Nepal – a year after the quake
A year after three earthquakes devastated Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, and surrounding areas, Tej Jirel, General Secretary of the Nepal Bible Society (NBS), reflects on how Christians have coped.
Mr Jirel (seen here in the blue shirt) was conducting a communion service when the first earthquake hit on 25 April. After evacuating, they continued communion on the street in a powerful and memorable moment which typifies the reaction of many Christians to the tragedy. Scores of churches were damaged or destroyed and around 500 Christians were among the 9,000 people who died. Mr Jirel and team report that survivors remain strong in their faith.
NBS have helped provide roofing, tarpaulins and other materials to hundreds of families who lost their homes, most of them non–Christians. Much of this material was delivered to people living in remote areas, with NBS staff and volunteers walking up mountainsides with the materials on their backs, or transporting it across rivers on small rafts.
“So many people were thankful for the help we brought, because they hadn’t received any other relief materials,” says Mr Jirel. “I remember one widow in particular, who thanked us with tears in her eyes. We told them we were Christians. We pray that one day all these people will come to know and accept Christ.”
NBS has also been helping Christians replace lost Scripture. Many hundreds of Bibles, Children’s Bibles and Scripture booklets have been distributed to churches and individual Christians.
“Without God there is no hope, and we continue to pray for the many people in Nepal who still don’t know Him. Please join us in praying that many good things will come out of this disaster, and that many more people will come to know the true God and Creator.”