Kathmandu, Nepal: Â
CHRISTMAS IN KATHMANDU, NEPAL: BMI Regional Director, Sonam Kabo, and his wife, Rita, hold special Christmas events each year for their church and community. Here is a video showing the gathering in their home for singing, food, and fellowship! They also visit any home where they are invited!Â
(If you are on Facebook, see this link to a special video! )
https://www.facebook.com/kathmandupost/videos/599617633945385/
More and more women around the world desire to know more about the Bible! Â Not only that, they want to know theology and how to train other women in a mentoring lifestyle. Â We have incorporated and invited top women leaders to join our 7 Steps of Christian Living and Encountering Christ conferences.Â
Additionally, BMI has developed a special academic and ministry program for women in seminaries. Â Simply called, WMP (Women’s Ministry Program). Â This program consists of three academic courses of BMI curriculum (see below):
First Course:Â
7 Steps, Women’s Ministries, Technology and the Family
Second Course:Â
Living With Your Emotions, Small Groups, Children’s Ministry
Third Course:Â
Encountering Christ: Biblical Themes Focused on Christ
This program is designed to assist and be incorporated into Bible college curriculum. Currently we have several women teaching various parts of the material in Nepal, Ukraine, Vietnam and Myanmar.  BMI has two official women representatives who travel and teach our curriculum – Rita Kabo in South Asia and Nadia Morokhovets in Ukraine and Belarus.Â
In November of 2019, Jonathan and Vitaly Sorokun gathered together the top women leaders of Ukraine and Belarus. This group included the directors of women’s ministry for the Baptist Unions of Ukraine and Belarus. Â It was a special time for the women to meet and talk about ministry collaboration in these nations.
 Over 2000 copies of Sue Burnham’s book, Living With Your Emotions, were printed in Ukraine!Â
Over the last several years, Rev. Sonam Kabo, the BMI South Asia Director and his wife, Rita, have traveled to the United Arab Emirates to conduct ministry training in Abu Dhabi and Dubai to the Nepalese population there. Â In November Jonathan Burnham joined them and held a BMI conference for church leaders and met with leaders concerning future plans. As well as traveling to the UAE, Jonathan traveled to Kathmandu Nepal and Bangalore, India in 2019 conducting training and strategic planning. Â
BMI Regional Director, Sonam Kabo and his wife, Rita have been training students with the BMI curriculum at many Bible Colleges throughout Nepal: Nepal Ebenezer Bible College (NEBC), Nepal Bible College (NBC), Pokhara Bible School (PBS) and All Nations Theological Seminary (ANTS) in Siliguri, (North East India). They train more than 100 graduate students each year at these colleges and also at Nepal churches and in India as well!  This is part of our BTMP curriculum which is designed  to accompany the theological and ministry curriculum in seminaries and Bible colleges. Many seminaries, not only in Nepal and India, but also in many other parts of the world, are using this curriculum!Â
In addition to her travels with her husband, Rita Kabo is the principal of Elim Christian Academy, a school of over 300 children in Kathmandu, Nepal. Â She is a strong leader in Nepal for human rights and the rights of women, and also travels throughout Nepal, India and the UAE training women! Â This year Rita had a few special honors. Â She was invited to Washington D.C. to represent the Christian Community of Nepal and speak on the marginalized religious community and human rights of Nepal. She was chosen for this honor by the FNCN (Federation of National Christian Nepal). Rita has a law degree and is a strong advocate for religious freedom and the rights of women in Nepal. She is one of the top women’s leaders in the country advocating against the trafficking of women. Â
Rita was also invited to meet United States Ambassador, Sam Brownback during his visit to Nepal. She was chosen by the US Embassy to represent the Evangelical Christians in Nepal. This was a great honor to speak with him on behalf of the Christian population in Nepal! Ambassador Brownback is the United States Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom!
Nepal recently passed a legislation to outlaw the observance of a Christmas holiday in Nepal. However, Rev. Sonam Kabo, BMI Regional Director for S. Asia, his wife, Rita, and other Christian representatives continue to lobby the government that Christians in Nepal should be able to observe at least one day, Christmas holiday, annually. Sonam and Rita are on the Board Committee of the Federation of National Christians of Nepal (FNCN). Together with the FNCN president, they were allowed to meet with the Vice President of Nepal to give him New Year’s greetings on behalf of Christian community of Nepal and also, to remind him about the Christmas holiday. Sonam and Rita were welcomed into his office and also, he allowed them to pray for him! Please pray that the Nepal government would reinstate Christmas as a public holiday in Nepal! (pictured Rita with Vice President of Nepal and Sonam speaking at an FNCN program.)
The Mekong River passes through many countries in SE Asia, and those who live along this river represent some of the poorest people in the world and the lowest percentage of Christians. Â BMI is partnering with Christian leaders called to reach the people along this river with evangelization, church planting and training. Â It is an exciting and powerful opportunity called the Mekong Movement! Â We are thankful for the Christian leaders who are committed to this ministry!Â
BMI Conferences continue to be held in the central location of Bangkok. Â In 2019 we brought together a group of men and women leaders from eleven countries for an Encountering Christ Conference! Â The countries represented were: Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, India, Ukraine, and the USA.
In addition to this conference, Jonathan held the first conference in DaNang, Vietnam. Â This was an extra special blessing because the Christian church in DaNang was founded many years ago by the missionary, Gordon Smith. Gordon Smith’s ministry was supported by the Chapel in Akron, Ohio, by Carl Burnham! Â Also, the Dang family, who were rescued by the Chapel in Akron during the years of extreme religious persecution in Vietnam, came from DaNang. Â
Through the ministry of BMI Director for SE Asia, Dr. Joshua Nguyen, BMI training has been established in the Highland regions of Vietnam. Â And over 500 copies of the BMI 7 Steps of Christian Living have been printed in the last few months! Joshua also continues to lead his BMI MBMP (Marketplace Biblical Mentoring Program) which trains young professionals for ministry in their workplaces!Â
Jonathan Burnham held the first strategic planning meeting in Lusaka, Zambia, and the first conference of a 3-year cycle of ministry training will be held in 2020. Â This training will bring together leaders from the neighboring countries of Malawi, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Zambia itself. Â Rev. Emmanuel Ndolimana, from Rwanda, has been leading the ministry efforts in many African countries. Â He is our key representative there and also leads the African ministry of Sustainable Medical Missions. Â
Also in 2019, the first of a 3-year training was held in Nairobi where key Christian leaders representing five Christian universities  in East Africa attended.  Also joining this conference was Dr. Alvin Sanders, President of World Impact, who Jonathan mentored for many years.  World Impact is the largest organization in the United States training inner city pastors all over the country and world!Â
