The Tibetan Mission Minute
 ... by Rev. Bob & Sheila Nikl 

We would like to express our deepest thanks to TFL - both the congregation and the school - fo rall of your hospitality and support of the Tibetan ministry over the past 2 1/2 years. Much of the Tibetan ministry has recently transitioned to St Matthew Lutheran (LCMS) in Columbia Heights. It is a natural move because most of the Tibetan families whom we serve live within a mile of there. Accordingly, it is appropriate for Sheila and me to move our membership there. I'll continue to be mentored by Pastor Brutlag and go through the Colloquy process to become an LCMS pastor which should take another year. The way the people here at TFL love the Lord and His mission tot he lost has played a large roll in my motivation to colloquize into the LCMS, so we'd like to thank you for that also.  ~Blessings, Bob and Sheila Nikl
 

Last week was our first Kids Club since the Christmas party and all the kids seem to be excited to come back. I was as excited to have them back as they were. Since Sheila and I don't have kids yet we 'rent' them one night a week. We have a new house with two families that have been coming since the middle of November. In that house both dads are gone and it seems like the kids have grown attached to me. They come and sit next to me on the couch and I put m arm around them. They take turns sitting next to me. It is a weird feeling having the kids like me that much when I've only known them for two months.!
 

We went to a dance party with a couple that are real close to us so last year ended and this year started with our Tibetan friends. It was more than just a party to celebrate New Years because we have become part of the family. We had dinner at their house before we left for the party and afterwards we spent the night and had breakfast with them in the morning. It was a  great way to end the old year and start a new one because ministry as become much more personal, it is like caring about a family  member.
 

Last week also was the first time Sheila and I had dinner with the family of the new kids that are coming to Kids Club. The two moms had already eaten so they fed us and the kids when returned form Kids Club. It was a time to get to know them and find out about a few of their felt needs. his coming week I will try and fix a couple of lights that are not turning on at this new family's house. The two biggest 'ins' in our ministry are Kids Club and home repairs.
 

Last week seemed a bit uneventful and this time a year is usually slow with the Tibetan ministry. There were a few things that warrant mention. We were part of one family's assembling of their Christmas tree, which for the most part seemed odd to me because they're not Christian. The daughter played a CD of Christmas songs and I was asked a few questions about Christmas. The other thing that is worth mentioning is, they asked us to stay the night last Tuesday because of the snow storm. They were concerned about us driving in the snow. The dad told us our house (meaning his house) is you house. Sheila stayed but I went home because the morning traffic for me would have been worse than driving in the snow.
 

Three weeks ago we added four new kids to Kids Club all from the same house. It seemed to me that the four new kids are real excited about coming. They actually asked if this was everyday. I have an agreement with the mom/aunt that I'll just pick them up and don't need to call, which is nice for me because that can take a lot of time.

For me the thing that caught my attention the most was about half way through the night two kids came up and gave me big hugs and thanked me. One surprised me when I turned around, there she was, and before I could react she had her arms around me thanking me.

A couple of weeks ago was the first time we had a dinner with my family, that is my mom along with my sister's and brother's spouse and kids, and three of the closest Tibetan families my wife and I are involved with. All went well and it seems as if everyone had a good time.

I think the Tibetan families thought it was an honor  because they did the cooking and one mom even took a half-a-day off work to prepare. I think this has moved our ministry to another level because the sharing of my family with them.

I have recently finished reading a few books on missionaries who have dedicated their lives to bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ to the Tibetan people - His people. Of particular note is Victor Plymire who spent his whole life in Tibet. He was from Pennsylvania, the 1st missionary to Tibet and he served in Tibet from the early 1900's to the mid 1900's. What was striking to me was that he never gave up in reaching out to God's people as he suffered personal loneliness; loss of family; severe weather, military skirmishes, lack of food and lack of funding particularly during the Depression Era. Further, Tibet was a "closed country" as visitors were not easily allowed entry. Yet through all of this, Victor succeeded in opening the 1st church in Tibet. Many things have happened to Tibet since the 1950s and now the Tibetans are here in the Twin Cities after hundreds of years of isolation. They are here and Rev. Bob and Sheila Nikl are the only known full-time missionaries to the Tibetans here in the US and they are right here at Trinity First. coincidence - or God's plan? I vote for God's plan. Pray for continued strength for Rev. Bob and Sheila and that they have the heart of a lion and the gentleness of a kitten for the Tibetan people who God has brought here to the Twin Cities.

Prayers are requested for their continued Tibetan ministry.

Have you ever been challenged? Have things just not gone your way? Have you ever been frustrated? Well, you are not alone. Months ago we were becoming frustrated and discouraged as the Tibetans' participated in Kids Club was shrinking. Through prayer we realigned the Tibetan Ministry. In that last four months we have gone to dinners and dances with the Tibetans;' hosted barbeques and swim parties; had college servants assist with fixing=up Tibetan homes; and done some baby-sitting so parents could spend time with each other. The result is that more Tibetans are participating in Tuesday's Kids Club and we have even had some initial discussions about what happens when someone dies. Interestingly, as we get more active and focused in the Tibetan Ministry, new challenges arise. Satan has great ways of attack those who accept our Lord's call to raid the gates of Satin's domain. The more active we become wit the Tibetans and witnessing for our Lord, the more we get attacked. We need your prayers for continued strength as we work more closely with the Tibetans. Pray for our spiritual growth - that we continually seek Him in all we do.

I have recently finished reading a few books on missionaries who have dedicated their lives to bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ to the Tibetan people - His people. Of particular note is Victor Plymire who spent his whole life in Tibet. He was from Pennsylvania, the 1st missionary to Tibet and he served in Tibet from the early 1900's to the mid 1900's. What was striking to me was that he never gave up in reaching out to God's people as he suffered personal loneliness; loss of family; sever weather, military skirmishes, lack of food and lack of funding particularly during the Depression Era. Further, Tibet was a "closed country" as visitors were not easily allowed entry. Yet through all of this, Victor succeeded in opening the 1st church in Tibet. Many things  have happened to Tibet since the 1950's and now the Tibetans are here in the Twin Cities after hundreds of years of isolation. They are here and Rev. Bob and Sheila Nikl are the only known full-time missionaries to the Tibetans here in the US and they are right here at Trinity First. Coincidence - or God's plan? I vote for God's plan. Pray for continued strength for Rev. Bob and Sheila and that they have the heart of a lion and the gentleness of a kitten for the Tibetan people whom God has brought there to the Twin Cities.

The Lord has opened doors for Kids club through Youth With A Mission (YWAM). For the past 2 weeks we have taken the Tibetan Kids to YWAM in Buffalo for swimming and feeding horses. The first week we had 4 kids and a parent. This last week we had 7 kinds and 3 Tibetan parents and we cooked out. We are also planning an overnight camping trip to YWAM with a cookout, nature hike and horseback riding and swimming. The two youth that had a disagreement and almost brought Kids Club to a halt are back - though it is still a little tense. The horseback riding will cost about $20 per child. We have also been invited along with Norman Piatti and Dee Edwards to a Tibetan dance party this weekend. Pray that reconciliation continues between the two Tibetan kids and that we see the door He opens for witnessing Christ's love of the Tibetans. Also for protection as we develop stronger relationships with the Tibetans.

Bob and Sheila enter the Fellowship Hall of South Shore Trinity Lutheran Church to begin the overview of the Tibetan Ministry. Members sit quietly and patiently as Bob proceeds through our newly revised Power Point presentation. Bob things to himself," Are they getting it? Am I saying something wrong? Are their hearts touched?" Then a hand is raised about half-way through the presentation and the person asks, "Hey Bob, when can you come back so we can learn more about what we can do to get involved? I never knew this stuff?" Another hand is raised "Bob, what can we do to witness to the Tibetans?" Bob never really finished His presentation. finally, someone stands up and asks: "Bob, we are going to pray for this ministry, but other than prayer what can we at South Shore do to get more involved?" Over the next hour and a half in the church lobby, members wanted to know more about what they can do in God's Mission to His people. It is awesome to see how Our Lord and Savior uses us. Bob and Sheila are going back to South Shore in July to provided more information on how God is working through His people and those here at Trinity First to reach the Tibetans. Pray that we remain bold in our walk with Him and not to be discouraged, for it is He who has called us to be in His mission.

The Tibetans are a wonderful, gentle people and are so giving of their time. In most families both parents work, many work double shifts: leaving early in the morning and not returning until late in the evening. This has provided us with an opportunity to be with their children, which is the opening for the KIDS Club. We spend time with the Tibetan children, witnessing God's love to them - through our actions and answer questions about Christ and our faith. As we are with our Tibetan friends and children, we pray as we are "just being with them."

Tashidelek! (Hello!)
Big Brother / Big Sister Program being launched and our new addition! It's truly amazing what God has been doing in our lives and in those of the Tibetans we serve over the past three years.

We inherited a program serving the Tibetans and have developed relationships with the kids, their families and other adults with the hearts, prayers and support of Trinity First. Through this we have grown immensely in our understanding of the Tibetan culture. Our Lord has been so patient with us, yet over the past months we seemed to have hit a plateau. We felt the program wasn't growing and honestly we were getting frustrated, so what did we do? PRAY!

What He revealed to us was to use the gifts He gave us and not to try to duplicate the gifts He gave our predecessors. One of those gifts was listening through hospitality. Bob and I started to really listen to what the Tibetan adults, parents and kids had to say. They wanted more personal contact with us and a type of mentoring or a Bib Brother / Bib Sister program. They also wanted to know more about us, who we are and what makes us different. We are now beginning a more one-to-one program with the adults and family members - spending more time just listening and sharing our lives with them. We are now working on a summer camping trip where we can just spend a week with the families and their kids. Also, we are working to have more one-to-one time with the kids.

Recently a family asked Sheila to baby sit. This is a substantial level of trust: to ask someone not of their culture and not of their faith (they know we are Christians) to watch their children. This is a large step and totally unexpected. So, we are now out of our comfort zone and going by faith. Also, we prayed that He would bring someone who had our passion for the Tibetans and would fit into our ministry and provide support for us and the Tibetans. So what did God do? Tah-dah - he brought us Norman Piatti - our new addition. Norm will be working with the Tibetans one-on-one and supporting us in God's mission.

Please pray for the development of the Bib Brother / Big Sister program as we begin mentoring the Tibetans witnessing the love of Jesus Christ and please welcome Norm on board.

The celebration of Losar can be traced back to the pre-Buddhist period in Tibet. During the period when Tibetans practiced the Bon religion, every winter a spiritual ceremony was held in which people offered large quantities of incense to appease the local spirits, deities and protectors. Today they talk about channeling positive energy, either way it is spirit appeasement.

This is the biggest holiday in the Tibetan calendar and last year during Losar is when Sheila went into hospital to have her left ovary and fallopian tub removed. In the middle of the night Sheila felt a black spirit with a tail visit her in the hospital and ask if she would be willing to give her life for even one Tibetan. Right after that she started to bleed from her operation. She called me and we prayed and the bleeding stopped. We felt as if this was an attack from the enemy - all of last year was full of attacks from the enemy.

We are asking you to especially pray for us during this time because we feel that the spirit world is very active. Tibetans even clean their homes out prior to Losar to clean the evil spirits out for the New Year. - Blessings, Bob & Sheila Nikl

Meet Robert and Sheila Nikl
We have been married for 4 1/2 years and presently have no children. I am in my third year at The Master's Institute Seminary and will graduate in May. Prior to attending Seminary I was a Tool and Die Maker for 19 years and quit to pursue God's call on my life. Sheila is from the Philippines and came to the US in 1995. She has been an RN for 14 years and is currently employed at Woodwinds Hospital in Woodbury, MN.

Our original plan was to become missionaries and move overseas when I graduated from Seminary. However, after taking the "Perspectives In the World Christian Movement" course our outlook changed. I had to do a paper on an unreached people group for the class and the person I was partnered with wanted to do it on the Tibetan People. Little did I know where that was going to lead me. I found out that the Twin Cities is home to the second largest population of Tibetans in the US. I also found out that there are many unreached people groups living here in the Twin Cities. There are 37 ethnic people groups living here without a church in their heart language. Also 1 in 6 people living in the Twin Cities are 1st or 2nd generation immigrant. God has brought the people of the world to us and we believe that we are called to be cross-cultural missionaries right here in the Twin Cities. We may still end up overseas in the future but that is up to God.

About the Tibetans:
Twin Cities has the 2nd largest Tibetan population (1500-2000) in the US with New York being the first (3000). Toronto, Canada has about 5000. The total in North America is between 13,000 and 15,000. The Tibetans started immigrating here in April 1992 with 160 arriving here due to a special act of Congress. In 1996, spouses and children started arriving under the reunification program by the INS. The Dalai Lama visited the Twin Cities in 2001. Different Christian people have been working with the Tibetans for five or six years. Sheila and I have been working with them for a year and a half. The main outreach we have is the Kids Club that meets here on Tuesday nights and we use that as a doorway into Tibetan families. Sheila and I are currently working with about seven or eight families at different levels.