Nepal Earthquake- Update #3- Phortse

I'm exhausted fielding emails and social posts, but not near as exhausted as the people on the ground must be now.  It's got to be so so hard knowing the terrain, jet-lag, altitudes, monsoon rain and high temperatures on the way, never mind being witnesses to such tragic loss of life and the growing desperation of survivors.

The most painful part for me is while searching around making contacts for people and embassy's, having to return a message saying- " I'm so sorry - they did not survive" and feeling their pain. Most of my returns are saying "we are ok, our house is damaged, but we are ok".

Thankfully at the time of this post most of our Nepalese friends are getting their own messages out on their social sites. Some are good, some are incredibly sad.

Here's a one of those good ones that keeps me going.

Aunty Becky (what Yangzin calls me), We got new life but all safe.
Me and my husband and sister in KTM and our house also very fine. We stayed outside the day and time surfing Internet because we have wifi. All Nepalese people have no light, no water, not enough food, no phone. We got Internet so feeling very lucky. My home in Phortse also fine, papa (Sonam Sherpa- Everest guide) and momma (Yangzi) and brother also very fine. Even uncle Da Nuru's (known to many of our Canadian friends as Dawa, Everest guide) family fine too. But their house is little bit destroyed. Most of the things are ok.
Pictures are other people's houses destroyed in Phortse.  Hope everything ok there and uncle Tim too.  When uncle Tim comes he stay at my house if he not feel safe.   

We've known Yangzin Sherwa Sherpa since she was 8 years old. Her father Sonam and her uncle Da Nuru, we've known since they were very young men. They worked hard all their lives to build their homes. Starting out as porters, then kitchen boys, then yak herders, soon climbing Sherpas and eventually Sherpa guides. It's been a long hard road.

                     We wonder what will become of the next generation? Will they rebuild?

Please keep helping, lets not forget too soon. Please donate only to people you trust and who you know will be in a good position to make a difference in the lives of people of Nepal during these desperate times.

1. Oct. 11, 2015- Join us to the Khumbu Everest region. $1000US of your trek fee goes to help stabilize homes and schools all while giving our Sherpa families a sense of normality by getting tourism back up and running again.

2. Nov. 11, 2015- Sanachok- rebuild mission. Building a earth home, safe and affordable housing for the future. Proven to have sustained a M7.8 earthquake.

3. FIRST STEPS HIMALAYA- Portal for donations towards our Sanachok project.
   https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/earthquakenepalrelief

4. Sherpa Direct: Hand to Hand to Sherpa friends from friends who want to make sure donations go in their pockets and do not get reduced by relief agencies or taken by the Nepalese government.

 For more information please email me  peakfreaks@me.com


Becky & Tim Rippel