Sajan’s Earthquake Story

Our big brother Sajan has always been a role model for the younger children – he is studying at university for a degree in management, he is a great soccer player, he is kind and gentle with his little brothers and sisters. So everyone was happy for him when we recently learned that paperwork had come through for him to inherit his late father’s home in the charming old woodcarving town of Bungamati.

Sadly, Sajan and Bonnie Auntie went to visit Bungamati on May 2, exactly one week after the earthquake. This picturesque village lost 50% of their homes and their beautiful main temple in the disaster, and one of the homes completely destroyed was in fact, Sajan’s. When we went to visit, the villagers, who had not seen him since he was five years old, were very kind despite the fact that they, too, had lost so much – typical of the compassionate Nepali people.

After that sad work, Sajan and Bonnie delivered  125 kg of rice and dal to a group in Kathmandu that are housing and feeding 300 street people.  Then they went to the large tent city on Kathmandu’s large parade ground Tundikhel, where they delivered balloons, crayons, games,and  paper to a child care tent set up by World Vision.  Slowly Sajan’s smile returned, as he realized how fortunate he is, despite the loss of his home. People in the tent city still have nowhere to go, and we thank organizations like World Vision, who have set up safe places for displaced children and families.