A Godly Welcome at the Roof of the World

Jampa was not born to be an innkeeper. Coming from a Tibetan Buddhist background, it was far more likely that he would have settled into life as a Buddhist monk. But he and his brother were presented a choice: Study at a Buddhist monastery in Kathmandu or attend a Christian boarding school. His brother chose the monastery, while Jampa chose the school. Over time, he learned more about God. He placed his trust in Christ and returned to his tribal group to share the gospel.

Considering the pressures of his ministry life, Jampa had once thought he would never marry. But while Dronma was bringing evangelism teams into his district, their paths crossed and they married in 2021.

Both Jampa and Dronma understood the hardships of ministry and that Christianity is often rejected and opposed. Every ministry trip involved trekking hours or even days, finding places to rest and sleep along the way. But when people learned that Christian evangelists were on the trail, hospitality could quickly dry up. “In this culture, hospitality is very important,” Jampa explained. “So they welcome and they give tea and they serve. They do very well for people, treating a guest like they have high value. … But because we were Christians, people didn’t want us to come.”

Jampa had spent time at a regional hospital praying for people, and he had noticed something disturbing. People who came down from the remote areas for care were befuddled, not sure where to get medicine or even find a bathroom, and the staff didn’t seem interested in helping them. Distance and rough terrain also made it impractical for the sick — sometimes carried on stretchers by half a dozen family members — to come for medical services and return home on the same day.

“I was there and I was watching everything,” Jampa explained, “and it was like God spoke to me … saying, ‘You have to work for those people and make a place for them to stay.’”

When Jampa came home and told Dronma that God had called him to serve the patients and their families, she embraced this calling with enthusiasm.

“I was at peace and very happy knowing that now we have this opportunity to serve these people,” she said. “This is an easy way to reach out to people.”

They found a house in town near the regional hospital and made space there to welcome those who came down from the higher altitudes for medical care. They invite guests of many tribes and backgrounds and treat them all with grace and kindness. Dronma noted that opening her home to strangers in need, especially women, has led to deep conversations. She said often the other person initiates the opportunity to share the gospel by expressing curiosity about what motivates Jampa and Dronma to such loving care.

Few guests ever come to faith in Christ, and no Tibetan Buddhist guest ever has, but Jampa knows seeds are being planted. He recalled a father and son, both Buddhist monks, who had arrived so the son could be treated at the hospital. At first they didn’t seem interested, but the warm conversations left a lasting impression, and these men grew in their openness. Interested in understanding more of what Jampa shared, they accepted Bibles. Jampa continues to pray for their son’s healing and for the family’s salvation.

“Pray that God can use us and our ministry in his kingdom, strongly, powerfully,” Jampa requested. “Pray for me to have ideas and wisdom to do ministry with my own tribal people, for me to show peace and generosity. Pray for our tribe people. Still there is darkness, [but] people can come to Christ and God can do miracles in their life. That is why we share the gospel.”