Lutherans move into next phase of recovery in Nepal

            CHICAGO (ELCA) – As the monsoon season comes to an end in Nepal, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will continue to work with partners there to resume earthquake reconstruction efforts and prepare for the winter season.

            Six months ago two earthquakes struck Nepal within weeks of one another, leaving millions of people in need of humanitarian assistance. The earthquakes triggered an avalanche on Mount Everest and another in the Langtang valley. More than 8,500 people died as result of the earthquakes.
            The ELCA is "moving in practical, strategic ways forward through Lutheran Disaster Response and in partnership with Lutheran companion partners there," said Dr. Vitaly Vorona, program director for Lutheran Disaster Response – International.
            "As we transition from immediate relief to long-term response, we continue to work with our trusted partners – The Lutheran World Federation, Lutheran World Relief and United Mission to Nepal – to continue providing assistance in earthquake-affected areas," he said.
            In Nepal's Dhading district, response efforts include building durable shelters and sustaining livelihoods.
            An area of focus in the district is "providing resources, skills and expertise for people to build homes in a way that will sustain future earthquakes," according to Mark Galpin, executive director for United Mission to Nepal based in Kathmandu.
            In meetings here with staff of the ELCA churchwide organization, Galpin said that, in partnership with the ELCA, United Mission to Nepal continues to provide trauma counseling, increased vocational training and elementary education for children and more.
            "Once people have gone through traumatic experiences, we need to allow people to continue sharing – enable survivors to process their trauma. Once healing begins, next steps include encouraging survivors to participate in vocation training and income-generating projects," said Galpin. In some circumstances "disasters can also be a springboard for survivors to build a better future, particularly as a result of counseling and training. We do not want disasters to occur, but there is opportunity for resiliency."
            In partnership with The Lutheran World Federation, the ELCA has supported the distribution of food, hygiene kits and other materials to more than 21,000 households in 27 villages and towns in Nepal. Long-term response efforts will continue to include community-based psychosocial support to about 14,000 people. The Lutheran World Federation is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran tradition. The ELCA is the only U.S. member church of the communion.
            In partnership with Lutheran World Relief, the ELCA has provided temporary shelter and emergency food assistance to nearly 30,700 people. About 10,000 quilts, 1,000 personal-care kits and 100 water-filtration units have also been distributed.
                Information about Lutheran Disaster Response is available at www.ELCA.org/Our-Work/Relief-and-Development/Lutheran-Disaster-Response.
- - -
About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with more than 3.8 million members in nearly 10,000 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer, Martin Luther.

For information contact:
Melissa Ramirez Cooper
Associate director, ELCA Publications and Public Relations
773-380-2956 or Melissa.RamirezCooper@elca.org
ELCA News: www.ELCA.org/news
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Lutherans
Living Lutheran: www.livinglutheran.com