My Brief Testimony:
I am Amos Gurung. I have to divide my life into three divisions: (1) I was born in Gumda village of the Gorkha district in the Northwest part of Nepal. My home town is located at an altitude of 3500 m, which is many miles above the Kathmandu valley and 3 days walk by foot from last bus stop.
I am from both a farming and a military (Gurkhas) background. As a shepherd boy, I grew in the Himalayan region which is decorated by natural beauties, such as snowcapped mountains, green hills, white water falls, lush jungles with many kinds of flora and fauna. As the son of an ex-military man, I was sent at least once or twice a week to a poor elementary school. After a while, I was able to move to another school. In such conditions, I was born and grew up: there was neither electricity nor transportation facilities. Still there was no electricity and convenient transportation, many young people like me and the new generation live under the bondage of illiteracy and oppression?spiritually, physically and intellectually… just as I was. By God’s grace, somehow, my parents showed me the good way in difficulty and traditional-cultural barriers.
(2) When I accepted our Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior, it changed the direction of my life. Before that I was an idol worshipper along with our local society and community. Our society is animistic and shamanistic with an influx of Buddhism and Hinduism. When I was very young, I had a great desire to become a great Shaman in order to defend ourselves from the devil. Its influence was there even in those days. Of course, my father's dream was to make me a soldier and it was mine as well. But God’s dream and thoughts are different and far greater than ours. So, what I thought I wanted to be, I am not but I am just a simple servant of the Lord. During the transitional period, I faced various kinds of persecution from my own relatives and society. It was a great challenge. While I was in Seminary in Kathmandu, our newly built church building and believers’ houses were destroyed to rubbles?to the very foundation? and some houses were put on fire. Yet God was with us and we were protected.
(3) Now, I am here not because I am good and great but as a thoughtless person in order to be molded and made into a thoughtful person by being trained and equipped through God’s servants. I have been in this school for several years. I enjoy the multi-cultural, multi-ethnic group of people from around the world. In one sense, it is an example of heaven because people from almost the whole world are here to study God’s Word. I can see that the administration management is improving every year and more qualified professors are coming in. I love this community where the relationship between professors and students are just like parents and children as well as between two good friends. Without hesitating, we can ask any kind of question, any time and anywhere. I have not experienced students' demonstration against school and professors but rather I have seen gratitude and thanks. That is why I really enjoy and personally recommend this school to anyone who can come and study? no matter what denominational background you are coming from. This is the place where someone can find his/her life partner that God prepared for. I enjoyed dormitory life which is no less than a king’ s palace but it will be good if the school could increase dormitory space as student numbers are increasing.
My first impression was of a huge congregation in Onnuri Church at Seobinggo. I thought they were coming out from a movie theater just like in Nepal but movie theaters are very small here in Korea just like churches in Nepal. My second impression was the subways and wide road, especially the tollgates. My third impression was that the people do not care what others are doing and saying but so their own thing. My fourth impression was that most Christian leaders were really exemplary: elders and deacons cleaned bathrooms without hesitation. I also observed that people were respectful to each other, the younger to the older and so on. I love that greeting system even between two friends. Mostly, people are kind and helpful but I did struggle to adjust to the food and language.
First of all, glory be to God! I thank God for opening door for me to study here in Korea and for every provision of grace thus far. Actually, as a shepherd boy and great sinner, I do not deserve such abundance of grace and blessing? not even a little of the little. I sincerely thank those who supported (sponsored) me and the school who is participating in God’ s vision and mission. Without your loving hand and heart, for me, it is beyond the imagination. I thank to our Chair Person, Presidents, Deans, professors and staff for their vision, love, help and care. Because of them, although there were several difficulties and hardship in foreign land, I could smile and could also see that others were smiling. And I cannot stop my writing without thanking my brothers and sisters in Christ, who are always more than friends. Thank God for even though I am a poor I never lack daily bread as He promised. Now, I am not a shamanist, which was what I wished for, but rather a peacemaker and a person who dreams Jesus’ dream, a soldier of Christ. I will go back to Nepal and my mission and vision will be what God has assigned for me. (a) Pastoral Ministry will be the first priority which includes preaching, teaching, nurturing and making disciples, etc. (b) Teaching Ministry?as I am learning and being equipped in sound theological doctrine, after I go back I will do the same thing. (c) Evangelism in particularly reaching out to the Himalayan and hilly regions’ people who are still living under the power of darkness and bondage of illiteracy and under the oppression of old traditions. If God is willing, I would like to open a shelter and education center for the street's children who are parentless, homeless, hopeless and have no privileges because of the bondage of illiteracy. In short, Let the Lord of lords guide me in His own way.

Suggestion: - “Do not appreciate that what you see directly by your own eyes but think & check it out behind the curtain & then you will know the reality!”