NEPAL EARTHQUAKE update 2 – 28/04/15
The Reformed Baptist Churches (numbers are approximate, from October 2013, as the number of outreaches and churches is increasing.)
Nepal is divided into five official Regions: Far West, Midwest, West (including Pokhara and physically in the centre of the country), Central (including the capital city of Kathmandu) and East.
The approximately 55 churches pioneered by Canaan Reformed Baptist Church (CRBC), Pokhara, and its daughter churches, are predominantly in the West, Central and East Regions. The West and Central Regions were worst effected by the earthquake. In the West Region there are 24 churches, with 7 in and around Pokhara. In the Central Region there are 6 churches in and around Kathmandu and one on the northern border in Richet. Practically all of these churches will have outreaches in neighbouring areas with regular congregations. [Another approximately 50 churches which have adopted the Baptist Confession of Faith and benefit from the ministries from CRBC (including the Canaan Ministerial Training Centre) are largely outside these effected Regions.] Most of these churches are in mountainous areas.
The 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck on Saturday 25 April just after noon with its epicentre more or less equidistant from Kathmandu and Pokhara (about 65 miles from each). Tremors lasted for several minutes and were followed by after-shocks, and quakes from other epicentres, on Saturday and Sunday which continued to cause damage to weakened structures. The Gohrka, Kathmandu and Dading Districts of the West and Central Regions appear to be the worst affected.
Saturday being the one-day “weekend” in Nepal, most believers attend worship in the morning and many were still gathered in their church buildings when the quake struck.
Pastor Samuel Rai and the congregations and buildings in Pokhara are unharmed.
Pastor Rai reports: “Although there has been lack of hospital places, medicines and health workers, our hospitals and health sectors all across the country have been actively working. Many remote villages have not yet been reached due to inaccessibility and we are unable to get their reports. Please pray that rescue and relief may reach them.
“We have been hearing that many Christians died while they were worshipping all across Nepal. Most of them were crushed underneath the buildings while some of them died in panicked crowds. Survivors have lost loved ones, houses and livestock.”
“In the Christian populated town of Barpk, in the Gorkha District, 90 percent of the houses and all the churches were demolished. 210 people are confirmed dead, and many are missing and many are seriously injured. Some 40 have been taken to Pokhara by helicopter. In this large district there were 32 men who had been trained in the Canaan Ministerial Training Centre and several are believe to have been killed. Pastor Chhetra Baramu has been sent there.”
“The building of our church in the remote mountain town of Richet, with 127 families, collapsed while the people were worshipping there. 261 believers were killed, including the wife and daughter in law of Pastor Man Bahadur Tamang who is badly injured. The building of Richet Bible School has totally collapsed. Due to the rain, clouds and dust, even the helicopter could not land there and rescue and relief could not reach to them. We have sent people there.
“The lack of food and water and sanitation are major issues. Most of the people are sheltering outside their houses in open fields. Some have not been safe even there but have been buried by earth movements. There are huge and irreparable losses in many lives. People are panicked and stricken and do not know what to do.
“We are organizing with all our Christian friends and churches to provide these believers with basics needs like food, medicines, blankets, clothing, tents, water supply etc. For this purpose we have created a fund. We need your helping hands right away.
“We are planning to send some rescue workers from our church; especially to churches in the Gorkha and Dhading Districts.
“My heart is really sad but I believe that God is in control and in charge of whole situation. Many trained men have been lost. In this hour of need please pray that the Lord will open many hearts for the gospel. Churches are being challenged too. So we will not only pray but, move forward to plant the gospel seed.”
“Thank you for sendingfunds. We start a.s.a.p. to reach them andhelp the survivors.
“I will update you when full and eye witness reports will are brought back by Pastor Mitra Rai and others from these places over the next few days.”
News from Pastor Samuel Rai
Edited and annotated by Michael Hunt – Metropolitan Tabernacle
28/04/15