On March 28, 2015 a severe fight started between Arakan Army and Government Army at Praingcho village in Paletwa Township. The fight threatened the lives of many people and the villagers had to flee to other place called the Kalardan River near the Kyewtaung village. They took some clothes and blankets, but did not have time to bring rice and other food supplies.
Transformation Nepal (TFN) has responded with relief action in many towns and villages, among others in Dhadingbesi, Dhading district. The coordination and cooperation of local churches made this easy. The pastor there was particularly active.
When the mega earthquake hit Nepal on 25th April 2015, we were in the church service. Suddenly the church building started shaking, I announced everyone to stay inside praying and covering the children. It was about a minute for 7.8 magnitude earthquake. Just after this, we asked everyone to evacuate the church building and come to an open place.
I am 73, a granny, with two grandchildren to look after. Their parents are dead. I live for the kids. I had a small house made of wood, stone and mud, but April 25, 2015 changed my life. The mega earthquake snatched away everything, no house now, no shelter, nothing.
When God blessed us with my little child, we were so happy. But the earthquake of 25 April has taken all the happiness away from us. The earthquake has taken our home. Now all that is left is the debris of our house.
I am Nirmala from the Nuwakot district. I had three children - two daughters and one son. My husband is a labourer. He is doing bricklaying helping to build houses in Nuwakot. His work is the only source of income for our family.
I wish to share with you now the astounding news that about $100,100 have been donated to our Nepal Earthquake Relief Fund. All this money is in Nepal and has been used weeks ago except that the last $10,000 is now being used for follow-up work – like enabling children go back to school, supplying stationary for them and helping individual families with special longer-term needs.
How do you imagine Mongolia to be? I had fantasised this country to be a wild untamed place of Chinggis Khan heritage with horsemen galloping across the Gobi Desert; gers (those little round white tent-things) dotting the rolling green steppe and rugged mountain peaks forming an imposing backdrop.
On the night of my arrival in Kathmandu after seeing some of the destruction sights I was ready to fly home. I REALLY HAD ENOUGH ALREADY: death and decay all around I see. Under those piles of rubble, were there still unrecovered bodies? Bits of clothing (like filthy rags) still visible among the rocks and pieces of cement – and people quietly walking over the debris of what may have been their homes, still searching for ‘something’, maybe for peace.
The first stage of supplying urgent relief necessary for survival can be considered completed. We did all we could to help thousands of people in three central provinces with food, medicines, shelter and other items.
It’s all history now but the tragic consequences are not: 16,000 thousand dead and countless lives turned upside down. Media attention has now gone but depression and hopelessness for thousands, if anything, is getting worse. You see, grieving in depth has only just began. Who would have thought that AFA was going to get involved in Nepal?
After a promising start, disaster struck! Or so it seemed. Plans were to crisscross Vietnam from north to south teaching the Word of God and spreading the love of Jesus. In one province the police lay in wait, broke up the seminar that involved 40 people, interrogated Neville for hours, then took his passport away and fined him more than $1,000 dollars. High alarm! Emergency! Sleepless nights in Canada, Australia and Vietnam.
Nias is that fascinating Island in the Indian Ocean mentioned in the Travelogue article. This is what some of the AFA scholarship holders at Sundermann Seminary said during the recent visit of Pastor August Fricke.
It's nearly forgotten already. The pictures on the TV have stopped as the cameras and journalists have left the country. And so the charity dollar is drying up also. People respond emotionally based. Nepal? That was yesterday - off the agenda now.
Overwhelmed by need and shaken by the daily terror experienced by our brothers and sisters in Nepal, I lost my composure. I lost my calm. I don't know what to do. I wake up in the middle of the night seeing in front of my own eyes the agony of Nepal.
When it rains it pours. Another massive earthquake has just hit Central Nepal a second time (7.4 magnitude). Said Rev Mukunda in Kathmandu, "The people are even more traumatized". That was last night (Tuesday) before communications went down.
Amazing Initial response: You may be delighted to know that on the basis of two emails alone about $25,000 has already come in so far - and that most of the money is in Nepal and more is being sent.
It really is with 'fear and trembling' that we are proceeding. Please note all that was said in our AFA Nepal Relief Action letter
Fear and sorrow always grips my heart whenever I think of the story of my life. Really, my life has been a painful journey full of incredible happenings – until God connected me to AFA.
Christian humanitarian aid at home and abroad is primarily about Christ, the Gospel and faith active in love - not about doing good in its own right. Furthermore we challenge the fundamental principle upon which much of our modern-day humanitarian aid is built, namely that aid is given on the basis of need only, irrespective of ‘colour and creed (religion)’. Closer examination will reveal that this principle is superficial, false and misleading.We deal with a classic case of mainstream churches having taken over the standards and values of the world.