After a few anxious days of waiting, I found out that everyone associated with my trekking company and all the clients are safe. For that, I'm grateful. Thanks to all of you who expressed concern about their welfare.
I wanted to take this opportunity to again encourage those with some extra disposable income to consider making a donation to the relief efforts.
Here's an updated list of some of the agencies assisting in Nepal.
Read the list again last night and donated. Read in the paper this morning that Nepal's bureaucracy is blamed as quake supplies pile up. This usually seems to happen so am praying that the supplies will soon get to those who need them most.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind donation.
ReplyDeleteIt's difficult enough for any country under the best of circumstances to deal with a natural disaster. We only need look back to 2005 with Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.
In a developing country, there's the added pressure of a lack of infrastructure, along with limited financial and material resources, and, unfortunately, bureaucracy often does get in the way.
Like you, I'm hoping the relief supplies begin moving more quickly both in the capital and elsewhere, but I can't imagine the challenge of distributing goods to remote mountain areas where only trails, not roads, exist.
To put it all into context, back in March, a jet skidded off the lone international runway in Nepal, forcing the cancellation of flights for four days. Why? Nepali technicians lacked the equipment to lift and move the plane, so the equipment had to be flown in from India.
There are no quick fixes in Nepal, as frustrating as that must be for those who live there and for those of us outside Nepal praying that the displaced and injured receive the help they need. Thankfully, there are people like you trying to make a difference.