking along remote, rugged paths in the Himalayas, workers put one foot in front of the other for days on end to reach small villages tucked away in lofty valleys.

What is their motivation? Other committed adventurers are attracted by the spectacular views, but for these followers of Jesus it’s the people in the villages who draw them, and a profound love which spurs them on.

Geographical isolation, lack of education, and government restrictions mean that many of the people in these villages have never heard the name of Jesus, let alone know of His transforming love.

The workers, who trek day in day out on mountain paths, are ordinary people, often locals themselves, but the love they’ve discovered in Jesus is worth the walk. And it is worth the weight they carry on their backs – supplies for the journey and Bibles and Gospel booklets in every spare corner of space.

As they walk, they encounter people. Conversations flow. Booklets are opened. Hope is shared. Bibles pass hands. Prayers are uttered.

In time, truth takes root. Individual lives and whole communities are changed. God has been working through the committed steps of a few faithful Jesus followers, as they continually return to communities, establishing relationships, and venture into new territory.

The team work creatively, offering audio Bibles to those who can’t read and Bibles apps to those with phones, all available in local languages. Over the past six years alone, God has nurtured 80 new fledgling churches into being, in communities where Jesus’ name was previously barely known.

“God is doing more than we could have imagined,” says the leader of OM in the Himalayan region. “Even through lockdown, God has been at work. We are mobilising more local believers these days – as they are more welcome in communities than foreigners – continuing to carefully and responsibly carry out distributions, by local people in their local areas.”

Ordinary people used for His extraordinary purposes

All over the world God is using ordinary people to join in His beautiful story. Some pray. Some give. Some walk hundreds of miles. Some show His love, others speak of His love. Some knock next-door, others fly to a foreign land. He makes the feet of all beautiful, with a message of extraordinary significance.

In the Himalayas God is using ordinary individuals, like Pemba* and Sabita*, to build his Kingdom.

Pemba's story

Pemba was officially too young – being only 15 – to join the team going on outreach to a remote Tibetan Buddhist village last year. But he was determined to go. He had grown up in that village and wanted to return. At the forefront of his mind were two families he knew. They did not know about Jesus. He was eager to tell them of the hope he had found.

With some training behind him and support alongside him, Pemba joined the outreach team and set off for his home village. The month that followed was a fruitful one. He had many conversations with these families he knew and loved, and gave them audio Bibles. To his delight, in late May, he heard that one couple were ready to believe in Jesus!

“It seems that we are never too young or inexperienced to bring others to Jesus!” Pemba shares, with gratitude to God.

Sabita's story

High up in the mountains, a group of seven believers gather to worship, pray and learn from the Bible. This new fellowship is God’s gracious response to one woman’s faithful prayers.

Sabita first heard the Gospel a year ago when some workers came to her village. As she listened and processed what she heard, she felt drawn to her knees and put her faith in Jesus.

Every weekend, Sabita would walk for six hours to reach the nearest church. She longed for a fellowship to start in her own village, so she began to pray in faith every day. Later that same year, God answered! Her mother and five other local people put their faith in Jesus and now meet in their village for weekly fellowship.

“I praise God for hearing me,” says Sabita, “Now we can grow together, and support one another to share Jesus with others in our community.”

From ordinary to extraordinary 

When Jesus was born, God used ordinary people to carry out His extraordinary plan for mankind. Today, He delights in using ordinary people to take part in His extraordinary work.

This is the story of OM – everyday people undertaking seemingly impossible missions to share Jesus with those who do not know Him.

Since 1957, thousands of Bibles have been distributed, ships have sailed, children have been fed and the Gospel proclaimed time and time again. Join us and be part of this extraordinary story God is weaving.