New Executive Director's Note

Dear Friends,

It is with a great sense of excitement that we write to introduce ourselves to you. We feel very privileged to have been selected to lead UMN for the next four years, in the role of Executive Director. As a family, we believe that God has guided us into this role and as we step out into very new territory, we hold tightly onto the promise that He will equip those He calls. We therefore look forward in anticipation to what the Lord has in store for all of us in UMN, and for the country of Nepal, as we walk together with Him into the future.

Liz and I are both from the UK. However, I grew up in East Africa and have spent as much of my life outside the UK as inside it. Liz trained as a medical doctor, and my background is in agriculture, and subsequently Community Development. We arrived in Nepal in September 2000 (with our son Joshua as a one year old), and after language study in Pokhara, moved to Nepalgunj. We spent a challenging, stretching and exciting seven years there in various roles, initially starting up INF's work in Mugu District, and most recently as INF Nepal's Programme Coordinator. During this time Liz was looking after our family, as well as involved in work with drug addicts and as GP to a local orphanage.

We returned from an 18-month sabbatical in the UK in December last year. We were based at All Nations Christian College, studying and teaching. We have two children, Joshua, 9, and Miriam, 7. They have both settled well at Kathmandu International Study Centre (KISC), and we are all gradually getting used to the challenges and joys of life in the big city. We greatly look forward to getting to know you, and serving you over the next few months and years.

Yours in Him,
Mark, Liz, Joshua and Miriam Galpin