Before and After In Darkha

The family that lived in this farmhouse did the parable one better and built their house of rock. And when the rain came down, and the floods came, and the winds blew, it kept them warm and safe.

Our friend’s well-built house before the earthquake. It’s solid construction was unusual by local standards.

But when the earthquakes hit on April 25, 2015, it all came crashing down.

That house is now uninhabitable. (Click for closeup)

When the most well-built house on the hillside looks like this, can you imagine what the rest of the village looks like? Rebuilding in these areas is going to take a lot of time, and a lot of resources.

If you’re like most of the people we’ve met through this organization, then you’re probably the type that likes to roll-up your sleeves and help when others are in need. I think there’s a little part of all of us that would like to jump on the first plane to Kathmandu and get to work restoring communications to outlying areas, or setting broken bones in a canvas tent, or providing clean drinking water to communities in dire need.

Most of us don’t lead such overtly heroic lives, but we care, and want to help just as much.

We’ve spent time in these villages, only 12.5 miles or so from the earthquake epicenter, and we have strong connections to many of these communities through our Shoes for Sherpas program. (You can read about a few of those trips here.) After the fast-moving medical first responders are gone, and amid a response from the government that the Washington Post called “cripplingly slow,” we promise to be there, deepening our ties to these rural communities and doing our best to address their long-term needs. Learn how you can help.