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.