Eurasia leaders are still trying to make contact with Nazarenes in Nepal today, and are mobilizing disaster response to help the thousands of people injured or who lost shelter and infrastructure after just around noon Nepali time (April 25) a powerful earthquake hit the country. The US earthquake center recorded it at 7.9 on the Richter scale with the epicenter some 50 miles northwest of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. This would be in the Annapurna region, close to Pokhara where the headquarters of the International Nepal Fellowship is (this was the first mission agency entering Nepal back in 1956).
News report hundreds of dead in Kathmandu alone. The Durbar square, a world heritage site, is according to eyewitnesses only stones and rubble. The new roads just recently built are torn open; the airport is closed and entry to Nepal is through India, a one day ride by car — if the roads are open. Thousands are terribly frightened, because of constant smaller and bigger after-shakes.
The Church of the Nazarene has several hundred churches with thousands of members in Nepal. In Kathmandu and close by, over 10 churches and church plants are affected.
Eurasia leaders were just able to have brief contact by telephone with the district superintendent Rev. Dilli (photo left) and his wife, who are physically unhurt; one call with the district secretary was very poor, but he is alive. Rev. Dilli is navigating the inconsistent phone service to try and reach the other pastors in the area. He said that texting is currently not possible.
Joerg (George) Eich, the Eurasia regional Nazarene Compassionate Ministries coordinator, is on his way to Nepal. He is traveling together with a team of doctors and nurses from Humedica, a partner organization that has helped Nazarene Compassionate Ministries in various disaster response efforts around the world.
Please pray for this district superintendent, his main assistant, and all their capable staff. They need your prayers for protection and wisdom so that they can help the suffering and needy.
If you are in Germany, to support the initial response and particularly the rehabilitation efforts later, send your donation to IBAN DE56 5075 0094 0000 022394, SWIFT-BIC HELADEF1GEL.
For those elsewhere in the Eurasia Region, to contribute, visit the giving website: https://give.nazarene.org/donate/f/125135
