'Overwhelming response' to Phillip Island Nepal fundraiser

THERE was a heart-warming response to the ‘Fundraising Dinner for Nepal’ at the St Philip’s Anglican Church Hall in Cowes on Tuesday night this week.

One of the organisers, Glenys Gijsbers, who is a member of the church, and with her husband Richard, worked overseas as a missionary, was talking to her friends in the local Nepalese community on Phillip Island about what might be done to help.

The death toll from Nepal's devastating flood rose to 1357 on Tuesday, with 5326 people still missing, the country's disaster authority said nearly two weeks after the August 26 disaster.

In China, 43 people were confirmed dead and 519 missing, according to state media, bringing the overall toll to 1400 dead and 5845 missing.

But as tragic as the loss of life is, entire communities, with homes, businesses, roads, bridges, hydropower facilities, water systems and telecommunications have been swept away and will take years to rebuild.

UNICEF said 17,000 children had been impacted. It’s like to be a conservative estimate.

“We came up with the idea of having a fundraising dinner, and I said I thought we might get 50 or 60 but is soon became apparent that we were going to get a lot more than that,” said Mrs Gijsbers.

“We had to put on another sitting. It’s been overwhelming.”

Reverand Ruth Hanlon, Minister at St Philips, said the church was delighted to throw open the doors of the hall for such a worthy cause.

“It warms my heart to see so many people here. To the Cowes community – you’re amazing,” said Revend Hanlon.

“It’s just so wonderful to gather as a church, as people of the community, with the Nepali community who have cooked up a beautiful gift and that’s why we are here tonight, to support them.”

Minister Hanlon said grace for the meal, but in her message of thanksgiving was a heart-breaking prayer for those who have lost everything in the “devastating floods”, who are mourning their dead and missing, and already trying to rebuild their lives.

“May you bring comfort and strength to those who are mourning the loss of loved ones, and provide for those who have lost everything.

“We also pray for those who are still missing, dead or alive. May you grant success to those who are on the ground searching for their loved ones, and thank you for the miraculous recovery of so many,” she said.

“Glenys and Richard are members of our church and have worked as missionaries in Nepal and have supported the Nepalese community of Phillip Island which now numbers more than 100 local residents, I believe,” said Reverend Hanlon.

“We wanted to do something and jointly with the Nepal community we’ve been able to organise this night.”

Where there had been a hope that 50 to 60 might sit down, donate to the cause and enjoy a meal, upwards of 200 had tuned out, sharing the 89 chairs that had been laid out.

“The Nepalis have catered for 180, but we’ve still got to feed the volunteers. I hope we’ve got enough for them,” said Glenys.

Another of the event’s organisers, Kate Hanssen, who has run Reconnection Tours, organising travel to Nepal for more than a decade, fostering connections with cultures, communities, and the natural world, said the flash floods that tore through Nepal's Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading districts on August 26 would take longer to recover from that the Gorkha earthquake of 2015.

“We were there after the earthquake, volunteering and raising funds, but this will take a lot longer to get over,” said Kate.

“Half of the money raised will go to the Nepali Prime Minister’s appeal HERE, and the rest will be distributed through the church.

“Can people still donate, yes, definitely, probably best through the church website but if people would like to donate directly to a grassroots’ project, they can contact me on my email at thereconnectiontribe@gmail.com

If you didn’t get along to the fundraising dinner on Tuesday night, you can still donate through the Anglican Parish of Bass-Phillip Island via their website HERE, hit the ‘Events’ tab, and then go to ‘Nepal Fundraising Dinner’, where you’ll find EFT and bank account details.