Ministries Aiding Nepal-Tibet Flood Survivors

More than 1,200 killed in disaster.

Christian ministries have jumped to the aid of communities hit by catastrophic flooding in Nepal.

One week after floodwaters surged along the Nepal-Tibet border and Trishuli River, the death toll has surpassed 1,200 and thousands remain missing. In addition, more than 5,000 people have sustained injuries and about 20,000 homes will have to be rebuilt. Churches in this South Asian country have long struggled to practice their faith amid legal restrictions and anti-Christian violence, but many are now partnering with U.S. ministries to demonstrate Christ’s love to neighbors in crisis.

Photo via Facebook @Operation Blessing

The following organizations are among U.S. groups joining the humanitarian effort.

Operation Blessing

(Donor Confidence Score: 93, “Give With Confidence”)

This Virginia Beach ministry has spent five decades doing relief and development work around the globe. It announced its Global Disaster Response team working with Operation Blessing India and local partners in Nepal to distribute meals, water, hygiene kits and other needed supplies. “Right now, our priority is getting help to families who have lost their homes, their belongings and, in many cases, loved ones,” said Global Disaster Response Senior Director Diego Traverso in a press release. “Our team is mobilizing with equipment that can help provide safe drinking water, light and other essential support, while our partners in Nepal are already working to meet the immediate needs of displaced families.

Water Mission

(Donor Confidence Score: 100, “Give With Confidence”)

Water Mission describes itself as a “Christian engineering nonprofit that builds safe water solutions for people in developing countries, refugee camps, and disaster areas.” The North Charleston, South Carolina, ministry touts 25 years of experience in natural disaster response and says that “in each response, our team is there to reassure those dealing with overwhelming loss that God is with them.” Water Mission has launched a fundraising campaign for the Nepal intervention and announced it is sending its Disaster Assistance Response Team to the region to determine clean water, sanitation and hygiene needs.

Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, Inc.

(Donor Confidence Score: 100, “Give With Confidence”)

This Missouri nonprofit, which is a five-time winner of the MinistryWatch Shining Light Award, oversees the relief and development work of the Church of the Nazarene by collaborating with a network of 30 international NGOs in 150 countries around the world as well as U.S. partners. The ministry reported that “local churches and partners” in Nepal have begun providing food, shelter and other essentials to about 600 people, with more aid expected to come. It has launched an emergency response fund it says “helps equip local churches and partners to walk alongside affected families during this difficult time.”

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Venture

(Donor Confidence Score: 84, “Give With Confidence”)

This Burnsville, Minnesota, nonprofit focuses on the issues of poverty, human trafficking and refugee crises, especially in regions with minimal exposure to the Gospel. Venture is soliciting donations to support partners in Nepal, which it said are providing medical care, reaching marginalized communities, checking in on women previously rescued from trafficking, helping survivors cope with trauma, and working with local pastors and governments to assess needs and coordinate the response.

Venture also asks for prayers. “I’m reminded that the number one thing we can do is pray,” said Executive Director Paul Hurckman. “Could we be praying for our partners in this moment right now for their safety, for their clarity, for their calm and for them to best understand where the needs are and what we can do to help?”

World Relief

(Donor Confidence Score: 95, “Give With Confidence”)

Originally founded by the National Association of Evangelicals to aid victims of WWII, World Relief now aids people affected by poverty, violence, disasters, oppression and mass displacement. The ministry announced it is mobilizing a “rapid humanitarian response” in partnership with Mission East to meet immediate needs while also preparing for the recovery process.

World Relief’s goal in the early response is to reach 1,500 people in the worst affected communities while prioritizing the most vulnerable families. It plans to distribute food, temporary shelter materials, clean water, hygiene items and household supplies, plus “tailored support” for those with disabilities.

Samaritan’s Purse

(Donor Confidence Score: 36, “Withhold Giving”)

Franklin Graham’s international aid organization specializes in disaster relief. The ministry reported that hundreds of families in Nepal have already received aid through local partners, thanks to the arrival of a 767 cargo plane on Sept. 2. The shipment included tarps, blankets, hygiene kits, solar lights and household water filters. Samaritan’s Purse noted in a press release that it worked with the same local partners to aid survivors of the 2015 Nepal earthquake. “It’s important that we work quickly to help ease as much suffering as possible,” Graham said. “We want the people of Nepal to know that God loves them, and I ask everyone to join us in continuing to pray for them.”

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