Nepal | Beyond Relief
“This is more than disaster relief. It is about walking with people, building relationships, serving them, and showing them the love of God in a practical way.”
On August 26, 2026, a series of flash floods and debris flows devastated communities along Nepal’s Trishuli River near the Chinese border. The disaster killed more than 1,400 people, and thousands more remain missing.
Several of the national leaders Novo has been investing in and developing over the past few years live near the areas impacted by this crisis. Watching the early news footage was devastating for them, bringing them back to the trauma they had personally experienced during the massive earthquakes that hit Nepal in 2015. These leaders were connected to several churches and pastors in the flood-stricken communities who sustained terrible casualties. Their hearts broke for their neighbors, and they said “yes” to trekking into the devastated areas to serve.
They partnered with a trusted Christian relief and development organization that already had humanitarian infrastructure in place but needed help caring for the emotional and spiritual needs of people whose lives had been upended by the floods.
They were able to distribute essential supplies to hundreds of families in urgent need—including rice and lentils, cooking oil, clothing, shoes, and medicine. But they wanted their response to be about more than distributing supplies.
“Many people may go to an affected area, distribute relief supplies, take some pictures, and then return home,” the Nepal leaders said. “Our team wants to take a different approach. Before deciding what to provide, we first go there, stay with the people, talk with them, listen to their feelings and experiences, and understand their situation. We work alongside them physically and try to discover their most important needs.”
They hope to provide immediate help while also building long-term relationships in these communities—showing the love of God not only through words, but through their presence and actions.
At one point, the team heard about a community that was especially difficult to reach. They decided to go.
They rode their motorcycles for more than five hours through the rain along a slippery, off-road path. The journey was risky, but they trusted Jesus and continued on because they wanted to be with the people.
When they arrived, they found local residents and members of the army working to build a temporary bridge so people could cross the river. Rather than simply watch or hand out supplies, the team joined them.
“We carried stones, pulled heavy pieces of wood, and helped build the bridge and improve the pathway. We walked alongside the local people and worked together with them.
As we actively participated in the work, people began asking us questions:
“Which organization are you from?”
We told them, “We are from a church. We are Christians, and we came here because we want to help you.”
That simple conversation opened a door for us.
Through our actions, we had an opportunity to show that Christians care about people—not only through words, but also through practical service. We stayed there for several days, helping in different ways, listening to people, working alongside them, and sharing their difficult experiences.
For us, this is more than disaster relief. It is about walking with people, building relationships, serving them, and showing them the love of God in a practical way.
The people were deeply thankful the team had come—not simply to distribute supplies and leave, but to stay, listen, and work alongside them.
There is still much to be done. As the needs continue, Novo’s teams in Nepal are continuing to say “yes” to each opportunity to love their hurting neighbors and show them the compassion of Jesus.
