New Life in Pokhara
In March, several women from our US team traveled to Nepal for two weeks of intense ministry, training, and gospel sharing. Kathmandu was the base of operations, but the team traveled to a few other places around the country, including Pokhara, which is considered the tourism capital of Nepal. The sad reality is that, where tourism thrives in Nepal, prostitution often thrives along with it. This is true for Pokhara and, as a result, many economically disadvantaged women see prostitution there as a lucrative opportunity. Hilltop of Hope is in the early stages of the process of starting operations in Pokhara. Before a sewing center can be established there, we must first establish a network of local pastors and churches with a heart to reach women working in prostitution. As such, the main focus of the team’s visit to Pokhara in March was making connections, both within the local churches, and with ladies currently involved in the sex trade there.
One such woman was Sarita*, a mother of two daughters, ages 13 and 12. Sarita had arrived in Pokhara just three months ago, following the invitation of a friend already working in the sex industry. As the team spoke with her about her experiences, Sarita’s voice was calm, but vacant. “It’s just a job now,” she said, numb to the weight of it. She shared that she was earning approximately $1,000 each month, serving three to four clients every day. Her clients provided wine, food, and money - typically $80-$85 per customer. Sarita hid the truth of her employment from her daughters; they believed she was working at a hospital. As the team spoke with Sarita, their hearts ached for her. One member of the team began to gently share the gospel with her and, as she did, she could see something stirring within Sarita. The walls of numbness cracked, and Sarita prayed, surrendering her life to Christ. In that moment, hope entered her story.
As the team celebrated new life with Sarita, they were introduced to another woman, Gagan*. Gagan had been in the sex trade for only two months and despised it. Her story carried deep pain. Gagan had been married to an abusive, alcoholic man who beat her relentlessly until finally, she fled with her four-year-old daughter. Sarita was the one who told Gagan about the opportunity to earn a living working in prostitution in Pokhara and encouraged her to come. Now, trapped in the iron grip of sex work, Gagan desperately wanted out. Our team shared with Gagan about the heart of our ministry - why we were there and why we cared. They then shared the gospel with Gagan, who had never before heard the name of Jesus, but who listened intently, her eyes searching for truth. When the team finished, Gagan, with desperation and faith, prayed to receive Christ. Two souls were rescued out of darkness that day; two hearts were set free! This is the power of the Gospel - light breaking into darkness, a new way of thinking, living, and loving.
In 2024, the US team of Hilltop of Hope sensed God’s calling to continue our partnership with Conviventia in Colombia by starting a second Hilltop of Hope location in the tourist destination and port city of Cartagena. Just as in Nepal, the sad reality is that were tourism thrives in Colombia, so does prostitution. Although we sensed God’s calling, we were also aware of many difficulties with the idea. One challenge is that the girls working in prostitution in Cartagena are, on average, much younger than in Bogota; many have not finished high school and would need to do so before entering a vocational program. Another challenge in Cartagena is the sheer revenue that prostitution brings in a tourist city. Women can earn a lot of money working in the sex industry where many wealthy tourists frequent, and the lure of high earnings exerts a strong pull, keeping women in the trade.
In spite of all of the perceived challenges, and in answer to much fervent prayer, we were able to secure funding to start a new sewing training program in Cartagena. In April, our US team traveled to Colombia to check in on the new program and kick-start the sewing training. Already, 22 ladies are enrolled in the first cohort, and there is a waiting list of three additional women wanting to join. Two social workers are available to the women in the program to help them process and heal from trauma. The women, many of whom sat down at a sewing machine for the first time in their lives, learned to sew our cosmetic bags for their first project. However, supplies at the new facility were sparse. The women had to take turns using the sewing machines because there weren’t enough working machines. They didn’t even have an iron or scissors that cut well. We were able to secure some of the basic supplies for the sewing center to help them in their training. While there, we also shared the gospel with the class of women. All prayed in response to the gospel, but at least seven or eight were definitely serious about submitting their lives to Christ. All of the women in the program will continue to receive trauma-based discipling and Biblical teaching along with the vocational training.
New Sewing Program in Cartagena
India is the birthplace of Hilltop of Hope. The redlight districts in many of the major metropolitan areas of the country are among the most infamous in the world. Work to rescue, redeem, and restore women in these places of darkness has always been a God-sized challenge. Thankfully, the One who created the universe is on our side empowering the work we do. When the Lion of Judah roars, Satan shudders, but he also fights back. Lately it feels that his attacks have been fiercer than usual for our ministry in India. One of the red light areas in which our team had established a thriving ministry was suddenly demolished by the government. Suddenly, women, some with children, had no home and nowhere to go. Additionally, the church community that had been built in this district was abruptly uprooted and scattered. Our team has been working in earnest to find new homes for these women and maintain their connectedness in Christ.
Just days later, a young woman who had suffered horrific abuse during her time living and working in another red light area was thrown from a local train and killed. She had become a faithful participant in the prayer group our team led in her area and was well known and loved by our team. Because she had no family, there was no one to claim her body. The women from the prayer group rallied to petition the government to hand her body over to them for burial, rightfully insisting that she was very much a part of their family.
There are also major governmental forces pushing hard against any evangelistic ministry in India. Hindu nationalism is taking a firmer hold on the country, leading, among other things, to a crackdown on immigrants. Many of the women who work in the red light areas were illegally trafficked there from other countries, however they now have no other home to go to. They are at risk of having what little stability they have been able to find uprooted. Also, our team is being questioned by government officials because of their support of these women. Additionally, a chief government minister has now recommended the death penalty for proselytizing women and children. This would be a sharp increase to the existing penalty of up to ten years in prison. The law is written to punish “forced conversion”, but is intentionally vague to enable charging Christians even when they have not forced anyone to follow Christ. We at Hilltop of Hope know that the only true salvation comes through faith, which should never and can never be forced on anyone. However, the law leaves our team vulnerable to government action, which now could even include death. Please keep our brothers and sisters in India in prayer.
Homes Demolished in Red Light Area
Pray for wisdom and discernment as our local teams identify women in need of rescue and determine the best next steps based on the unique needs in each situation.
Pray for the words of Jesus to be healing for ladies who hear His name for the first time.
Pray for Sarita and Gagan, that their newfound faith would take deep root, that doors would open for them to leave this life behind, and that many more would come to know the One who truly sets captives free.
Pray for continued growth of our new sewing center in west Nepal and for boldness for the women to share their new faith with their friends and neighbors.
Pray for our team in India to stand firm in the face of persecution.
Pray for the women in the sewing training programs in Colombia to bond with one another as sisters in Christ.
A special thank you to our prayer team:
Meggi Stewart, Shelli Pierce, Michele Miller, Karen Withrow, Eunice Schmidt, Kimberly Steinmen, and Kay Dalke
Two Girls Lost in India - Prayer Urgently Needed!
Over the past several months, our local partner in India has established a close relationship with seven young girls in a new red-light district. Our team began holding weekly meetings ministering to the girls’ spiritual and physical needs, teaching them about Jesus, and assisting them with their academic education. Two of the girls, Neha* and Nimesha*, were from a Muslim background, so their eagerness to hear about Jesus was certainly praiseworthy! These girls, both age 16, attended the discipleship meetings faithfully. They were excelling academically, and learning to trust in the love and steadfastness of Jesus.
At the end of November, Neha and Nimesha did not show up for the weekly meeting. Because of their excellent prior record, their absence was surprising and concerning. Our team talked to the girls’ mothers and asked around to see if anyone knew what was going on, but no one was willing to talk. After a second consecutive week’s absence, our team pressed harder for information, canvasing every office and agency which might have information. We finally discovered that the girls had been taken to a different city ten hours away, where they would be married off to older men, taken to Saudi Arabia, and eventually divorced and sent back to India or sold into prostitution. Our local partner immediately booked a train ticket to travel to the city where the girls are believed to have been taken. We are now working frantically alongside local authorities to intervene before it is too late, meeting with the local Imams who perform marriage ceremonies, and circulating photos around the local mosques. These girls are precious in God’s eyes and we know His heart breaks at such evil. Please join us in praying earnestly for the safety of these girls and that they will be found and rescued.
Neha and Nimesha
Barsha*’s Story
| Barsha was born in West Nepal and was trafficked into India and sold at the age of eight. Completely abandoned by her parents, she was lost for years until she was eventually rescued and returned to her home village. Her parents had since moved to India and each remarried several times, with no interest in caring for her in any way. Barsha’s aunt and uncle still lived in the west Nepali village, but did not have the parental rights necessary to re-enroll her in school. With only a 2nd grade education, and little protection, twelve-year-old Barsha was at extreme risk of being re-trafficked back into India. When our team visited Barsha’s village, we learned about her story and met with her aunt and uncle. At a loss for what to do, they requested assistance with getting Barsha into a safer environment and re-enrolled in school to give her hope for a better future. Our local partners launched into a legal battle on Barsha’s behalf, navigating the bureaucracy of endless forms, loop-holes, and government offices. One of our local partners from India has connections with an NGO in the area which we leveraged for assistance. After numerous set-backs and government rejections, our team was finally able to secure a place for Barsha in a reputable children’s home where she has been receiving tutoring. Barsha is now thriving and has caught up to her peers. Her future is bright thanks to the tireless work of our Nepali team. |
| *Name changed for security |
 |
| Barsha |
2024 Highlights
Typically, this newsletter is written in 3rd person, but for this year-end highlight section, I am going to switch to 1st person, take a less formal tone, and include some of my own reflections. For this section, I envisioned writing about numbers; I am a math person, so numbers are my jam. And, make no mistake, we have seen amazing numbers. For example, in Nepal alone, the gospel has been shared more than 300 times this year, with more than 90 people accepting Christ, and at least 2 people getting baptized. The reality, however, is that red-light ministry is messy and not always easily or accurately represented by numbers. Ladies come and go. Sometimes it will seem like a woman is all-in and fully turning her life around and then, suddenly, something will happen and she will get sucked back in. Through the ups and downs, we persist and leave the details and outcomes up to God. We remember that our responsibility is to remain faithful to the truth of the gospel of hope and grace, to tell and keep on telling. The rest is God’s work and we trust in that. Instead of impersonal statistics, therefore, I feel it is more appropriate to recap some of the major life changes and accomplishments from 2024.
Thank you for being on this journey with us, in your prayers, donations, and purchases. We truly count it a joy to partner together in God’s mission to seek and save the lost, to give hope to the hopeless, and to rescue, redeem, and restore the least of these. May your 2024 end in peace and joy and your 2025 be filled with hope and love.
Urja was married at the age of 13, a practice not uncommon in the rural areas of Nepal. By the time she was 16, she already had two children. Then she learned the tragic truth that her husband actually already had another wife. Shocked and betrayed, Urja ran away. Alone, with two small children, and with no means to support herself, Urja turned to prostitution as a way to survive. It was not a life she would ever have chosen for herself, but she saw no other options. She continued working in prostitution for a decade until the summer of 2023, when she heard the good news of the gospel and decided to leave prostitution to follow Jesus. She found community through the local church and received ongoing discipling and Biblical teaching. Since then, she has shown tremendous spiritual growth and maturity, but life has been very difficult. Urja lives in remote west Nepal, right on the boarder with India, a literal gateway through which countless girls are sold into prostitution. The relentless stream of human trafficking through this village is a constant reminder of the life Urja left and the life she is even know only footsteps away from. She now instead works in road construction, but it is an extremely physically demanding job and keeps her away from her children for a large part of the day. She also lives in constant fear that her landlord will find out that she is a believer. If he does, he will kick her out of the small mud hut she rents from him, and she will not even be allowed to draw water from the local well. In spite of the challenges and danger of persecution, Urja and her daughter celebrated their new life through baptism during our team’s visit in February. Urja’s dream has been to receive training to allow her to work as a cleaner in an office or hotel. Thanks to the work of Hilltop of Hope, we have been able to connect Urja with a Christian safe house in Kathmandu, where she will be able to receive the vocational training she needs to have a fully restored life free from prostitution. This house will accept Urja and her daughter, but not her son. She plans to move there as soon as her children, now age 12 and 13, finish their school exams. Hilltop of Hope is still working diligently to identify safe accommodation for Urja’s son.
*Name changed for security
Today we prayer walked the red-light district of Ghatkopar. We encountered 55 year old Ditya. She was 15 when she was trafficked and sold into prostitution. Ditya never married. As a victim of sexual exploitation, she became pregnant many times, but the child was always aborted. To her own horror she has lost track of the number of abortions she has had. After 35 years as a victim of sexual exploitation, she felt she had no hope of a new life. When she was young, her madams and pimps would steal all her money. For the past 15 years, she has been paying her debt to her madam but the debt keeps increasing and freedom is not in sight. One day, she met people from Hilltop of Hope who shared the love of Jesus with her. Ditya accepted Jesus as her Savior. She now desires to be baptized and follow Jesus in obedience. She is a “daughter of Nepal” and dreams of returning to her family in Nepal. Pray that God will continue to intervene in her life and break all bondages from her past.
13 year old Luxmi enjoys her family life as the youngest of 3 children growing up in the foothills of the Himalayas outside Kathmandu, Nepal.
In a desire to have a better life, her aunt and uncle sell Luxmi for a bride-price to an older man.
This man has no intention of marriage and takes Luxmi to India where he sells her to a madam in the notorious red-light district.
Her innocence is stolen, and her life is now marked by bondage and abuse.
Soon she gives birth to a child, a little girl named Sweeti. When Sweeti becomes a toddler she is tied to a post while Luxmi serves her slave masters. Soon the toddler is sold to another brothel, a place of deep depravity.
Luxmi begins to feign madness in order to limit the abuse. Her madam tires of her, and at the age of 25 she is sold to another brothel.
In this place, she meets people who share about the love of Jesus with her. Surrounded by love, she begins to rediscover her stolen identity as an “image bearer of God”.
She deeply desires to find her family that she has not seen for 13 years and share with them the hope of Jesus Christ. After fasting and praying, she goes on a 3 day journey to find them.
On the 2nd day, she finds her village and walks up to the door of her home. While her sister embraces her with tears, her brother rejects her and angrily states, “You’ve shamed our family!” A mob from the village soon come to their home and demand that Luxmi leave “because she shamed the village”.
Luxmi returns to the safe house belonging to the Gospel ministry that shared Christ with her. Unfortunately, she is soon diagnosed with AIDS but the doctors will not treat her because of her background.
Through the love and support of the Gospel community, Luxmi continues to grow as the beloved daughter of the Living God. She is fervent in prayer and praise.
Her family contacts her and allows her to come home and live with them. Through the demonstration of grace and love of Luxmi’s life, the entire family become followers of Jesus - even the once hostile brother.
Luxmi’s health continues to deteriorate. She is soon bedridden with much pain. Her family gathers to pray for her. Luxmi asks for her Bible. They place it on her chest, and she embraces it as if she is holding her newborn child. The pain disappears, and with her last breath, Luxmi smiles and closes her eyes. When she opens them again, she is in Paradise...no longer a slave, no more pain, no more abuse, no more horror...blessed are the eyes that see what she sees!
The Aunt and Uncle were prosecuted and serving a life sentence in a Nepalese Prison.
Sweeti was rescued and is now living in a Gospel centered girls home outside of Kathmandu. The daughter of Nepal has returned.
Hilltop of Hope was birthed by the Spirit to return the daughters of Nepal. We are unapologetically Gospel centered - from the sewing schools to the Hilltop of Hope restorative community, the women and their children are empowered to live a life of freedom, and serve as ambassadors of the living God.