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Prayer for Nepal



Like thousands of others, I am praying today for the people of Nepal.

The country is devastated - physically and emotionally.

How many lives must be lost, oh God? 

I am praying for help and peace and comfort. How it aches our hearts to know that we cannot do much except pray and send a check. Such little to do with such overwhelming need.

When I was a little girl - probably 5th grade or so - my parents talked about becoming missionaries to Nepal. They were both public school teachers, and they had heard of great need in that country for Christian teachers.

We talked about this - as a family - and we were all ready to go. Then, the country closed to outside missionaries, and our plans were cancelled. But dreams of Nepal stayed in my heart.

When I was packing for our move, I found my construction-paper covered report from 5th grade on the country of Nepal, its people, its products, and other random assorted facts written on large-ruled notebook paper with encyclopedia and National Geographic photos cut and carefully pasted on the pages.

Years later, Nepal entered my heart again with a book. Conor Grennan wrote a book titled Little Princes. It is his memoir about life after college. He had decided to spend his first year of post-school freedom traveling the globe. To offset what he saw as a selfish pursuit, he started by volunteering at an orphanage in Nepal.


What he didn't expect was that the needs of those children would break his heart and change the entire course of his life as he began an organization to save children who had been trafficked.

I decided to teach that book for my freshman English class - and was thrilled when I found out that I had an international student from Nepal. Hanna had a gorgeous smile and taught me the correct pronunciation of her beloved home country.


She told me about the beauty of the mountains and endless cups of tea. She talked about her parents who married out of love and broke traditions of arranged betrothals. She lit up as she described her heart to reach the people of her country with God's love.

I pray for Hanna today - she had not heard from her family when I last emailed her. How hard it is not to know. I pray for the orphans of Nepal and Conor's work there. I pray for the people who do not know if there loved ones are safe. I pray for those who lost homes and all of their earthly possessions. I pray for the children who lost parents and the parents who lost children. I pray for the grief of seeing roads broken and buildings crumbled.

I pray for God to heal and to comfort and to be present for His people today.

Praying and weeping with you, Nepal.
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