(Editor’s note: This letter was updated on May 5 with additional information on how to donate by check.)
To the editor:
Our son Adrian Smith lives most of the year in Nepal. Here is a copy of the letter he wrote to his friends on Facebook to thank them for their contributions to his earthquake relief efforts:
Thank you so much for your concern, your generosity, and your trust in me. 100% of the funds you have donated will go towards providing the most basic support to Nepali farmers who have lost everything. We are working in the rural village of Chaukati and surrounding areas to bring basic shelter, safe drinking water and food to people who have lost their homes. The homes in Chaukati, as in much of rural Nepal, are built of stone without cement mortar with stone roofs. As in the neighboring villages, all 50 houses in Chaukati have been reduced to rubble. Thankfully the devastation occurred during the day when most people were out working in their fields. It is reported that only four have died in Chaukati. There is no electricity, no running water, and food sources are scarce and buried within their homes. Their crops have largely been destroyed. The earthquakes have been followed by rain and residents have had to endure with only the clothes on their back without even a tarp overhead. Road access has been compromised by a collapsed bridge and landslides. Provisions will need to be carried in through strenuous mountain terrain. As of writing, no disaster relief has yet come to this area.
We are providing each household in Chaukati with basic provisions: a tarp for shelter, a ceramic water purifying system, soap, rice and lentils, foam sleeping mattresses, and bowls for food and water. They are incredibly resilient people and the help now is critical for their recovery. We will not be able to give much in the way of updates but will be writing again in two weeks to update you on their progress and our work in the surrounding area. This is a village that is dear to my heart. I have been bringing American student groups to Chaukati for 15 years. They are some of the kindest, most honest, hard-working people I have ever met and they will use this minimal support to get back on their feet and rebuild their lives. Thank you again for your generosity. Probably never before have your dollars gone so far. Please help spread the word.
With best wishes,
Adrian
If anyone else wants to contribute, you can do so through Paypal. Adrian’s ID/email address is adrian_108@yahoo.com. Direct contributions to Adrian are not tax-deductible, but 100 percent of the gift goes to help the villagers. There are no administrative fees. Adrian and his friends will be carrying the supplies through the mountains to the villages because the roads are blocked. You can make out a check to Adrian Smith and mail it c/o Diana Smith, P.O. Box 6294, Lincoln, MA 01773. The memo can say “Earthquake Relief.”
Sincerely,
Diana Smith
8 Trapelo Rd.
Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to news@lincolnsquirrel.com. Letters must be about a Lincoln-specific topic, will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.
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