The Race Against the Rainy Season

It’s been exactly eight weeks since the first devastating earthquake crushed Nepal.

It’s unfathomable to me that in only two months’ time, the majority of the Western world has already forgotten what happened here . . . much less the daunting reality of what’s left to do.

But first, let me share with you what we have done—what you have done—to bring help and hope to thousands of people in desperate need.

Today, I met with one of our lead aid and relief partners Hanok, an incredible man of God who we have worked with for years in Nepal. Together, we’ve built hundreds of churches in some of the most unreached communities on earth . . . bringing the Gospel to thousands of Nepalese who have never even heard the name of Jesus.

When the earthquake hit, Hanok was leading a church service. (Nepalese Christians typically attend church on Saturday, not Sunday.) Watch the video below to hear the miraculous story of his escape during what he calls, “Nepal’s darkest hour.”

Watch From the Field in Nepal | Laboring Together from World Help on Vimeo.

Hanok gave me the following report, which is a remarkable testimony of what you’ve done to bring help and hope to earthquake victims:

World Help supporters have provided aid and relief to 7,340 families (approx. 45,000 people) in 14 districts of Nepal. (Sixty percent of the recipients are Christians who completely lost their homes and churches.)

These aid items include, but not limited to: 

• 1,000 tent shelters
• 900 60 lb. bags of rice
• 1,984 lbs. of lentils
• 238 gallons of soy bean oil
• 1,984 lbs. of salt
• 1,984 lbs. of sugar
• 34 gallons gasoline (to transport supplies)
• Many other staple food items

It’s incredible what the body of Christ can do when we come together to serve the least of these with radical generosity. But, my friends, we have only just begun meeting the urgent needs of the people here.

With the rainy season just weeks away, the need for more durable shelter and, for many, a continued food supply is absolutely crucial. When the rains begin to fall, the thousands still living under tents will be exposed to all sorts of health and safety concerns: water-related illnesses, bacterial diseases, unsanitary cooking conditions, raw sewage, exposure, and much more.

“There are multitudes of Christian families, who are literally sitting under tarp tents or just under the bare sky, with no place to hide their heads,” Hanok told me.

“The dry landslide washed away thousands of homes, and hundreds of church buildings. Our beloved brothers and sisters have nowhere to live . . . no place to go.”

Hanok estimates that at least 2,500 families in our relief network need an immediate food supply to make it through the rainy season, and more than 500 families are in need of corrugated roofing to build temporary, waterproof shelters, which can be used later to build permanent homes.

Will you help me meet this urgent need?

Without immediate action, thousands remain susceptible to the relentless misery of monsoon season. Your best gift today can put a roof over a family’s head and a warm meal on their table.

The rains are coming. Time is running out. For the sake of these brothers and sisters in Nepal, please respond generously today!