OUT OF THE P
ritish* (right) was washing clothes at the community water tap on April 25, 2015, when a 7.8-magnitude earthquake destroyed her village in Nepal. She ran between the falling houses to a cornfield where she thought her grandmother would be. Her home was destroyed, but the family is thankful everyone is alive, even if they’re sleeping outside. The destruction caused by the April quake, followed by another major one on May 12, was devastating. The internal damage caused by trauma in so many lives was equally devastating. In the first days after the disaster, people were focused on survival. Now, more than two months after the disaster, families and communities are taking steps on the long, hard journey to recovery. Throughout that journey, the church in Nepal will continue to walk alongside children, families, and communities. Beyond aid, the church is working with communities to create long-term development plans. It will also build new child development centers and work with families to create opportunities to disrupt the cycle of poverty. The church in Nepal will continue to reach out with compassion and serve the least of these in their communities. Because that’s what the church does.
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