Nepal is a country of fascinating contrasts. Known for its abundance of natural resources, including powerful rivers, thick forests and stunning snow-capped mountain ranges (including the iconic Mount Everest), yet many villages perched high in the mountains struggle to get life-giving fresh water from the rivers far below.

Our short-term delegation visited one such remote village set on a mountain peak with cows and cottages dotting the valley below.

The chore of hauling water was left up to the women. With large empty jugs strapped to their backs, the women were tasked with walking two hours downhill to gather water, then hiking back up the steep path to deliver their hefty cargo back to their families. This was a daily task!

In 2017, a fresh-water pump was installed in the village just outside a newly rebuilt building which had been totally destroyed in the 2015 earthquakes. What a cause for great joy and celebration for the whole community! The funds for the water project were partially raised by the community.

Installation of the water system was a community effort! The people of the village provided the labor. Working shoulder-to-shoulder to provide living water for their families, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians built new and lasting bonds.

I can’t tell you how powerful and inspiring it was to actually experience this reconstruction work being done in Nepal. You are a part of it. Thank you to all who contributed… you have improved many lives!

While approaching village, I was aware of the moment my group caught our first glimpse of the tiny robin’s-egg blue building perched on the hill in the bright sunshine – breathtaking. I wondered to myself, “Could this be a mirage?”

The building filled to overflowing with the entire community, Hindu, Buddhist and Christian alike. Everyone sat on the floor, men on one side, women on the other. Children scampered over everyone.

All were filled with great joy and thanksgiving for the new permanent water pump the newly constructed building provided. We sang songs in Nepali and listened to expressions of gratitude from many women and men representing the community.