Monday, November 9, 2015

What's Happening Now

Hi!
Well, a lot of time has passed since I last wrote because we were on vacation!
Yeah!
We were able to visit our families and enter the unreal world of long hot showers
and grocery stores filled with endless supplies of yummies!  Let me tell you, it was hard to make ourselves leave these two places!

Also, later, will be Part 2 of our April 26 Earthquake story.
Just no time now!

OK, so what is happening in Nepal six months after the earthquake?
Yes, it's been six months--man, six months!  In some ways, it doesn't seem like it was that long ago!
Maybe it's because there are till aftershocks now and then!  

Also, because you can still see people living in tents.
I took this picture the other day, soon after we arrived.

People, this is not the same as camping in Yosemite, which I thought was fun and super enjoyed!
(photo credit:  yosemitepinesrv.com)

I don't think I can say that the people still living in tents are super enjoying it,
nor would they say it's fun!

Here is a photo post from ABC Australia by Care International's Brian Sokol 
that shows you current scenes in a village in Dhading District.  
Things look pretty much the same here.

Winter is coming and this means hardship under normal circumstances.  
Imagine now.
This article was in The Himalayan Times recently:

On top of everything else, there's a fuel crisis.  We are on strict orders to conserve all gas.
We use gas for cooking, heating, and hot water for showers.  We have to save the gas for quick (very quick) showers (which we actually did during the aftermath of the earthquake--who wants to be in the shower when there's a strong aftershock that makes you want to run outside) and to boil our drinking water.  Thankfully we have a microwave and toaster oven.  However, we have to be careful not to use too much electricity either, because if the hospital's generator's fuel supply runs out, and there is no fuel to buy, well, you get the idea!  Read about it here:

Most people have run out of gas and are cooking outside with wood.  Here is where our canteen's  wood fire is.   Yes, they ran out of cooking gas and are cooking outside right there.  They put up the tarp to keep the smoke away from our apartments.  

The other day, some cylinders of gas came to Banepa, and people waited in line for hours and I heard that many slept in the line to keep their place.  I'm not going to lie--it's hard.

Of course, food, medicine, blood, and other supplies are dwindling and prices are soaring.
This article in The Kathmandu Post tells about the medicine shortage:
http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/news/2015-11-09/with-supplies-halted-key-drugs-running-out-of-stock.html

People smile, but the look in their eyes is sad.  

Every industry is suffering, except perhaps those which sell electric appliances!
http://www.ktm2day.com/2015/11/06/electric-cookers-demand-rise-in-nepali-market/

Here's a picture I took of some vehicles in a line at a closed gas station.  This line went on and on.  They sleep there and wait until whenever their turn will be, which could be days.

We passed lines like this almost all the way to Banepa from Kathmandu (17 mi.)
As soon as we'd get to a gas station/petrol pump there would be just a short hop, skip, and a jump before the next line would start and snake its way along to the next closed pumps.  Of course, sitting in the hospital's jeep, I couldn't get a better picture.

However, look at this:


This picture is from this Kathmandu Post article:
http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/news/2015-11-07/spiraling-out-of-control.html
Man!
To see more photos, go to Google Images and type:  petrol lines in nepal

So, just keep the whole country in your prayers please!  THANKS!
Here are the precious darlings I get to spend time with who won't know you're praying for them,
but I will and that's enough!  I'm glad they don't understand what's happening
and are just enjoying their childhood.


OK, I'm going to go and see what I can make Ramon for dinner using the microwave and
toaster oven!

 Take care, God bless, and stay tuned for Part 2 of our April 26 story.