Flood Relief Updates for PremNagar and Simrahine

Since the last two majors floods in August and October, relief aid has been distributed to more than six hundreds forty four families in PremNagar, Simrahine and other effected villages.

The Saipur school in Simrahine had lost their building, furniture and all supplies and was closed for almost two months. Madan and the church at Tikapur have been helping to get that school up and running in temporary facilities. They have provided tents, bamboo sticks, plastic mats, four black boards and basic school supplies. The school is currently teaching 120 students.

The temporary location of the Saipur school in Simrahine

The government has settled more than five hundreds flood affected families on a plantation area near Tikapur, but clean drinking water is scarce. Many people are drinking dirty water right from the river, and getting sick. We are planning to give them some hand pumps so they can try to access safer drinking water.

Hundreds of flood victims are relocated in a government camp near Tikapur

Through the relief efforts, the flood victims have seen the practical love of God expressed to them by the Tikapur church. As a result, there are now two new house fellowships in the flood affected areas.

A medical camp is planned in PremNagar and Simrahine for after Christmas.

October 2009 Floods

In early October 2009, western Nepal was once again hit with severe flooding. It rained constantly for over 30 hours in some places. Landslides occurred, homes were lost, property was destroyed, livestock was lost and 36 people died in the first day alone.

The village of PremNagar, which had sustained much damage from the flooding this past August, was flooded again, recording the worst flooding in the history of that village. Water levels reached five feet deep in some places and several homes were lost. Some people sought refuge on the roof of the school where they awaited rescue. Rescue efforts were difficult due to the fact that the road leading to PremNagar was covered with three feet of water. A large truck was stranded on the road to PremNagar as it attempted to rescue people in trouble. Many people went days without food or clean water and nothing left but the clothes on their backs.

Leaving PremNagar

The road to PremNagar

A large truck gets stranded on the road to PremNagar

The flood damaged many homes

Trying to dry things out

Once the rain stopped and the water began to recede, Madan and the church at Tikapur immediately began relief efforts. Thanks to generous donations from Christ the King Church in Dover, NH, Good News Church in Goa, India and several other donors, they were able to deliver food and supplies to over 190 families in Urdepur, Bangalapur, & Rani Kula right away. In Urdepur the people were asking why they were helping them. Madan told them it was because of God's love and he was able to share the Gospel. One old man asked Madan who is "this lovely God?" Madan told him about Jesus and immediately he gave his life to Jesus and they prayed for his family.

Relief aid was also sent to PremNagar including rice, lentils, salt, oil, beaten rice & tents for some people who lost their homes completely.

Relief aid provided by the church at Tikapur

Thaggu's house was 75% covered in water and the collapsed

Showing how high the water level reached

UPDATE: Kichahi Water Project

October 2009
This water project has not been successful so far. The water treatment system is working at Kichahi, but there are technical problems at the main well at the crossroads. The submersible pump is stuck in the well, and the entire pipe will have to be dug out and the pump removed. All we have now is a pipe sticking out of the ground next to the water tower, and a pond around the pipe. But there are lots of happy frogs……

UPDATE Khalladahe Projects: New Church Building and Safe Water

In the western villages near Dhangarhi, the September 2008 floods caused severe damage. Khalladahe Siwir is located on a fertile river plain and is home to 400 families. At Khalladahe, the water was four feet deep as floods flashed through the village, taking food, livestock, and many possessions away, and leaving behind poisoned food and drink. Many homes had traces of mud on their walls, three to four feet high, when Marian visited in October 2008 and many people were sick.

A donor gave $600 for two church buildings, but the village of Khalladahe needed a lot of help, so all of the funds and more were spent to construct a brick building on a stone foundation. The Khalladahe church building is high enough to protect many people during floods. A Living Water Treatment System has been installed next to it, with a water tower that provides a gravity feed to the system. An electric pump raises water from a shallow well to the water tank on the tower.

June 2009
Our team of ten joined Gopal for the installation and dedication of a church building and flood shelter at Khalladahe. The building was full as we dedicated it, prayed for the sick (including a boy who had been gored by a bull, literally spilling his guts), then cut lots of ribbons to inaugurate the water system. The people reveled in the filtered and treated water. Over the next few and months, it took some effort to regulate the chlorine in the system. Sometimes, it was excessive, and people reacted to excess chlorine in the water.

Dedicating the new building

Church, Flood Shelter and Water System

Ashley Miller, service team member May 2009, cuts the ribbon on the LWTS

Tasting clean water

October 2009
It was a joy to be back in October, with Emilie Clark and Steve and Zach Robinson. Large areas of the southwest of Nepal had been badly flooded. Khalladahe (which means “lowland”), just a few feet above the river, would again be a candidate for disaster. But that did not happen. When the rain fell for a week, the people of Khalladahe were in the church building, fasting and praying and asking God to spare their village. And, praise God, there were no floods in Khalladahe in 2009! When we visited, we again prayed for the sick. Where was the boy who had been gored by a bull? Happy and healthy, with a large scar on his stomach.