Recently our home for abandoned children in Nepal was inspected by the District Child Welfare Council.  Four officials (two officers and two journalists) were sent by the Council, and by coincidence they met 10 of our younger children as they were walking home after school. The officials realized these children were from the Home they were going to inspect, so they began to question them as they walked along the road. The subsequent day I was summoned into the District Child Welfare Council office to discuss the inspection.    

The Head of the office explained that it was not their intention to formally question our children as they walked home, as they usually held such interviews at the Home. Nonetheless, he was very surprised and pleased to see the confidence of the children.  He specifically named one of the boys, Sunil, and reported that the conversation went something like this:   

Officer 1:  Are you Christian?
Sunil:  Yes we are.
Officer 1:  Were you compelled to be a Christian or did you willingly accept it?
All the boys:  We willingly accepted Jesus as our Savior.
Officer 2:  After you leave the children’s home, you will again become Hindu.
Sunil:  No, we don’t want to. We have committed our life to Jesus as long as we are here on  this earth.
Journalist 1:  What do you want to be in the future?
Sunil:  I want to be a pastor.
Officer 2:  Do your leaders teach only the Bible at the Home?
Children:  No, we study the Bible everyday in the morning and evening.  After that, our leaders will teach us from the school’s course book and help us to do our homework.
Officer 1:  Why do you believe in the Bible?
Sunil:  Because it is the Word of the true living God!
Journalist 2:  Can you tell us one sentence from the Bible?
Sunil:  Yes, of course I can quote you so many sentences from the Bible, “For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of the GOD” (Rom. 3:23).  “The kingdom of God is at hand.  Repent and believe in the gospel!” (Matt. 1:15). “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
Officers:  Enough!  Enough!  Enough! 

The Head told me that in his years of service he has visited more than 50 children homes and had talked to many children, but Sunil was extraordinary.  He found that this boy spoke remarkably confidently and was so spontaneous.  He also marveled at the children’s behavior, as they were well disciplined.  And at the end of the conversation Sunil begged their pardon saying, “Sir, if we have spoken anything wrong, please forgive us.  And even if you are not a believer, our God hears our prayers.  Therefore, if you have any prayer request, please let us know.  We will pray for you in the evening.”  One of the lady journalists in that group of four was so touched when she heard this that tears began to roll down her face.  She patted Sunil and thanked him, saying, “Thank you, babu” (which in Nepali means “little brother” or “son” in a loving way).    

After relating all this, the Head told me, “This boy, Sunil, will definitely become a pastor in the future.  Even though I am not a Christian, I was very much touched by Sunil. You are doing such an excellent job at the Home.”