1. 1. Nepal Earthquake Relief Projects Organised by Bhante Wimala of Nairobi Buddhist temple and Triple Gem Society
2. 2. Sharing an email from Bhante dated 11 May 2015 Dear Friends and Students, Greetings and many blessings to all of you from Nepal.
3. 3. I am in Nepal doing earthquake relief work. I am lucky to have two young Nepali monks to assist me. So many people have lost their homes and belongings. The death toll keeps rising as they discover more remote villagers ruined by the earthquake. We are organizing and distributing roofing materials, food and clothing, mosquito nets and whatever they need.
4. 4. Two days ago we reached a hilltop village, Jamdi Deurali, a two hour drive from Kathmandu, the capital. A Nepali army officer requested and insisted that I go there and help the people in this village. With their own four wheel drive we were able to reach this village. All the houses were damaged, many completely destroyed and some people have died but it was the first day they received food, tents and other basic needs.
5. 5. The devastated hilltop village of Jamdi Deurali on May 2015
6. 6. Waiting for the plans and the approval to reconstruct one of the school buildings in the hilltop village of Jamdi Deurial village.
7. 7. Distributing clothing to the needy in the mountain villages
8. 8. Visited Bungamati area Army camp and met with the commanding officer and officers and discussed the disaster relief program and future co-operation in assisting the most effected people.
9. 9. Bhante met with the commanding officer, Gen. Dias, and all the officers of the Sri Lankan Army rescue and Relief contingency.
10. 10. Bhante Wimala visited the devastated area in Bungamati with military officers and met with the community leaders and welfare officers and discussed about temporary housing program and now waiting for their proposal to consider.
11. 11. Visited badly devastated villages in Kathmandu region and distributed roofing material to the poorest families who were homeless. Tomorrow will be loading a truck with roofing material and most essential food items and other requested material to be distributed in a remote village in Panchkhal district.
12. 12. This was requested by the army officer who knows the area and knows that no aid has reached this village. He will join us for distribution. Met with the commanding officer, Gen. Dias, and all the officers of the Sri Lankan Army rescue and Relief contingency. Providing drinking water by filling storage tanks.
13. 13. Well, this is not the time to describe everything I do and hope you can get a feeling of what I am doing here. Please help us if you are in a position to help. The people here need all your help. Thank you. May you be well and happy.
14. 14. Frightening Moment on Top of a Himalayan Mountain Experiencing the second earthquake Email from Bhante Y. Wimala May 15, 2015
15. 15. When the second big earthquake happened, I was on top of a mountain. We had driven 18 km off the main road, two hours from the capital Kathmandu with two truckloads of relief goods, one four wheel drive jeep and two motorbikes. We drove on a small, unpaved road with great difficulty as we were going up the mountain.
16. 16. Eventually we arrived at the village of Vaisheltol just before midday. The truck drivers were not pleased to drive on such challenging roads but did not complain much because we were with an army officer. When we arrived at the village, the valley below and the panoramic view of the mountains were breathtaking.
17. 17. Many houses were just piles of rubble in this mountaintop village
18. 18. A small community of 45 families lived on this mountain. Most of the houses were destroyed by the first earthquake and some were damaged and still standing. Some families were living in broken houses. The houses were built with brick and mud and usually had three floors. The first floor is for animals and crops. The first big earthquake killed twenty-seven people and many were injured. Nobody had come to this village to provide any aid.
19. 19. Captain Pradip Chandra Bartaula was one of the first army officers who reached this village by foot after the earthquake and he said he had tears in his eyes on that day. He had arrived here on the second day after the earthquake, which is how he knew about his village. Capt. Bartaula was introduced to me by our Sri Lankan General Maithree Dias who was the commanding officer of the Sri Lankan army rescue team. I decided to go and help these people because Capt. Bartaula requested that I come here and help the people of this village because after fourteen days nobody had reached this village yet to help them.
20. 20. Captain Bartaula sharing his experience of the rescue mission in this village. I had tears in my eyes when I first arrived at this village after walking for two days by foot.
21. 21. We had two pickup trucks. One truck carried iron sheets for roofing and the other truck carried food supplies. Every family got 30kg of rice, oil, salt, lentils, and buckets for carrying water. All the people had gathered in an open space. Each family received food supplies and was waiting to receive the iron sheets for roofing. That is when the scariest moment for everybody reached us.
22. 22. The whole mountain was shaking. It felt as though the whole mountain was crumbling underneath my feet. People were screaming and running. Mothers were hugging their children. Clouds of dust from the falling buildings were on every side of us. To my left, to my right, and at my back were clouds of dust from falling walls of the mud houses. At the time I was facing the mountain across the valley. We were so high, the rest of the mountains were below us. We saw a landslide in the distance as the mountain walls were collapsing. The dust clouds looked like the big smoke from a wild fire.
23. 23. Some people were running towards the falling houses, maybe because they suspected that their children were inside. One of the young monks who is my assistant and who had experienced the first earthquake, Rev. Soma, completely froze. His mind went blank and later he told me that his hands were shaking and heart was beating fast. I had to raise my voice as I called his name. I heard that many people died from heart attacks during the earthquake and now I can understand why.
24. 24. A few minutes after the earthquake clouds of dust slowly settled. People were hugging their children and loved ones.
25. 25. Capt. Bartaula told me that he believed that we might have saved some lives on that day because everybody had left their broken homes and gathered in an open space to receive food and other aid from us. The way the bricks and walls were falling, most certainly if somebody were to be there inside the homes they might have gotten hurt.
26. 26. Just before the earthquake people were happy as they were receiving relief goods.
27. 27. Before we started our journey back, we gathered everybody and did some Buddhist chanting to bless them. That brought smiles to their frightened faces and they were thankful for what we did to help them. As we left the village and started our journey down the mountain, I wished that more people will go the extra mile to help those who are living in such difficult conditions and have lost everything they owned, especially their loved ones and the homes. Yes, I am willing to take up such challenges (without complaining about my back pain) as long as I am here in Nepal.
28. 28. Thank you very much for all your help. May you be well and happy. Bhante Y. Wimala
29. 29. Thank you The proceeds of today's Nepal Charity Bake Sale will be collected and sent to the Triple Gem Society, Nairobi Buddhist temple which is a non- profit 501(c)(3), Buddhist, humanitarian organization that uses a spiritual message to promote world peace.
30. 30. For Further Donations By Western Union or Moneygram direct to Bhante in Nepal : Name : Yatirawana Wimala Country : Nepal
31. 31. About Bhante Wimala Bhante Wimala, Triple Gem's Spiritual Director, travels the world sharing his guidance and wisdom with people of all faiths. Bhante has devoted his life to helping others, and through the Triple Gem Society he is involved in many humanitarian projects throughout the world such as providing medical care, supplies, and equipment; basic shelter; schools; scholarships; and many other basic necessities that so many of us take for granted.
32. 32. If you are interested in getting more information about the Center, please feel free to contact the Center at: Nairobi Buddhist Temple Loresho Ridge Road, Loresho Ridge P.O. Box 69563 Nairobi, KENYA Tel: 078 657 38 46
33. 33. Latest photos from Bhante