Hope from the Edges August 2025

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Video transcript

Hello and welcome to Hope from the Edges. I’m Andy Roberts, the new CEO for CMS.

In the next few minutes, we’ll bring you inspiring news from three edges in our world. Stories that you’re making possible through your gifts and prayers.

First, we’ll go to Nepal, to meet a Christian who is not giving up despite being rejected and threatened for his faith.

From there we’ll go to DR Congo to see the incredible difference our supporters have made for victims of violence.

And then finally we’ll go to Somerset for tea, toast and a beautiful story of a cafe that became a church.

First, let’s meet Oman in Nepal whose name has been changed for security reasons.

Oman grew up following the majority religion, like his father and grandfathers before him. But from an early age, Oman had questions. When his father got sick, why couldn’t their gods help?

As a young adult Oman decided to follow Jesus. Because of this, his family threw him out of their home. People in this village called him a lunatic.

But Oman kept following Jesus and became an apprentice to a local pastor.

Seeing Oman’s gifts, his pastor recommended he get some leadership training at a long time CMS partner college.

Oman embarked on a three month intensive course to help him become a church leader.

Since completing this course, Oman has planted three house churches in his area and now looks after 150 believers.

But being a Christian in Nepal is not easy.

One day when Oman came out of a church meeting, a crowd of about 300 people was waiting to confront him. They wanted to beat him and smear him with ink.

In Nepal, throwing or smearing black ink on a person is a huge sign of disrespect.

It’s an act of public humiliation which declares, “You don’t belong here!”

God protected Oman that day. But like many Christians in Nepal, he understands things are getting tougher for people like him in a religious minority.

Still, he keeps going. Oman says,

“I recognise that God is there in the midst of these things. Jesus is alive. He will never give up. I also will not give up.”

CMS has launched an appeal to help Christians like Oman stay strong in their faith.

Go to churchmissionsociety.org/nepal to find out more.

Now, let’s go to Goma, DR Congo.

I’m grateful to report that CMS supporters’ generous respons to our emergency appeal for DR Congo has helped more than 10,000 victims of violence.

Residents of Goma have long known instability and bursts of violent conflict. Their city was consumed by violence in late January 2025 as M23 rebels took over.

People were traumatised for what they’d witnessed, with many left grieving for loved ones who had been killed.

Meanwhile electricity and water shortages, a lack of medical care and an increase in gender based attacks made life unbearable.

Thanks to generous gifts from CMS supporters, our partners on the ground were able to help more than 10,000 people through financial assistance, food and hygiene supplies and trauma counselling.

CMS Africa, the Anglican Diocese of Goma (led by mission partner Bishop Martin Gordon) and other partners, will continue to focus on helping people and communities to rebuild their livelihoods and strengthen their resilience for the long term.

Please pray for peace to prevail in this region.

Finally, let’s go to Somerset, UK for some tea and toast.

Tea and Toast is a cafe-style church gathering in a new town with a new housing estate called Haywood Village.

Tea and Toast was started by CMS pioneer Fiona Mayne. Fiona herself was once an atheist and today she enjoys connecting with people who might not immediately feel comfortable in a traditional church.

Tea and Toast is an informal time where people get together and where they can ask open and honest questions about faith.

Attendance has grown for this and other gatherings Fiona has initiated in the area with older people, younger people, families and people with special needs becoming part of the community.

Recently, someone who works as a carer for a churchgoer with special needs found herself drawn to Jesus and she has now been baptised.

Now this growing church is working to create a community hub while preparing to build a more permanent meeting space on a plot of land that has been acquired nearby.

Fiona is now an ordained pioneer minister in the Church of England, having trained on the job while studying at CMS.

She said recently in an interview: “CMS is an outstanding place to learn and meet other like-minded people. As a pioneer I don’t think there is anywhere else I personally could even consider wanting to go.”

The CMS Pioneer Mission Training programme is now on the lookout for who will be our 1,000th pioneer!

Since beginning in 2010 we have journeyed with more than 980 Pioneer Mission students.

Could you or someone you know be number 1,000?

To find out more and join this thriving learning community, visit churchmissionsociety.org/pioneer.

Thank you for joining me for these stories from the edges and for your prayerful support, which makes them all possible.

Please share this video with your church, small group or anyone you think could use some fuel for their faith.

Until next time, we are so grateful for your gifts and prayers as together we go:

With Jesus
With each other
To the edges

ENDS

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