Kids of Courage

Phurbu is a 10-year-old boy in Nepal, where most of the people follow the Hindu religion. His family is Christian and his father is a pastor.

Phurbu has a brother, Lakpa, who is 8, and a 7-year-old sister, Sumjung. Their family used to live in a remote area of Nepal, but moved to a city so the children could go to better schools.

Earlier this year, Phurbu’s father told VOM contacts what had recently happened to the family.

“We came from an area of Nepal where no one cared that we ate beef, said Prurbu’s father. “But as a Hindu tradition, eating beef is not allowed. They consider cows and oxen to be a symbol of a god and goddess.

“In October 2012, we ate beef. All the local people accused us of killing a cow, but we did not. The local people destroyed our home and all the things inside our house. The Christians were scattered from the area. The local people handed us over to the Hindu committee. They called the police, and I was arrested.”

With their father in jail, the family faced difficult days. Christians helped and prayed for the family. On Father’s Day this year, please pray for Phurbu, Lakpa, Sumjung, and others who are separated from their fathers because their family follows Jesus.

(Some of the quotes and stories on this websites have been edited and paraphrased from the original sources for clarity.)

People in Egypt have faced upsetting times in recent months. The government has gone through some changes, and the country got a new leader last year. Persecution against Christians has increased.

Some Egyptian youth learn about Jesus through the Internet and Facebook. Read the story below from an Egyptian girl.

My name is Sana. I am the only daughter of my mom and dad. The both are very kind. They are rich, too, and they never prevented me from getting what I want.

I never was a religious person. But I’m not evil. I believed in a God who is in heaven and has nothing to do with the people on earth.

I had everything a girl desires, but I used to get depressed. I didn’t want to see or talk to anybody. One day I lifted my head to heaven and prayed for help, though I didn’t know if God was really there.

Two days passed after I prayed this prayer. I was not sure there was a God listening.

One day in the morning I turned on my computer. I opened my Facebook page for the first time in months.

I wrote the word “Jesus” in the search box. I found the page of a Christian radio program. I went to their website and listened to the program. I heard someone talking about “good morning,” and why we greet each other using those words. He said there is someone who can give me a good morning every day.

He talked about sin, and salvation from sickness and depression. I felt like he was talking to me.

I prayed with him and gave my life to Jesus. Immediately I felt happy, and I was no longer depressed.

Sana sent a note to the radio broadcaster telling him her story and including the following thank you note.

“I do not know how to thank you. I am praying that God can use you. You saved my life. Thank you, thank you, thank you. My mom and dad thank you so much, too. I love you.”

(To protect their identities, the names of some of the people on this website and some identifying details have been changed. Some of the quotes and stories have been edited and paraphrased from the original sources for clarity.)