Recovery in Nepal: Help and Hope After Floods

aheckman — Fri, 06 Oct 2023 17:04:51 +0000

Recovery in Nepal: Help and Hope After Floods aheckman Fri, 10/06/2023 - 17:04

OCTOBER 6, 2023 – AMY HECKMAN

This summer’s rainy season in Nepal brought heavy rainfall, causing severe landslides in several districts. Villagers in the small town of Mehele were especially impacted from rains and slides at the beginning of July. More than 50 families were displaced from their homes and most crops were damaged or destroyed. Nazarene Compassionate Ministries in Nepal distributed food relief packs to almost all the families impacted in the area. Contents included essentials like rice, lentils, oil, and salt. Other distributions included tarps for shelter and soap.

Traveling to the impacted area was difficult. A team of NCM Nepal volunteers from three local churches used motorbikes to navigate the wet and slippery roads to reach the location, where they met a truck that brought items via another route. Damaged roads and bridges and loss of electricity increased travel time for the group.

“The roads were extremely challenging, with landslides visible everywhere,” said Sandeep, the local NCM coordinator. “We could see collapsed bridges and large metal debris along the riverbanks.”

When they arrived at a distribution point, Sandeep noted that the area was still at risk.

“The place was undeniably beautiful but also highly dangerous to inhabit. Geographically, it was highly susceptible to landslides. We could see that most of the houses were at great risk. If there was more rainfall, it would undoubtedly result in further devastation. We even witnessed a landslide just above the houses. It made me wonder how anyone could live there during the rainy season,” he said.

Yadav came to the distribution to receive food. A farmer, Yadav lived with his wife, grandson, and daughter-in-law. His son works overseas to send money back to support the family. When the rains hit, water began flowing down their road.

“My house fell down in the twinkle of an eye” Yadav shared. “When I opened my eyes, there was big landslide. I could not find my family. I have been searching till now for my wife, my daughter-in-law, and my lovely grandson. I am living alone now.”

Yadav’s family members were not the only lives lost; in total, this set of slides caused one ten fatalities in the area. Along with his deep grief, Yadav had to face rebuilding and recovering financially and physically.

"We were in trouble. Every household were in financial crisis,” he pointed out. “I thank all the people who initiate for the relief distribution to us. All the beneficiary families are happy, receiving the necessary things."

One elected official expressed his thanks for this compassionate outreach.

"I am impressed by this kind of work initiated by NCM Nepal,” he stated. “As an elected representative of this community, I take this opportunity to thank you on behalf of my people of Mehele. You came to this place right after the disaster as a medicine for fresh wounds in our community and life."

While recovering from this crisis will take years, the immediate care provided essential items to a village that otherwise was without help. Looking ahead, NCM Nepal staff and volunteers are planning how they can assist in the next stage of healing.

“The people lost their loved ones, they lost their parts of their agricultural land, they lost crops, and they also lost their animals,” said Sandeep. “There are high chances that people may be victimized by the trauma. They may be in need of counseling. Now they have received some basic items just for a short time. If NCM helps them long term in recovery of living, and bringing them back to their previous situation, it will be a great blessing for the affected people.”

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Provided by NCM Nepal

Emergency Relief

Food Security

Nepal

Perspectives from Both Sides

aheckman — Thu, 28 Jul 2022 18:52:02 +0000

Perspectives from Both Sides aheckman Thu, 07/28/2022 - 18:52

Perspectives from Both Sides

JULY 28, 2022 · NCM STAFF

Divya*, age 15, lives with her family in Nepal, where her father works as both a Nazarene pastor and a brick-layer. This story is all too common for many families struggling with limited opportunities for income. Often, school fees are unattainable after basic living expenses are paid. To address this, Nazarene Compassionate Ministries has a specific ministry that assists pastors' children with their primary and secondary educational costs. Like all NCM child development programs, the ministry is holistic, helping support families spiritually and physically as well as meeting their educational needs.

“Because of the [child sponsorship program], it is reducing the financial burden of my parents,” Divya explains.

Gregory and Armig Ekmekjian live on nearly the opposite half of the globe, in Los Angeles, California. Since 2016, they have been supporting Divya through NCM child sponsorship. Last year, Gregory began to make plans to fulfill a dream of visiting Mount Everest Base Camp—a dream that he thought might take him close to where Divya lives.

Meetings between sponsors and the children involved in the program have been nearly impossible during pandemic-driven safety precautions, unlike normal times. Gregory reached out to NCM, and the director of child sponsorship programs in Nepal, Hari, helped coordinate with Nazarene Compassionate Ministries.

“This visit was the first visit of a sponsor with a child [in Nepal],” he explains.

Despite several setbacks, including nearly being cancelled altogether, Gregory was able to meet with Hari, Divya, and her family at an outdoor café, where they could spend time getting to know each other beyond the occasional letters and to exchange gifts. Gregory works in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles, and he had brought Divya a camera to practice photography. Divya had hand-knitted a Nepalese scarf for Gregory in advance, explaining that, "I chose to give it because it was knitted by myself.”

Having the opportunity to meet Divya and her family impressed upon Gregory the importance of the sponsorship program. “There should be more,” says Gregory. “There should be more children in the program. ... Everybody has to do their part. They are our brothers and sisters.”

Divya shares that she also has been affected by her involvement with holistic child development: “I would like to give thanks to all of you who are contributing through the child sponsorship program,” she shares. “... My future plan is to help support needy people after completing my studies.”

Armig and Gregory Ekmekjian live and work in Los Angeles, California. They began sponsoring children through NCM in 2015, when Armig moved to the United States from Lebanon and found the sponsorship program to be a way to express her gratitude for God’s blessings.

*Children’s names are changed for protection.

Photos courtesy of Gregory Ekmekjian. This story was featured in the most recent issue of NCM Magazine.

Child Sponsorship

Nepal

children and youth

Nepal

Recovery in Nepal: Help and Hope After Floods

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