Day 10 - Behind the Scenes

Today marks the conclusion of my trip to Nepal. Tomorrow I’ll wrap up and collect all my notes into a final report then board a plane for the U.S. Before I go, though, it’s important to share the much less visible parts of a trip like this.

Here in Nepal there are about 1.4 million people affected by these earthquakes who require some form of relief. From food to shelter to health care, psychological counseling, and financial relief. Addressing these needs is a massive undertaking requiring the concerted effort of governments, NGO’s, small private organizations like churches, and individuals. Managing all this aid to see that everyone is cared for is an almost unimaginable task.

What gets the attention of the media and the things organizations like ServLife post on our websites and Facebook pages are the end result of a lot of behind the scenes work. The wonderful pictures of food being delivered a few days ago in Jaalbire came only after meetings to discuss the need, an accounting of the finances needed, phone calls to suppliers and transportation companies, coordinating with church leaders in Jaalbire to identify the 150 families who would receive the aid and scheduling everyone to be where they needed to be when they needed to be there. Only then could food be delivered and pictures taken.

Today I attended a meeting where representatives of at least 65 NGO’s large and small along with Nepal government officials talked about providing shelter. You can see in the picture it looks like nothing glamorous or heartwarming is happening here. What is happening is everyone who is working to provide temporary shelter before the monsoon comes is talking together. They are coordinating efforts to see that as many people as possible as quickly as possible get the shelter they need.

This behind the scenes work means registering ServLife as one of the organizations providing shelter. It means completing paperwork and updating the information every time we provide for another community. It includes the invitation to help the larger community coordinate in areas where we have church planters who can serve their entire region. It means thinking not only of the needs of ServLife partners but how we interact with the effort to bring relief to all of Nepal. And it means attending these weekly meetings every Wednesday morning.

These are not easy things to consider and they pose both great opportunities and great challenges to ServLife. Later in the day I met with the leadership of a very large church in Kathmandu. They are also doing recovery work. I told them about these Wednesday meetings. Encouraged them to become part of the larger team. Shared resources I’ve discovered here that many churches and small NGO’s don’t know about. This was another meeting that will bear fruit for the people of Nepal.

This week I met coordinators from the World Food Programme and discovered they are coordinating logistics for the entire effort. They have trucks and, as of today, three helicopters ready to bring supplies to people in need. All a registered NGO has to do is complete a form telling WFP what to pick up, where to pick it up and where to drop it off and they will deliver at no cost. I have shared this news and the logistics request form with many people who had not heard about this. But to be successful there needs to be a contact from the organization available at the pick-up location and at the drop location. This takes coordination.

The work of disaster recovery is ultimately about seeing to the needs of those who are suffering. From hunger to homelessness to financial ruin, there is great pain in Nepal. And there are a great many people tending to these needs. To meet these needs most effectively it takes lots and lots of tedious, detailed, thoughtful behind the scenes planning. It’s not glamorous. It doesn’t make for good pictures. But it’s the kind of work that has consumed a good portion of my trip and it’s worth it.

Thanks to all who’ve followed my journey, are praying for Nepal and have supported this effort financially. This is only the beginning.

Day Nine – A Foundation of Praise

Paul once wrote, “I have learned to be content in all circumstances.” I’d love to make a snarky comment about Paul never living through an earthquake, but his many sufferings are well documented. Being content in all circumstances is only possible if you don’t allow your physical situation to define your reality.

This evening over dinner I met the most wonderful group of young people here in Nepal who lead a dynamic sports ministry. They bring Jesus to kids and families through sports. But tonight we talked about a wonderfully simple brick design that would allow people to build earthquake proof homes at a very affordable price. They were so excited to share this idea but wondered what to do with it as their calling to do sports ministry hasn’t changed.

We talked about the new Nepal that would rise from this tragedy and how those who knew the old Nepal would never see it again. These earthquakes have permanently changed this country in more ways than one. The people here no longer trust the ground beneath their feet is a solid foundation, and they never will again. In the end they felt a need to pursue this model brick and home design if only to pass it along for others to build.

It just so happens that tonight after I’d said my goodbyes and left the group I felt my first aftershock here. It was a little bump that felt like someone had just tugged on a cookie sheet under me…a very thick, heavy cookie sheet. I can only imagine what it must’ve been like to feel that cookie sheet wiggle back and forth for over a minute as all around you buildings came apart and collapsed to the ground.

This morning I witnessed the aftermath of that initial shake in the Harisiddi neighborhood of Kathmandu. Here in yet another hard hit area the streets are impassable because of all the rubble piled as high as ten feet in places. Once again I walked through tarp-covered enclaves and looked into the eyes of people sitting in front of their new ‘homes’ or on piles of rubble. If this current situation is the only reality these people have to cling to, then utter hopelessness is an understandable response.

My guide today, Shyam, owns a brick factory in Harisiddi. The very top of the factory’s chimney fell (literally) victim to the quake but the factory is still operational. After walking the rubble strewn streets we went to see fresh new bricks that will play a role in rebuilding this country. And stamped on each brick the letter ‘H’ in the center of a circle. The mark of the brick factory which, looking up I realized, is named Hosanna.

By the witness and work of the Christians here in Nepal may the new foundations laid be ones of praise to our God. And may Jesus be the reality known to all so that cries of ‘Hosanna’ are heard from every tongue. And should the tongues be silenced I learned today that even the bricks will cry out!

Day Eight – Standing on Holy Ground

Today I stood on holy ground. More about that later.

This morning I was once again on my way to the Sindhupolchok District. This time, however, two trucks loaded with food accompanied us. We were headed for the village of Jalbiri where one hundred and fifty families who had not yet received relief waited anxiously for their rice, lentils, salt, oil, soap and a few other items. The now familiar road, still strewn with the wreckage of hundreds of homes and ruptured by the quakes and aftershocks, reminded me of going on safari in Kenya.

Every time I’ve led a missions team to Kenya we’ve paused for a three day safari. And every single time the same thing happens. From the moment we touch down on the dirt airstrip and are greeted by our guides the cameras click nonstop on that first game drive. Every giraffe, zebra, wildebeest and warthog draws a joyful announcement of their sighting followed by a rush of picture taking. But by the third day of the safari the cameras are mostly quiet as people casually glance at what, a scant couple of days before, had caused gasps of awe and wonder.

Today, driving back north on the Sindhupolchok Road my camera sat quietly in my lap. I glanced at the tumble down villages but without the same sense of awe at what has happened here. Not because I care less. If anything I care more. But because you can only take so many pictures of the same thing. Besides, just like an African safari, pictures can never get close to what it’s like to experience the aftermath of a disaster firsthand.

But the camera did come out today. Yes, it did. We arrived ahead of the two trucks laden with food and supplies. It gave us time to have a quick lunch and meet with the local team that had identified the families that would be receiving aid from ServLIfe today. Aid you have so generously provided with your donations to disaster recovery. As we ate our lunch and reviewed the list it didn’t seem, quite frankly, that there were that many people around.

Then the trucks showed up.

Slowly at first and then building the group came together. Alone and in pairs or groups, the families gathered. Udaya Bhatta, Director of ServLife partner A.S. Nepal, took charge and saw that everyone understood the process by which the food and supplies would be handed out. Then he gestured to me as I stood behind the crowd taking pictures. So I stepped up as some of the team unloaded bags of rice into a pile while others packed oil, salt, lentils and soap into bags. Then it was time to call the roll and invite the chosen families to come forward to get these staples often taken for granted by those who aren’t living in the midst of a disaster zone.

As I handed 30kg bags of rice to each person (some so small I feared the bag of rice outweighed them) I couldn’t help but think of all the ServLife donors. Not only those who have given for disaster relief, but every single person who has given to ServLife since 1992. It is because of the support of donors that this ministry has such strong relationships in Nepal. Because of your faithfulness to God’s call to generosity we have partners who can quickly locate those in need and gather them to receive food at a time like this. Your understanding that all we have comes from God to be used according to His purposes has positioned ServLife for such a time as this.

You have made it possible for me to stand on a hillside above a shattered city surrounded by people who are thanking me for bringing them food. All the while knowing this has nothing to do with me and everything to do with being the family of God coming together to help the neediest among us in the name of Jesus.

And certain I will never be able to fully express my gratitude to God for you or commend you highly enough for what you have done…and continue to do.

And when the food was delivered and the grateful people carried off the last bags of rice…I went to stand on holy ground.

At first I thought I was just going to Lamosangu. Of all the towns I’ve seen, this one is by far the hardest hit. Every house, every business, every building in Lamosangu is lost. More than seventy people lost their lives in this little village. Those who’ve survived are gathered in what can only be described as a refugee camp. And just beyond the camp is a small cluster of tarped ruins where a pastor and his family live. And where a long tarp covered structure serves as their church.

And just beyond, lying in utter ruin is the former church building. Once three stories where hundreds of people gathered for worship and scores of children learned about Jesus, on April 25, 2015 this building came crashing down. When the back wall behind the worship team buckled outward the worship leaders had an opening to escape. When the first floor collapsed the children on the second floor suddenly had ground level exits and fled the building. But not everyone escaped.

Seventeen people who gathered for worship that day finished church in the presence of Jesus Himself set free from the bonds of this earth in mid-praise. The bodies of eight still rest beneath the remains of the church. Not because they couldn’t be reached. The pastor explained that in Nepal where the majority Hindu religion burns their dead it is very hard for Christians to get land for burial. So, at the request of their families, eight people were removed from the rubble. A funeral service was held and their bodies were returned to rest under the ground where the church once stood. As the pastor pointed to the spot only a few feet from where I was and told me this story I realized…

I was standing on holy ground.

Days Six & Seven – Putting the Pieces Together

Any disaster is a complex thing. When a tornado touched down in small town in Illinois the people there were dramatically impacted. There was fairly minimal loss of life and the help came from regional sources. This sort of disaster is relatively easy in terms of logistics, communication and resource deployment.

Then there are events that are more national in scope. The tornado that took out one third of Joplin, Missouri just four years ago this weekend was a national event. It attracted lots of resources from finances to volunteers to local and federal government and disaster response ministries of all types. The logistics there were more complex. Citywide meetings in the auditorium of the nearby university and the intentional coordination of many moving parts made Joplin a challenge. And the recovery and rebuilding work is still going on there.

Then there’s a global disaster like the one ServLife is involved with here in Nepal. Chinese teams are clearing roads, providing tents and a host of other services. Indian agencies are assisting in a variety of ways. Nearly every day I see at least one large white SUV with UN emblazoned in blue on the hood and the giant antennas waving off the back. French, Korean, German, British and American aid workers are spread out all over the country. Government officials, non-profits and Christian ministries are all doing what they can here in Nepal. Not to mention the people of Nepal themselves, doing what they can for their families, churches and villages. And the logistics are phenomenally complex.

Part of my disaster recovery journey is to locate as many of the players as I can and work to make sense of all that’s going on here. It’s inevitable that some areas and groups will get over-served with aid while others will be under-served. Add to that the incredibly mountainous terrain, roads that were barely passable before the earthquakes, one international airport for the whole country with only a single runway and perhaps you begin to see how easily all the moving parts can stop moving or, worse yet, start crashing into each other.

Yesterday (day six on my journey) I had the chance to catch my breath and start thinking through all the questions that must be answered in order for ServLife’s aid to be as helpful as possible. These are hard questions and, frankly, I had no idea how to find the right people who might have the right answers.

And God keeps showing up in miraculous ways. This morning (day seven) over breakfast I met Christina. She just happens to work for the UN’s World Food Program. It turns out WFP is coordinating all the logistics of disaster response for those who’d like to use their assistance at no cost. They have trucks and helicopters to deliver needed supplies to any region of the country within 48 hours or less. Christina told me all we had to do to get supplies to our hardest hit pastors was fill out a form requesting WFP to pick up our supplies and drop them off to the village we designate. She also gave me the email address of the woman coordinating the ‘Shelter Cluster’ for all of Nepal’s relief efforts. Victoria can tell me who is delivering shelter to which villages. And I can tell her where we’re doing our work so efforts are not duplicated. She’s invited me to their regular Wednesday meeting this week to get the latest updates on providing shelter to those who need it.

Talk about God’s timing! All these pieces of the puzzle were handed to me just less than two hours before meeting with Lazarus and our church planters to assess needs and determine how best to help them. Having the WFP form and the connection to the Shelter Cluster was just what I needed just when I needed it.

On top of that, a connection made through one of ServLife’s board members put me in the loop on a network of Christian organizations working in recovery. Wednesday evening I’ll be spending time with them learning what they know and sharing what I’ve learned. The pieces of the puzzle are coming together!

A note about money is appropriate here…

The word on the financial impact of this disaster is it will cost as much as one half of Nepal’s total annual GDP or $10 billion dollars in losses and recovery expenses. To put that in perspective it would be like a disaster hitting the U.S. and causing over $8 trillion dollars in damage.

It will take a global effort to help Nepal recover from this global disaster. ServLife is committed to doing our small part. And doing our large part. The money we can provide will be a teeny tiny fraction of $10 billion dollars. But the opportunity for our church planters to be the hands and feet of Jesus to their villages is priceless.

The pastors with whom I met today are dedicated to seeing not only their churches restored but their entire villages. They are ready to bring the love of Jesus in amazingly powerful ways to their people. They are counting on you to help them do just that. They are counting on you to lift them up in prayer and provide the resources they need for this opportunity that has been given them. I’m confident in God’s faithful providence that He is bringing through you.

Day Five – Gimme Shelter: Hope and a Future

Today was full of planning, hope and promise! I love days like this. I had the distinct privilege of being part of a team that brought hope and comfort to the people of Newtown, Connecticut following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings. I’ll never forget the reporters who rushed our Comfort Dogs. Someone from NBC told us they had been looking for the story of hope in the midst of such a dark and unimaginable tragedy. They had despaired of finding any bright spot after such a horrible event but kept looking anyway.

That’s what we humans do. We look for hope and the bright spot on the horizon in the midst of the darkest night. It’s universal and today the joy was all mine as, together with Buddha and Udaya, we walked the grounds of the Nepal School of Engineering. There we saw people sharing their designs for temporary housing that was inexpensive, could be sourced locally and could be put up quickly and easily by volunteers or paid workers with almost no experience.

With the government of Nepal still sorting out how best to proceed and delaying any approvals for new permanent buildings, people are beginning to face the reality of living in temporary housing for what won’t seem temporary at all. Some estimates are these temporary structures will become homes to tens of thousands of people for two to five years – maybe longer! Seeing people embrace this with great ideas and a positive attitude made today a bright spot on this journey of recovery.

Then I had the pleasure of meeting Shyam (Sam) Awale. He’s a businessman in Kathmandu who is very involved in sports ministry, as well. His business? He makes bricks. We talked about incorporating his bricks into the temporary home designs. He shared stories and pictures with me of intrepid volunteers from the U.S. who came to help immediately after the April 25 earthquake. He also invited me to come with him to yet another area near Kathmandu where more than a hundred families are in need of temporary shelter that doesn’t include tarps for a roof. (Which makes me wonder if the term permanent temporary shelter is an oxymoron?)

My day wrapped up with a visit to Pastor Bhim Ratna’s village. Having heard his entire village was destroyed by the quakes I was surprised to see so many buildings standing. Then I got closer. Pastor Bhim explained that every house was so badly damaged they were no longer inhabitable. They looked fine on the outside but they were just as useless as if they had fallen down completely, like the home of one of his church deacons. Already the frames for temporary homes were springing up all around thanks to a group of Christians from South Korea. Pastor Bhim was all smiles as he showed us these frames that hold the promise of a better future for his people.

Each day has its own rhythm here in Nepal. Today’s rhythm was upbeat and hopeful in a way that doesn’t minimize the very long, very tough road ahead. Knowing ServLife is perfectly positioned through our partnerships here in Nepal and by virtue of our mission statement [ServLife International pursues reconciliation and justice by building global community…] to build actual, physical communities is very exciting. My hope is that many of my friends and those who will become friends will come to Nepal and help build homes. And those who can’t make the trip will see that every home ServLife builds is fully paid for!

ServLife International pursues reconciliation and justice by building global community to plant churches, care for children and fight poverty.