As we finished our fellowship on 25th April 2015, we were ready to prepare our lunch. My wife had just cut some onions and was heating oil and about to put onions on the heated pan. She felt our home shaking and rushed to our ground floor through the stairway. I was on the fourth floor alone. I heard my children calling me but at that time I was not able to move from there, I just held the wall and started praying. “This is my last day on earth” was going through my mind. I saw many buildings were falling down in my neighbourhood within 2 seconds. (The photo is what I saw outside my house)
After the first tremor, there was a small gap. Then I was able to reach my children and wife in my backyard. As I reached there, I saw a huge crowd gathering on an open ground near my home. We joined our neighbours there. But my wife then informed me that our gas stove is on, so I then have again gone through a life threatening situation to manage it.
“How do I comfort my family and neighbours who are really frightened and crying?” I asked myself. It was like floating on the river while the earth shook under us. “Is this the end of earth?” people were asking each other. Although we were weak and hungry, we started an immediate rescue and relief service in our local area. We have been doing this till today. We felt several strong tremors until the evening of 12 May 2015.
It's challenging for me to go out for rescue and relief services because my family, children and myself are traumatized at the moment. Leaving my children alone in the tent on the open ground with limited food is not an easy task for me and the situation at that time was terrible. But I really worked hard to make myself strong in my spirit and move ahead. What a moment this is! I really want to cry but could not show my tears to my people because they are in my shelter. I am the one who must comfort them. We built many temporary shelters but again our life has been disturbed because of wind.
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”. Jeremiah 29:11. It is not a good verse many times for us especially when we are in this devastating situation. But this verse really encouraged me to think on the fact that He wants us to be whole and complete .. with nothing missing and nothing broken.
I have many stories and pictures to be shared but I am not comfortable to share them now. I am just sharing this because sharing sometimes is the best way to be relieved from our worries. I am assured that it doesn’t matter what else is going on in the world, God has a good future prepared for us. He has a plan for us so filled with His blessings that the more we walk in it, the more we’ll see his goodness manifested around us everywhere we look.
So why don’t we smile? We have learnt to help and love each other. Because everyone now realizes that our earthly life is temporary.
Blessings
Niranjan Adhikary
Bright Hope World Partner Nepal
To date Bright Hope World has sent Niranjan US$13,520 to assist with relief endeavours. These funds have been used to purchase rice 16 tonne, beaten rice 4 tonne, oil 1500 litres, salt 300 packs, 202 tents, soyabeans 50 bags, medicines, clothes for women and children, and health care items (hand sanitizer, masks, gloves, detols, soaps, tootpaste, tooth brush etc). These items have been distributed to people in Kathmandu, Nuwakot, Makawanpur, Dadhing, Gorkha and some are being sent to Dolakha (the new earthquake centre).
In addition to providing the urgent relief that was required Niranjan is now looking for ways to empower people to be financially sustained for the days to come as just providing them with food for today isn't a long term solution. A couple of ideas he is investigating are;
1) To provide a loan or one time gift to those earthquake victims who really want to do their business in any potential field and give employment to those who are looking for work.
2) To build a community centre/shelter in selected villages that could be used as a base for the period of the rebuilding. This would provide accommodation for families whose homes have been destroyed until their homes can be rebuilt which potentially could take some years. The rains are coming in June and July so living under a tarpaulin is no longer suitable. Villages with a good number of Christians in them would be selected as they will not be helped so easily by the government or other agencies.
Bright Hope World has further funds available and we will continue to partner with Niranjan as Nepal moves from the relief stage into rehabilitation.