You can help Nepal!!

Update from today's visit to Nepalese villages; please share widely.

Everything I have learned about from years working with NGOs on disaster recovery, human restoration, and prevention - is that often the aid you seek to help with hurts people (and that is not right). NGOs do more harm than good. Governments are worse.

Worse, people who really need and can benefit are often forgotten, overlooked, left out. But, there are plenty of good ways to help that will not hurt; those that build strong networks and help communities get back on their own. Consider reading below. These are organizations who have real contacts distributing needed aid to those who really need some help. 

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Shop at: www.CourageousGifts.com

How are your actions reflective of the Christian Trinity? Even just some words of compassion and praise go a long way with these folks helping them to know they are loved and supported. It is easy for you to do this. Thanks!

Update from Nepal -- Please Share Widely
Reply-To: FriendsPeaceTeams-AWP office <Asia@friendspeaceteams.org>

FPT-AWP would like to thank you for bearing with us at this difficult time. Our team in Nepal has been trying to get news out to us any way possible and several extra messages were sent via our email distribution list. Those messages were raw and sent in real-time. 

Please take note of this newest update as it contains the most complete and up to date information on how to help our friends in Nepal.  

Update from today's visit to Nepalese villages; please share widely.

Dear Friends,

Friends Peace Teams has long-term, solid relationships with people on location whose discernment we trust. Subhash will coordinate our relief support and will share the full story of how the funds get used and how decisions are made, as well as welcome your questions or feedback. The flexibility of our funds allows them to respond to blatant needs that are falling through the cracks of other organizations such as devastated communities that somehow do not receive assistance; particular essential materials or supports that do not get provided by others; or the ability to respond in a timely manner that makes a world of difference. Thank you for your support at this time!

We guarantee that 100% of your donation will go for use directly on site.

Please send relief funds for Nepal to "Friends Peace Teams - AWP/Nepal"

Funds transfer to US account: PayPal at www.FPT-AWP.org 

Funds transfer to Australia account: Friends Peace Teams Asia West Pacific Incorporated, BSB: 032 086, Account No: 366770, SWIFT Code: WPACAU2S 

Cheques/checks made out to Friends Peace Teams, memo line AWP/Nepal sent to: 

Friends Peace Teams-AWP, 1001 Park Ave, St. Louis, MO 63104 314-688-1122 USA

or

Friends Peace Teams-AWP, c/o Elizabeth Jane Drexler, 17 Pockley Ave., Roseville NSW 2069 Australia

In love and faith, Nadine

Recent update from Subhash:

Dear Friends,

Some volunteer friends and I visited Koshidekha Village of Kavre district this morning and returned back at 8pmto identify the real need on the ground and establish trustworthy contacts and relationships in the community so that our support gets better distributed.

The needs we identified in these hard-hit, vulnerable communities would cost US$3,500 immediately to prevent starvation and protect pregnant women. We would very much appreciate this support and will keep you informed of further needs. Please give generously, if you are able.

We were six people travelling by motorcycles for about two and a half hours one way. We specifically visited three severely damaged communities in the village which are about half an hour distance from each other. The photographs show the physical situation of these communities.

The three communities we visited are:
1. Kami Sarki Gaun (the community of so-called 'untouchables')
2. Kalinjor (the community of Tamang; ethnic/disadvantaged people)
3. Jyamire (the community of Magar; also ethnic/disadvantaged people)

People are living on the bare fields, in many cases a number of families together. Somehow they have manged temporary roofing either by tent, plastic or partly damaged roofing tin they had on their destroyed houses. Many cattle, goats, cows, domestic buffalo, chicken etc. are dead and buried under the demolished houses and the stinky smell of dead animal has started to spread around. Everything looks and feels horrible.

Some facts from the communities:

• 286 houses completely destroyed
• 210 houses partially damaged and unsuitable to stay inside
• very few houses are okay
• 2599 total population 
• 18 deaths known till now including children and old age people
• some injured and getting treatment

In the Kalinjor community, we were the first group of outside visitors.

Along with meeting affected people in the communities, we also met with the head teacher of the local schools, a few school teachers, head of the local health centers and village leaders. We have established a relationship with them and they are willing to cooperate with our effort ahead.

Immediate action needed as soon as possible:

• Distribute severely needed food, namely rice. The need is huge and we think we should distribute at least 100 sacks of rice for now. Costs about USD 18 per sack for medium quality rice.
• Some of the families need kitchen utensils to cook and eat food. We have asked one local youth to find out how many such families there are who need such supplies immediately. Approximately, USD 300 should be enough for this.
• Special needs in the communities that require our special attention because others are focusing on other issues; and we were specially requested by the local health worker for this:
• About 35 mothers with newly born babies need nutrition, health, and clothing support to both the mother and the baby for at least a month. We will have to make a special relief support package for them. This cost about USD 40 per person.
• About 40 pregnant women in the communities are considered "in danger" by the health worker, both the health of mother and specially the baby inside. Earthquakes are very risky for women more than 4 months pregnant. I plan to contact a gynecologist as soon as possible in Kathmandu and discuss what we can and should do to diagnose the real situation with these women and what the necessary steps are to ensure the safety of these pregnant women. We don't know now host much this may cost.

Let me know if you have further queries.

In friendship,
Subhash

Replies to this email will be directed to:

Jenna Morales

Communications Specialist

Friends Peace Teams - Asia West Pacific Initiative

Typical office hours Monday - Wednesday mornings (EST)

Friends Peace Teams in Asia West Pacific

Initiative Coordinators: Nadine Hoover and John Michaelis

in Indonesia, Nepal, the Philippines, Palestine, Gaza, Israel and Australia

GET INVOLVED

Subscribe to E-news. * Join a Peace Team. * Request a Speaker: write to Jenna Morales at Asia@FriendsPeaceTeams.org.

Shop at: www.CourageousGifts.com, proceeds go to FPT-AWP!

Become a Sustainer: publicly declare your support by pledging to raise $500/year! 

Make a donation: transfer funds via PayPal at www.FPT-AWP.org or to: Westpac Bank, Lindfield Branch BSB: 732-086 Acct: Elizabeth Jane Drexler, No: 597322 or send a cheque/check to: 

Friends Peace Teams-AWP, 1001 Park Ave, St. Louis, MO 63104314-688-1122 USA

Elizabeth Jane Drexler, 17 Pockley Ave., Roseville NSW 2069 Australia

From: Evangelical Friends Mission <efm@friendsmission.com>
Date: Mon, Apr 27, 2015 at 3:14 PM
Subject: Nepal Prayer Focus and Appeal
To: dan@friendsmission.com

Pray Without Ceasing   During the last 48 hours we have continued to check the news about the aftermath of the earthquake in Nepal and communicate with our missionaries who are located in Kathmandu. The death toll has quadrupled since our first update (from 1000 to 4000). People have now spent three nights outside of their homes because of the aftershocks. Many, including some of our missionaries, have been sleeping in their cars. Others are out in open spaces in tents or makeshift shelters. It has been cold and raining. Shortages of food, water, clothing, blankets, and electricity make the situation more urgent. Emergency aid is beginning to trickle in, however. Our missionaries have been getting reports from Nepali Friends about the condition of their homes and church buildings. There are Friends who live and worship in a place called Gorka which is located very close to the epicenter of Saturday's earthquake. Forty of their homes and their church building are badly damaged or completely destroyed in that one area alone. There are reports from other villages that at least thirty more of the believers' homes have been partly or completely destroyed including another church building. So it is becoming clear that one of the biggest needs in the days and weeks ahead will be reconstruction of homes and a few church buildings. There will probably be ways for us to help with other immediate needs as well. Conversations are underway with our missionaries about what those needs are and what we can do about them. As reported in the first update, EFM does have some emergency funds on hand to begin sending assistance right away. We do invite you to give towards our emergency fund so that we can accomplish whatever the Lord gives us to do in the recovery phase of this emergency and also still have some funds on hand for the next emergency. Below you will find the options for giving to the emergency fund. Even as we give prayer is still what is needed most. Pray not only for the physical and material needs of the Nepali people but also for their spiritual needs. May more and more people come to know the one true God in the midst of this crisis. Dan Cammack *Mail:  Please make checks payable to Evangelical Friends Mission and mail to PO Box 525,      Arvada, CO 80001. * Credit Card:  Call 888.421.8102 to donate now. * Online Giving:  friendsmission.com/donate. EFM uses PayPal, so you may donate online today      giving with your PayPal account or credit card. At the "donate to" line scroll to the bottom and       choose "other" and in the comment box add Emergency Fund. * Phone or email:  Contact EFM (efm@friendsmission.com) anytime with any questions or to      indicate your   wish to make a donation.

What is your cupid health? Camus, Jainism, and Harmless Good Health

“Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend.” - Albert Camus

Most of friends and family are strong and won't give up. All those who have are a blessed ancestry!

Giving up is Not wrong or anything like it. We all have limits. Some are shorter than others. In fact, I also love Camus' take on that: Philosophically Suicide is the First Question. Not encouraging, just sharing. Once you decide to live; and, once you make a commitment to try out the Impossible and begin a line of communication with an "Other" - you are essentially committed to healthy harmless living. Most of us who decide to practice harmless living come to this from a religious, universalist, or spiritual perspective. Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism, and Hinduism, all have some wonderfully explicit instruction on the benefits of harmlessness. This does not mean a lack of action either. It is lovely, for example, how the use of harmless and pure interchange in different translations of Phippians 2:15. One of the best examples of the practice of active harmlessness is Jainism seen in India's capital Delhi. Jainist religion was founded around principles of non-violence, vegetarianism, and harmlessness. In this lovely and ancient religious edifice the top floors are reserved for the healing of animals. Injured animals are brought from all over to receive care and compassion here.

I ask you all, how can I serve you today?

......
I have not successfully committed to a life free from killing and violence toward animals. If you commit to anything else but this; again, my limited experience speaking here - your Other will come back and rain fire on you from the depths of HELL. Or some such discomfort will be shared with you.

I have a psychoanalyst uncle who has practiced in NYC now 50 some years, his answer is simple, Keep Working on IT. But, he also assures me with all his experience, realize how difficult change is.

Long winded introduction to this blog post; but, it is a way of saying something I had heard and perhaps have learned in years of travel and adventure now - you: Take IT with you.

Some great travel gurus have put it this way - people who go on extended travel or live as expatriates fall in two to three camps, those who are running away, those who are running to, and those who are lost permanently. I can agree with the characterization and generalization; though most of us combine elements of all three.

......
So my blog question is this: What is your cupid health? What are you doing to find happiness and fulfillment; satisfaction, understanding and ease; harmlessness and joy; and mindfulness in an Other?

When we are young, when we continue to be young at heart, when we have hurt ourselves through experience, sickness, or aging, there may follow an 'ah-ha' moment or renewed sense of life: Use IT.

In one way or another most Ancients had things valid and generous to pass down to us on subjects of love, trust, happiness, and faith in Others. Shamans, Gurus, and Scientists share these views today.

Don't be afraid to unwind, but nothing will stop you shorter ways up mountain than a road of excess.

Eat healthy, Be healthy, Treat people healthfully. In all these ways be harmless.

Expose yourself to improve your health. Practice peace actively. Start from where you are.

Believe in the history on our ancients. Know that in explaining we bring new questions to the fore.

Change comes to me with tiny successes. I know that there is truth; it is in me; and it is complex.


In closing.... I ask you all, how can I serve you today?

"In the next few years the struggle will not be between utopia and reality, but between different utopias, each trying to impose itself on reality ... we can no longer hope to save everything, but ... we can at least try to save lives, so that some kind of future, if perhaps not the ideal one, will remain possible."

ALBERT CAMUS, Between Hell and Reason