Nepal, One Year On from the Earthquake.

On April 25, 2015, the earth in Nepal shook for around a minute. Around 9,000 people died, and millions were left homeless.

One year on, and visual reminders of the quake are like open wounds.

On the road from Kathmandu to Sindhupalchowk, ruins of homes and lives lie scattered along the hills and the mountains. The survivors are still living in shabby temporary shelters that keep neither the heat nor the cold away.

The village of Laprak in Gorkha district, is near the epicentre of the quake. Sitting at over 3,000 metres in elevation, they have frequent snow falls and it gets cold enough to chill the bones.

A year on from the earthquake, there is still nowhere in the village that is remotely warm, and the government has not facilitated the building of even one house.

Nepali people, have had very little support from the government to rebuild their lives, even though, by June last year, the government had received a pledge of $4.1bn from the international community to rebuild Nepal.

However, as soon as the money was committed, it was as if the quake was forgotten.

Politicians rushed through a controversial new constitution, going on to form a new government, with both acts resulting in the country becoming deeply polarised.

Then India stepped in, and there was a “blockade” on imports. Fuel and food became scarce and people in Kathmandu started to suffer visibly.

It was a perfect mess – and it gave the government a perfect excuse not to do anything for the earthquake survivors.

By the end of 2015, eight months after the quake, those in power could not even agree how to set up the National Reconstruction Authority, which would be responsible for rebuilding Nepal.

Without the reconstruction authority, there have been no approved designs for houses and no funds have been released for the rebuild of Nepal.

• Pray for Nepal, for those still struggling a year after the earthquake. Pray for funds to be released to rebuild homes and towns, and for people to be able to rebuild their lives and have hope for the future once again.
• Pray for the Nepali Government, as it struggles to function with any effectiveness. Pray for the setting up of a National Construction Authority, that will enable to rebuilding on Nepal to progress.
• Pray for Christians in Nepal, as thy face growing oppression and ostracism, and are concerned for their future under the new constitution. Pray for courage, faith am peace, and for opportunities to share their faith and hope amongst their communities.
• Pray for a move of the Holy Spirit across Nepal, for many to encounter Christ Jesus and to come to find life hope and healing through His name.

Isaiah 54 vs 10: “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,’ says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”

Source: http://www.aljazeera.com