From the epicenter in Nepal, where every home was leveled, traffickers offer $500 per child

From the epicenter in Nepal, where every home was leveled, traffickers offer $500 per child
By Mark Ellis, Special to ASSIST News Service
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (ANS -- June 2, 2015) -- In the Gorkha district village of Armi, a rugged six-hour drive from Kathmandu, every single home was leveled by the enormous earthquake on April 25th. A small, four-person team of young people from two churches in Southern California made it to this village near the epicenter and recount the fierce determination of the people to rebuild, along with disturbing reports about traffickers attempting to take advantage amidst the misery.
“When the earthquake struck, 36 people were killed and every single home was leveled,” says Sam Ellis, a youth minister at Church by the Sea in Laguna Beach. He was accompanied on the relief mission by Ryah Arthur, from the same church and Tali Constantz and John Fredricks from Saddleback Church.
Sam and his teammates were the only responders to this town. “For centuries this village has been Hindu, but a church was started here two months ago and has 12 people meeting in it,” Sam reports.
“Nobody in the village has any shoes. They all work in bare feet and their feet get cut by all the rubble.” Sam and his team would visit the people, offer simple first aid, pray with them, and present the gospel.
He witnessed miracles and Hindu families receiving Christ. “Many people came up to me asking for prayer. They are open to Jesus,” he says.
The people of this picturesque village in the foothills of the Himalayas are industrious. “They are strong people, who work all day, starting at 5 am, working in their fields,” Sam notes. All the roofs of their houses fell in. They are very stressed because they have so much more work, to rebuild and tend their fields.”
Amidst the rebuilding, there has been a menacing intrusion. “School is not in session now and traffickers are coming around, offering $500 per child, saying they will find work for the children,” Sam recounts. In response, KI Nepal, an NGO involved in the fight against human trafficking, has been posting lookouts at the border to attempt to rescue these children.
Photo caption: Billy is living in a tent village in Kathmandu. He made it there after a six-hour journey from his village, which was completely destroyed.
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