By Isolde Doubell
The world has witnessed unprecedented natural disasters these past few months, with major earthquakes hitting Venezuela, Colombia (the strongest to hit Colombia this century), Japan (earthquake, heat wave and flooding), and many other countries experiencing severe flooding. The most recent disaster has been the massive glacier collapse in southern Tibet on August 26 that sent a deluge of ice, rock and mud sweeping through the nation of Nepal’s border region with China, impacting thousands of Nepalese people living in the villages along that corridor. Many tourists were also impacted, as well as Hindu or Buddhist pilgrims going to Tibet. International relief organisations have been severely stretched and need our prayer and support.
According to a friend of INcontext in Nepal, some Christians have been able to work alongside international relief teams assisting in the response around the hydropower tunnels in Nepal, where many people have been trapped. Miraculously, two men were found alive after being trapped for 9 days. The rescue work is still continuing, and thousands of people remain missing. Another friend of INcontext who went to visit churches in Nepal ended up helping with relief work. He has been part of a group whose particular focus has been finding ways to reach and serve local Churches and Believers who have been affected by the disaster. He says their aim is to provide three phases of relief:
- firstly, to help people with food, water, mattresses and shelter.
- secondly, to provide means for people to make their own food and a temporary shelter like a tent.
- thirdly, to help them to put up a home of some sort.
“We managed to get to a church that is acting as a sanctuary for people who have lost their homes and loved ones. We were able to minister to about 20 families who have been directly affected by the floods. It is terribly traumatic for them. They are about 30% Hindu and 70% Christian. We could pray for them and just be there with them. We started a flood fund by raising money among people we know, and our aim is to help 100 families up to phase three. At the moment we have been able to help the people at that church with phase one. This was not easy as the Nepal government has been controlling the situation very tightly. All relief has to be given to the government, and they decide how to distribute it. However, we managed to give in such a way that those people were provided for.”
Our friend says many areas have not yet been reached with help and relief. As the roads are cleared, more people will be reached. “We pray that they will still be alive. People are hurt and do not have food, and we pray that they will be reached in time.”
A principal who acted in time
One story that is particularly impactful is of the school principal who received a warning that the flood was coming. He immediately evacuated his school and led the children to higher ground where they were safe. Minutes later, he watched the school disappear under the flood waters. His quick decision helped save 900 school children.
One other story is that a school secretary who was on the fourth floor of a school building tossed 4 children out of the window as he saw the floods coming, and he jumped after them. The water crashed just behind them. All 5 survived, but many of the children who were away at school now don’t have any family or homes left.
Our INcontext friend says: “Stories like these remind us that the rescue is just the beginning. When the world focus moves on to other pressing news, thousands of people of Nepal will still be grappling with enormous loss and trauma and the rebuilding of their lives. There will be a great need for pastoral care, counselling, discipleship and simply those who are willing to sit with those who are hurting.”
Christianity in Nepal
He adds: “There are no easy answers in these times, but God has not abandoned Nepal. We see His compassion through people risking their lives to rescue strangers, communities opening their hands to one another, believers serving those who are suffering and the Church being given the opportunity to carry the presence and hope of Jesus into places of tremendous pain.”
Nepal’s Christian population is growing, although there are still under 2% Christians compared to the more than 80% Hindus. According to Christian leaders in Nepal, increasing Hindu nationalism seeks both to reinforce Nepal’s identity as a Hindu nation and to suppress Christian growth. Since the new government came to power in March this year, Christian activity has come under increased scrutiny, and visas have been carefully monitored to make sure people coming into the country are not taking part in Christian mission activities.
Please join us to pray for Nepal:
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ – Galatians 6:2”
- Pray for those affected by the disaster, especially those who have lost loved ones, homes and livelihoods. Pray for those who are injured, hungry or still waiting to be reached, and for families who continue to hope that missing loved ones will be found alive.
- Pray for rescuers and relief workers as they work in physically dangerous and deeply traumatic circumstances. Pray for access, favour, wisdom and protection, and that as roads are cleared, more people will be reached in time.
- Pray for provision and effective relief to help affected families move through the different phases of relief towards having a home again. Pray also for international relief organisations to have sufficient funding to carry out the important work that they do.
- Pray for Christians and churches in Nepal to have opportunities to practically serve Believers and families who have been affected, and for the local Church to reach out to its neighbours with compassion and the love of Christ.
