(NEPAL) Twenty-six year-old Nir Bahadur Tamang can easily recall where he was and how he felt on April 25, 2015. “I was working in the field with my father when the earth began to shake,” the Nepali man recalled. “It was so strong. I thought that this world was going to be destroyed. My mother, brother, sister and wife were all home in the house. I was sure that they would all be dead.”

Twenty-six year-old Nir Bahadur Tamang can easily recall where he was and how he felt on April 25, 2015.

“I was working in the field with my father when the earth began to shake,” the Nepali man recalled. “It was so strong. I thought that this world was going to be destroyed. My mother, brother, sister and wife were all home in the house. I was sure that they would all be dead.”

After Nir rushed home, he was overjoyed to find that his family had survived. The small shop in town, where Nir’s mother provides meals and sells snacks to school children had also remained standing. Their house, however, had been completely destroyed and their water buffalo had died when its shed collapsed.

As he looked around his neighbourhood, Nir realized that he wasn’t alone. He lives in a village in Ward 5 of Manakamana region of Nuwekot, Nepal. Nearly every home in the village was damaged or destroyed and many people died.

In fact, across the entire country of Nepal the earthquakes that struck on April 25 and May 12, 2105 killed 9,000 people and injured 22,000 more.  For those that survived, the task of rebuilding seemed almost insurmountable.  More than 600,000 homes were destroyed and an additional 290,000 were damaged.  In addition, roads, schools, businesses, farm fields and other infrastructure incurred significant damage.

Located in South Asia between China and India, Nepal was already one of the world’s poorest countries before the earthquakes.  Many families and communities were unable to rebuild on their own following the destruction.  In Nir’s own community, there were many needs to be met including finding places for everyone to live and food for people to eat.

Nir rose to the challenge.


Nir and his family inside their shop

When World Renew came to their community, Nir volunteered as a community organizer. He helped to create a list of everyone in the village and what their needs were. His shop became a community meeting place where World Renew could distribute food, hygiene supplies, water filters, and shelter kits.

“World Renew gave more and more things that help us,” he said.  “Rice, salt, oil, tarps, blankets, water filters, iron sheeting, and more.”

And six months later, as World Renew continues to work to improve long-term water and sanitation in this region, Nir’s shop is a central place where a community water filter is located and lists are posted to identify which families will receive a latrine.

As a Hindu, Nir is impressed that a Christian organization like World Renew would come to his community and provide assistance to everyone who needed it regardless of their faith background.

“It is only the Christians who have come to help us,” he said, “But everyone is still free to follow their own religion.”

It is a ministry that he is proud to be a part of.