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The world’s former only official Hindu country is now open to the preaching of the Gospel, a Christian missionary working in the country shared this past weekend with joy.

Formerly, Christians were reportedly arrested and imprisoned for preaching the Gospel in Nepal. Speaker Narayan Sharma, Gospel for Asia’s Nepal country leader, said at the GFA “Renewing Your Passion” Conference in Dallas, Texas, on Friday. He recounted when he himself was arrested and put into a dungeon-like prison cell because he shared his faith.

“In all this darkness, there was no imagination that the country would ever be open,” Sharma said.

But in April, Nepal held its first election for a new legislative assembly, and in May lawmakers legally abolished the monarchy and declared the country a republic. The king was previously considered to be a god. Newly elected officials also promised to allow religious freedom in the government.

Now, Gospel programs are aired over the same government-owned radio stations that used to carry reports of Christians being arrested, Sharma said.

“The Bible says that after the night, joy comes in the morning, and morning has come to Nepal!” Sharma told the audience of more than 1,000 people.

Missionaries from Myanmar (also known as Burma), Sri Lanka, India, and the United States also spoke.

The Myanmar missionary shared about how locals saw the heart of God when missionaries and volunteers brought them food and supplies after the recent cyclone disaster.

“Buddha did nothing while we were suffering. But your Jesus loves us,” the missionary recalled a family telling him. “Now every Sunday they are coming to church and worshipping the Lord,” he added.

Following a message about the importance of prayer, GFA leaders and attendees held a late-night prayer vigil on Saturday.

GFA says it has 16,500 native missionaries working in about 11 south Asian countries.

The “Renewing Your Passion Conference” began on Friday with GFA president and founder K.P. Yohannan greetings and ended on Sunday.

[Editor's ntoe: The Christian Post reporter Jennifer Riley provided this report.]