Hearts and Hands

There is no doubt the earthquake of Nepal has deeply saddened the entire world.  We have been stunned by images of people digging through rubble where there once stood homes and temples. The human spirit to survive and help others has been conveyed through all images on social media and has humbled us all as we live our relatively quiet, stress-free lives.

Some of my favorite people in the world

The situation in Nepal has especially hit me as it was once where I called home. It was where my child learned to walk. It was where I learned about real poverty and compassion. It was where my husband learned to carve wood, and we raised chickens and bunnies. It was where I learned to work with soil, and live with rodents. It was where my children would play with their pet goat Randy, and find joy in the simplicities of life. We lived a blissful life, despite living without electricity for 17 hours a day, and the unsettling political environment.

Our ever growing garden

Nepal captured my heart unlike any country I have ever lived. It wasn't necessarily the gorgeous snow-capped mountains, or even the raw natural beauty donning prayer flags, buddhas and shivas. By far the grandest part of Nepal was the people. Collectively, I have never met a more humble, beautiful, hard working and giving people like the Nepalese. Though they had nothing, their desire to give was always so present. So many of them wanted to feed our entire family of 6 a complete dal bhat. My children loved sitting on the floor eating with their hands and our host was always delighted that they would eat every piece on their plate. Many times we could not communicate but their smiles and the sheer happiness on their faces was enough to tell us that they were getting as much joy from the experience as we were.

 We have since left Nepal, but my heart has always been connected. No matter what country I have lived in, I have always felt the need to go back to my beloved Nepal, and I have. My love for Nepal is undeniable, and for this reason I cannot sit back and simply watch the news. When I heard that the long awaited earthquake had finally hit, I felt compelled to do something. My first inclination was to hop on a plane, but for a number of reasons it was not the right thing to do.  I have spent hours contemplating how to help with real intent and purpose. As a result, I have put together an organization called Hearts and Hands for Nepal.

 This cause is dedicated to the building up of Nepal once again. It is a grassroots endeavor that will specifically focus on one project in a village that I have a special connection to. The village is near Kantipur, several miles outside of Kathmandu. At the moment, communication with people in the village is very limited and at this time I only know it has been hit hard by this earthquake. As a result, Hearts and Hands for Nepal will focus on rebuilding one of the structures that has been affected by the earthquake in this village. At this moment, our desire is to rebuild a school in the area, but a thorough look at the damage must be made to fully understand the need. Therefore, this cause will be ever-evolving as more information is given. This fall, Hearts and Hands for Nepal will be going to Nepal and executing this project. We will ensure 100% of donations will go towards this project so that it will benefit those who have suffered from this tragedy.



This blog will be where we will post photos and provide all information about the development of the project. This project will be small, but I will ensure it will be significant. If you would like to be part of this project, please click the donation button on this blog. No donation is too small. If you have special talents you could also contribute to this cause, please contact me at handsandheartsfornepal@gmail.com. Any support or interest in this project will be much appreciated. 

Thank you, and namaste.


If you find the desire to donate for an immediate need, there are several large organizations that could use your donation. I will soon post a list of reputable NGO organizations that have had a long term commitments to Nepal and emergency response teams. We have known several people who have worked for these organizations and it is a good place to send donations for immediate needs.