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Transcription

to read more... - New Horizons Foundation
NEPAL MISSIONS EARTHQUAKE REPORT
A major earthquake (magnitude 7.8) struck Nepal on Saturday, April 25, 2015 rocking the capital city of
Kathmandu, but also badly damaging rural areas outside the city. News reports indicate the death toll at
4000 is still rising with many more injured. Foreign aid is beginning to pour into Kathmandu—but what
about the people in surrounding villages?
Local Woodland Park resident, Ruth Parajuli, is from the village of Lamosangu, 50 miles east of
Kathmandu, and her family there tells a story of destruction in an area that has suffered many
aftershocks. She moved to Colorado 12 years ago to raise a family, but has been sending money back
through her charity—Nepal Missions—to help poor
and disabled people in the villages since 2002.
Ruth: “With power and phone service interrupted,
it has been difficult to reach family. I have
talked with my brother in Kathmandu and he
has talked with our dad in Lamosangu.
According to my dad and through social media
posts, our village of Lamosangu was severely
damaged.
 The 7.8 magnitude earthquake stuck just as
Pastor Ramos was beginning to deliver his
sermon at our local church.
 The church building collapsed and at least
Ruth giving a goat to a needy disabled woman
100 people in the church building died.
 My mom and one of my disabled sisters were able to escape without injury, but my other
disabled sister was trapped by the collapsing building. She was knocked unconscious, and pulled
from the rubble with a serious head injury. I am very worried about her condition.
 Fortunately, my dad had a meeting in a village and he was walking outside when the earthquake
struck. So he also is safe.
Destruction in Lamosangu, 50 miles east of Kathmandu

My brother says that my parent’s house—built little over two years ago—is the one of the only
house without serious damage in this village!”
Ruth: “My heart cries out for my family, friends and church family. Everything is gone! My heart
is breaking—so much death and destruction!”
In just 2 weeks, Ruth was planning to leave for Nepal with several others from her church.
Ruth: “We were planning to bring food, clothes, livestock, and other gifts to the needy people in the
surrounding villages. We were also going to sponsor a four day conference for church leaders at my
parent’s church in Lamosangu. But now the church lies in rubble with many dead.”
Ruth’s brother—Ramkaji Parajuli—lives in
Kathmandu with his family where he runs a
factory that makes trail mix for trekkers. Ramkaji
has been a critical link along with her parents in
Lamosangu in delivering aid to the poor and
disabled. His family, like most residents of
Kathmandu, has been sleeping under a tarp in
the city square in case more aftershocks bring
down additional damaged buildings. But his
concern is larger than just his own needs.
Ramkaji: “Now our focus must quickly shift to
bringing aid to the many affected by this
terrible earthquake.”
Ramkaji’s family resting in a square in Kathmandu
Ramkaji set out yesterday (April 27) to go to Lamosangu and bring back his sister so that she could be
treated in the hospital. There is no medical facility in their village. Ruth and Ramkaji are thankful for
many organizations such as Samaritan’s Purse and World Vision that are already mobilizing relief aid for
Nepal.
Ruth: “But we don’t know how much of that aid will reach the rural villages. Over 2000 people live in
my village of Lamosangu and probably close to 20,000 in the nearby area. Under the umbrella of
New Horizons Foundation, Nepal Missions has set up a special emergency fund: “Nepal Missions:
Earthquake Relief 2015” that will be used to help the people in the area around my home village of
Lamosangu. People can donate to this 501c3 charity by visiting our website on
www.nepalmission.org.”
Your help and prayers are critically needed at this time. Please give generously.
Ruth Parajuli for Nepal Missions