Ordinary People ~ Extraordinary God

We are often asked the question, “which place is your favorite?” as we prepare to head out for the year. The truth is we don’t have one. It is not a location that stands out in our minds, but it is the people that make each place special in our hearts. It is our national brothers and sisters that we love so dearly that make us long to return to a specific city, town or village. We have shared about many of them in our past updates and ask for your continued prayers as they bring the love of Christ to their own people in India, China, Uganda and Nepal.

Sent Out

With Deanna & Amy in India
With Deanna & Amy in India

When we originally answered the call to GO and minister in Asia and Africa, we had no idea that other people would be joining us. It has been an unexpected blessing to serve alongside ordinary people from the states that are doing extraordinary things for God around the globe.

Over the past two years, we have had the privilege to serve with Deanna and Amy from CC Saving Grace and see them launch out and move to India. Janay was a teacher from CC WestGrove who heard the call to GO to Northern Uganda and after ministering together in summer 2012, she has now moved there and recently got married. Aaron and Jena from CC WestGrove spent the summer with us last year after graduating from Bible College and are now serving together with us in Nepal. Looking back over the past few years, we are honored to watch as the Lord has raised up servants and sent them out to reach the nations with the Gospel.

New Work in Nepal

Last fall we met with our dear friends Pankaj and Tonielle in Kathmandu, Nepal and they shared their vision to start a School of Worship in 2014. As we talked, we asked them to pray about expanding the vision to include a Bible College. Within a few days, they received confirmation that this was in fact the direction the Lord was leading. However, there were many unknowns, questions and challenges that seemed to stand in the way. We committed to pray that God would show Himself strong on our behalf and indeed He has. By late 2013, a location had been secured and funding for the first year of rent had been provided by two churches to start a Bible College, School of Worship and plant a church in Kathmandu.

With Pankaj & Tonielle ~ Fall 2013
With Pankaj & Tonielle ~ Fall 2013

Seeing the open door and the amazing opportunity to be apart of establishing a Bible College to train nationals in the Word of God, we have adjusted our schedule and returned to Nepal to spend winter / spring. We arrived last week and we are serving with a short-term team to host a conference, reach out in the slums and host a medical outreach in the villages over the next two weeks. We will then move into the new compound on March 31st and classes at the Bible College are scheduled to start on April 14th.

Check out the new website: www.ccbcnepal.com that was recently launched. If you are interested in meeting practical needs in getting the ministry established, providing for student scholarships of if you are a Pastor / Worship Leader that would like to come to teach in Kathmandu, please let us know.

The Fab Five

With the Fab Five in Kathmandu, Nepal
With the Fab Five in Kathmandu, Nepal

A team of five young adults from Orange County, CA has been raised up and sent out by CC WestGrove to co-labor with us in establishing the Bible College and School of Worship in Kathmandu, Nepal. They are part of PROCLAIM ~ Missionary Discipleship Program and we are excited to be serving with them in Nepal. We look forward to all the Lord has in store for Ryan, Sarah, Efrain, Aaron and Jena who we refer to as “The Fab Five” and ask for your prayers for our team as we minister together in Nepal.

Prayer For Janice

The day we arrived in Nepal, we got news that Heather’s mom (Janice) fell at home. She broke her leg in three places and got a large gash on her leg requiring staples. She has been hospitalized, is bedridden because of her injuries and infection was found in her legs. Please pray for healing for her body, strength for the recovery process, protection from infection and that she would not get discouraged in the days ahead. Thank you for standing with us.

With Love From Nepal,

Bond and Heather Gaona