It has been two months since the first earthquake hit Nepal, followed by another serious quake.  To date there are still small aftershocks. Life in the capital city, Kathmandu, is getting back to normal.  But people in many isolated villages are still suffering greatly.

During the month of June, Fellowship International Mission (FIM) personnel in Nepal, reviewing maps and satellite photography, and coordinating with relief agencies and local contacts, were able to identify four villages in an isolated valley in Dhading that had not received any help. Using funds donated to FIM specifically for earthquake relief, they rented a large four wheel drive truck and filled it with several tons of tarps, rice, rope and sugar.

They have heard stories of organizations donating weak tarps that leak and tear in light wind and rice that is unfit for human consumption, so they made sure that the tarps and rice they purchased were the highest quality. However, people did try to sell them inferior materials.

At first it was fun driving through obstacles that would have stopped a lesser vehicle, but after nine hours they were exhausted and ready to unload the truck and sleep.

In the village of Thali in the Gajuli Valley, every house was destroyed.  All 23 houses in the village of Kandrang collapsed. The only roof in the village that did not fall was the roof of the church, which was a good thing because the entire village was in this church when the quake hit!

After preaching in Kyiun, they returned to the place where they had stored the materials and spent the next few days distributing supplies and ministering to people. Then it still took a few exhausting days of walking, leech bites, and busses to get back to Kathmandu.

Praise the Lord that Christians and churches have been doing great relief work and are gaining the reputation of arriving quickly, giving generously regardless of religion, and coordinating their efforts with each other and the government.  And the Lord has provided many opportunities for sharing the Gospel!                   

Photos of loading the truck with relief supplies and the abandoned village of Agthali where all 61 houses were completely destroyed by the earthquake.