Dearest Friends,
“Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” Psalm 82: 4
Today, Friday, God allowed us to be part of His rescue plan for children in two camps high in the mountains near the epicenter of the earthquake. We had to drive for three hours to get to these places. We heard so many children and even adults asking God to forgive them and asking Jesus to save them. It was a glorious day!
Sometimes, it is really hard to find the words to describe what we see. Both camps were located in very remote areas. It looked like they had simply scraped off part of the mountain and put up row after row of tents. The construction of the tents was very poor and the number of bathrooms was inadequate. The camps were on top of mountains facing each other, but they were very far apart. The camps are about two miles up the mountains from the children’s schools. The dirt roads are terrible, full of pot holes and deep ruts. The city where they need to do their shopping is a great distance from them.
I had the feeling that they had been put there so that they could be forgotten. The government of Nepal gave each family a $150.00 after the earthquake. Imagine losing everything you own and this is the only help you receive. The tents are simply blue tarps stretched over a frame. Some people had a piece of roofing tin that they had bent into a long tunnel shape. The tents were so short that you could only crawl inside, but never stand up in them. It is very warm outside and even hotter in the tents. Both places broke our hearts!
When we arrived, it was suddenly Christmas. Everyone was so happy to see us and suddenly all of their frowns disappeared. When the puppets came up for their first song, some of the children exploded into giggles and laughter. I don’t think they do much of that. When I first saw the children, they looked like very sad and very short adults. However, the program restored their childhood and gave them joy. We gave them juice and cookies as a treat. Thanks to “His Little Ones Ministry”, all of the children received a Gospel booklet written in Nepali. Each page has a colorful illustration, making it a beautiful gift. We have been passing these booklets out to children all over Nepal.
In both camps, everyone came to see the puppet show. Tik and I talked before we did these programs and decided that we needed to include the story about my husband and his death. Everyone there had lost someone. Many of the children had lost parents and friends. All were well acquainted with death and loss. I wanted to introduce them to death with hope. Only Jesus can give these dear people what they really need. The cookies and juice were nice, but the knowledge that the living God sees them as a treasure and will rescue them was the best gift.
Most of the people in the camps are Tamang and they are forgotten. Their stories are no longer in the news and it seems that nothing is being done to help them. I beg you not to forget them. They need your prayers! You have brothers and sisters in Christ in these places that desperately need you to pray for them. They need you to remember them and not forget that they will need your prayers always.
In Jesus,
Linda, Heather, Tik, and company.