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Nepal (MNN) :
In 2002, Mission Network News told you about Gospel
for Asia missionary Manja Tamang from Nepal. He was
serving as an evangelist when he was falsely accused of
murdering a foreign man, who Tamang discovered along the
road.
He was sentenced to 20 years in prison but was released
late last year. Now, Tamang along with his wife, Rati,
are telling their story to the world.
Together they talk about Manja's imprisonment and even
torture on false charges. He talks about life in prison,
including a miracle that happened in jail. While
declaring, "I will never stop serving God," Manja tells
of his discouragement in jail--and his determination to
continue on.
He also thanks Christians around the world who
remembered and prayed for him.
All through his imprisonment, Manja continued to be a
joyful witness, sharing the Gospel with the other
prisoners. He organized and led Bible studies and
worship services, with at least 30 inmates attending
many of those services. And several men in his little
"prison congregation" chose to follow Christ. Manja also
taught social studies classes in the prison's education
system.
"Manja's patience in bearing all these difficulties and
injustices is a lesson for all of us to learn," said N.
Sharma, GFA's leader in Nepal. "Whenever I saw Manja in
prison, he was always smiling. He reminded me often of
the Apostle Paul's own statement from priso: ‘rejoice in
the Lord always.' This is a quality that can only be
developed through bearing pain from within, such as our
brother Manja has done."
Manja's story also inspired a song written by Shannon
Wexelberg and sung by Charles Billingsley, "The Pleasure
of My King," which was featured on the Better Than Life
project by Discovery House Music in 2007.
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