| I have been meaning to write a post about my adventures last fall for a long time. One of the most inspirational was my trip to Nepal in September. Nepal is a beautiful place with temples that are thousands of years old, mountains that make a person feel tiny, and sunrises that inspire healthy days. The Nepali people are strong and proud. The British failed to colonize the area and today the country sits between the monoliths China and India. Nepal is a place of legendary hospitality and peacefulness. Hindu monuments are adjacent to Buddhist temples and the country is fairly safe for a single female traveler like myself. Nepal is also one of the greatest recipients of foreign aid. I noticed gender inequality that is unacceptable in the United States. Contaminated water and unreliable electricity are non-negotiable parts of life. Life expectancy is short. Nepal has faced such challenges admirably. Then, a couple of days ago an earthquake ratted the country. | |
On Saturday a 7.8 earthquake hit the area, buildings were flattened, and people were buried in the rubble. The death count as I write this is over 4,600.
* The final count is 8,000 dead, 21,000 injured
On the left, photos of Nepal after the April 25th, 2015 Earthquake. On the right, photos that I took in September 2014. I'd especially like to note the utter destruction of the Durbar Square temples in the bottom row.
What Nepal taught me then and teaches me now is that humans are frail and resilient. The Himalayas made me feel like an ant but a very strong ant with the ability or potential to navigate the land.
Thousands of Nepali have died in such a short time because the forces of Nature are still more powerful than the wishes of human kind. Thousands of Nepali will live through difficult injuries because their wily will to like can overcome so many challenges.
The importance of support from those of us outside of Nepal is very clear. Please consider what you can do for the other people on this planet who face challenges that are invisible in other parts of the world.
With Loving Kindness,
Amy
Thousands of Nepali have died in such a short time because the forces of Nature are still more powerful than the wishes of human kind. Thousands of Nepali will live through difficult injuries because their wily will to like can overcome so many challenges.
The importance of support from those of us outside of Nepal is very clear. Please consider what you can do for the other people on this planet who face challenges that are invisible in other parts of the world.
With Loving Kindness,
Amy
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