Words Create Worlds ® – April 2015 Newsletter

I cannot stop thinking about Nepal! Days after the massive earthquake hit, help is beginning to arrive in Nepal. Many of the victims are in hard to reach, rural mountain areas. In addition to their remoteness, many do not have access to the heavy equipment needed to move the mountains of brick or mud from their homes or streets. As a result, they are still sleeping outside, have scarce food and water supply, and no electricity.

With the steady stream of news coverage following the earthquake, we are learning how hard it is to live apart from our friends – not being able to connect with the people you worry about who are directly impacted by this natural disaster.

Ezelle Theunissen and I have been working with a large team in Asia for nearly a year as part of our work with the Center for Appreciative Inquiry. This team is made up of smaller teams from several Asian countries, including Nepal.  Just one month ago Ezelle and I were in Nepal meeting with this team – reacquainting with familiar faces, as well as making new friends.

Each day Ezelle and I wait anxiously for news that someone we know is safe. We have become fixated with WhatsApp, a text messaging app, which has allowed our friends to update their status. Today’s text messages consist of: “my village is destroyed,” “In Bhaktapur area for food distribution,” and “children and the infirmed having to be outside and in the rain without drinking water and sanitation”. Yet, we hear again and again that the people’s love and emotional support has been enormous. This story is not about us, rather how we might help, when we feel so helpless.

With most of the World still in an economic funk, it may be hard for to financially donate; yet, there are other ways to help Nepal earthquake victims.

” When you do nothing, you feel overwhelmed and powerless. But when you get involved, you feel the sense of hope and accomplishment that comes from knowing you are working to make things better.” – Pauline R. Kezer

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