Yo Maan ta Mero, Nepali ho!

Nepal.

Life goes on in our cosy bubble.

While you desperately search the rubble.

I've never know a deeper heartache.

I pray to God for your sake.

The trees, mountains and flowers still stand,

But quietened now by a funeral band.

The smells, sights and sounds have all now changed,

It would be so foreign, disconnected and strange.

I walk the streets in my childhood minds eye,

I don't see the pain, I don't hear the cry.

The love the joy and heart of the people,

buried under a temples steeple.

Keep digging, keep living dear Nepali's

Stay strong work on please, Please!

You have my heart, prayer and love,

But place your trust in Our God Above!

The Shock.

So far there are over 9500 confirmed deaths following the earthquake in Nepal, with at least double that injured. UN estimates 8 Million people affected with 1.5 Milion left homeless and needing urgent access to food and water.

 The death toll will surely rise as most of the rural areas have just begun to receive aid today. These villages near the earthquakes epicenter are traditional Nepali villages similar to what I grew up in. 200-500 people, living in mud built houses on the side of mountain sides prone to landslides. 

http://nepalitimes.com/article/nation/langtang-destroyed-in-earthquake,2205#.VUAsn37iSJk.facebook

Nepal is just coming into the Monsoon and heavy rains have already hit the country triggering landslides, slowing down aid from moving and restricting the helicopters flying aid out.

Most people in Kathmandu have been sleeping outside for fear of the aftershocks which continued 3 days after the first earthquake. The structural integrity of buildings is severely suspect.
Its not uncommon to have 16 hours + power cuts a day in Nepal, with bad  water supply and intermittent internet.

Memories

I remember living in Kathmandu for 6 years expecting a massive earthquake at any time. Nepal has had a large earthquake roughly every 70 years, this was 81 years after the last one. We had an earthquake alarm meter, which went off after the 2003 boxing day tsunami, and a "go box" of survival supplies. 

I can empathise with High school students trying to study for exams amidst this destruction. When I was 16 we had 30 days off curfew in Kathmandu that ended 3 days before my first IGCSE exam. 

I knew this was coming, but I can't believe it. I can't imagine being there in it, the sense of not knowing. Having to rebuild, not from scratch because the ruined buildings have to be cleared first, a city and a country. 

I've always said my blood might be from Northern Ireland, but my Heart is Nepali!

A response

I wish I could fly in and be there to help. However I would be another mouth to feed, and somebody shortening the already lacking water supplies.

But now more so than ever, the people need leaders. 

The Nepali's are scrambling through ruined buildings with nothing but their hands.

The world has responded. Aid has started getting in, then getting stuck at the airport.

Here is a good video blog of the situation:

https://life.indiegogo.com/fundraisers/nepal-earthquake-relief-fund--6

Please consider giving, there are plenty of NGO'S and aid agencies helping there.

 The world keeps spinning, Nepal has already been replaced on the headlines by the sad events elsewhere. The people of Philipines are still rebuilding after the cyclone a year ago. Lives affected and torn apart, but forgotten amongst the ever consuming media world.

Please while Nepal is still "current news" do something, make it visible, and when its gone from the news, continue to pray.

Praise.

God is in control, somedays you wonder why? How? But He Is.

This quake struck on a Saturday when most people were not in their homes. The reality is probably 70% of buildings in Kathmandu still stand, considering the soft earth they're built on, how packed it is and the terrible building standards, it is a miracle.

MAF have sent two people in to Nepal to see if they can be of use, it was two MAF pilots in Kathmandu when I was 14 that gave me the desire to join MAF and helped me see a call from God.  Maybe this will lead to MAF finally being able to set up in Nepal?

But most of all I pray that people will be open hearted, that the pain will not cause hard heartedness. That in their need, YHWH's Love and endless Kindness will shine through, and His Kingdom will be spread throughout and people will lean on Him!

Easter Reflections- 2015

Imagine everyone in the world contracted a deadly virus. It was incurable and would affect every further generation from birth. 

A man was born who didn't have this virus. He was immune to it, and it turns out that His blood was the only cure for the virus.

His blood couldn't be transfused with other chemicals or diluted through any process. It had to be directly injected into your veins. 

How would our world go about choosing who would be treated for this virus?

Who would get this treatment? Surely it would be so precious and coveted that its value would be exorbitant. 

Presumably we would treat world leaders and the rich who could afford it first. 

But would there be enough blood for everyone to be cured? 

What if this man decided he did not want to donate his blood, would we imprison him and force it out of him in regular measured doses? 

Imagine we took this man and executed Him. Mocking His death, and wantonly splashed his blood about through floggings. 

It would seem unimaginable that we could be so naive and that we would allow this one chance to escape us. Rather than treasuring the cure we revile against it. 

 This is what has been challenging me since Easter this year. I need a blood transfusion. Jesus' is the only blood that will do. And there is enough of it to cover or cure every single person in the world. He even gave it willingly in the most excruciating execution. 

However He also was not done there. His Father raised Him to Life! So His Living blood gives life!
That blood which was in Him flows in our veins.