Kathmandu Earthquake update 6--just realized I didn't publish this before. Sorry to leave you hanging.

After 3 days of sleeping on the ground I was plum wore out, but going on. The tremors died down some. We decided to take our "base camp" and move it to my house. We were still nervous about the house itself, more earthquakes and tremors, but really tired of where we were living.

The night before 2 doctors came to our tent and told us to be super careful going out and that the risk for catching Swine flu was up to 80% in the area. We knew that our place with the bamboo was only getting worse and worse as far as cleanliness goes.

We moved all of our stuff to our house and began to look at our house again. I don't have pictures of the cracks in the wall but they were very unnerving to everyone and we decided we couldn't stay there. We considered a new place but it had just as many cracks. I mentioned going back to the bamboo place and found out that something else "shady" happened. Some of those same men from before were trying to get one of our girls (about 20 years old) to come over to them and talk to them--calling to her just like our kids were doing when they were playing together.

We didn't know what to do. One of the men found a place nearby that looked great but we only had two small tarps in my earthquake kit and it was going to rain. I looked all over the yard and tried to remember everything I could for making a water proof shelter but it just wasn't going to work with what we had.

I went upstairs and packed our suitcase for America and knew I needed to restock and reorganize our things for wherever we decided to go next.  I was very nervous being in our house and was working feverishly cleaning out the fridge so it wouldn't be horrible for Luke and also cleaning up the flour and sugar that was all over the ground from when the containers fell to the ground during the quake. I did a little cleaning and then saw two of our girls washing their hair outside and I realized how I longed for a shower, to be clean, and most of all to have clean hair.

So another first for me was washing my hair outside. You need to people so you don't get soak and wet. I bent over forwards and the other girls washed it for me. It was great and felt so good.

About that time Luke showed up with another family from our area. They came in and the husband looked at our walls and told us the house looked sound, but the walls downstairs and maybe upstairs would have to be replaced, but that it looked safe to him to be in there. Praise the Lord!! They then told us their house was great and invited us to stay with them. They had running water, electric, and internet! I was so glad!

We headed out and I have to say I have never been so happy to have a hot shower and sleep in a bed in all my life!

Our church people stayed at our house. It has now become a "new base camp". There are several others staying there as well including the house owners that live upstairs. They asked if it would be okay. They really wanted to leave their outside shelter but were to scared to sleep on the top floor. I don't blame them at all. We are praying for their family that they will be saved. They are Hyolmo Tibetan people. They are super sweet and love us to death.

Helping People

I talked to Luke yesterday. I actually got to Skype him for about a half hour. He is really exhausted. He's been working from sun up to 10 or 11 at night. Please pray for him that he will get the rest he needs so he can do the work he needs to do.

Here is Luke with two little boys and Flat Stanley (from a 1st grade class in America). He bought them some new shoes, some candy, and a face mask. Pray for Kushal and Vishal. They are staying at our house right now with their mom and the others from our church and 2 other friends.

 These 2 men are from a Hyolmo Tibetan remote village. There are only 4 houses left in their village. Luke was able to give them some tarps to bring back to the village. One of these men lost their wife just a few days ago. Please pray for them and their village. Before leaving Luke was able to give them a Tibetan gospel tract.

 

Here are a few of the people staying at our house headquarters right now. Please pray for them as the days are long and piling up.

Earthquake news update 5

While Luke was out and about helping people, surveying the land, looking for friends and making sure they were alive we were back at "base camp."

The kids were playing and having a good time. If you know Paul, you know he is great at making friends, but doesn't quite know how to use discretion. He just wants everyone to like him.

There were a group of young men there early 20's maybe and he made friends with them. At first it was no big deal, they weren't far from me so I didn't mind them talking until Paul came up and said,

"Hey mom, my friend asked me to take him to our house. Can I go with him and show him?"

Instantly, red flags went up with me and the others with me.

Why would a grown man want to go to my house in the middle of an earthquake? I can only think of one reason.

I told Paul he must never tell anyone where we live and tried to explain to him the dangers without necessarily scaring him, but I had to scare him so that he would understand that not all people are good and people do have bad intentions. And that we need to be super careful.

That night a few minutes after we laid down to sleep a fight broke out between some of the men. They were both drunk. We have no idea what the reason was, but it was only a few feet away from us.

That night it rained something awful. Thankfully our blankets and things did not get all wet. The next morning my body was super tired. We were once again jolted awake by a tremor. It was about 4:30am. Emily woke up and wanted to stay awake for a while so I grabbed a chair and sat near the fire. There were a few men sitting there but I figured it was no big deal since Luke was only feet away.

After a few minutes they asked me a handful of normal questions and could tell I didn't know a ton of Nepali. So they started talking more freely. Although I can't speak a lot I do understand quite a bit. They started talking about "her husband" and "his money" and "their house". It made me very nervous, especially after what happened the day before with Paul.

We also started thinking of what would happen when people started running out of water and food. Our new house does not have dogs for protection and the gate is always unlocked, plus our house isn't quite ready for occupants--especially kids.

We prayed and it was then we decided the best thing for us to do was for me and the kids to go back to the States so that Luke wouldn't have to worry about us. How easy it would be for someone to take one of the kids for ransom, rob us, or many other things.

I am super excited about seeing my family, my 2 new nieces, and eating a Publix Roast Beef sub sandwich with all the toppings and a blizzard from Dairy Queen, but know I will be thinking of my friends back home who can't just "up and leave", but are everyday living this disaster. This will forever change their lives, way of thinking, and everything they know.

What in the World is Luke doing in Nepal?

What do you do when you can't find any tarps?

 

Buy tent material! I love my ingenuitave husband! Each one of those rolls will make about 200 tarps!

The man in the red jacket is a pastor from the area. These tarps will go to his village which was completely wiped out. 

 

These are some friends all apart of "base camp" at our house. These are tarps and supplies they were able to buy for some nearby villages.

 

Notice a small man in Luke's hand. A first grade class from Florida sent us "Flat Stanley", so he is helping with the Earthquake relief!

 

Luke is having the time of his life helping, planning, and living his dream.

Kathmandu Earthquake Update 4

The Day After

All of us ladies and the kids stayed at "base camp shelter". The men went out in search of friends nearby and to check on people around.

We made a cooking place so we wouldn't have to cook over the fire any more. We brought over a gas tank and our friend brought his stove top.

 

Two people died when this wall fell. There were 2 men on motorcycles driving past when the quake hit. Luke tried to help but it was too late.

This is in a part of town that was hit really hard. That is a taxi under a building. The men were here to try to help.

 

This is the same building from another angle.

In this area there was a lady that was just rescued from her house. She was the only survivor. Luke and the others were able to pray with her.

 

This lady is the owner of the place we stayed at for 3 days. She is really sweet. Her name is Nabina. Pray for her and her family to be saved and we can share with them the "good news."

If you remember once a month we have a Kid's Camp which is kind of like a Vacation Bible School. We have had up to 140 kids there before. One of the schools that comes is the Tashi School. These kids are super sweet and well-behaved. Luke was able to go their with our friends and bring them some rice and tarps. Here are a few pics.





If you would like to contribute to help by more tarps, rice, and supplies please send a check to

Word for the World
P. O. Box 849
Rossville, GA 30741-0849

Just mark for the Knickerbockers/earthquake on your check.