A Church minister from Nepal has thanked Scots for their prayers and financial support in wake of earthquakes that devastated his country last month.
The Rev Ram Kumar Budhathoki of Ebenezer Bible College in Kathmandu told commissioners at the General Assembly yesterday that he was alone in his church when the first natural disaster struck and feared he was going to die.
“It was so strong that people were not able to stand,” he recalled.
“People were crying and prayed to the Lord to have mercy and protect us.
“After 42 seconds of shaking the country was devastated, 8,500 people lost their lives, about 20,000 were seriously injured, 275,000 houses were completely destroyed and many children and young people were traumatised severely.”
Mr Budhathoki said he was with his young son and other relatives by the time a second earthquake hit Nepal and was not as “terrified” as he was when the first one occurred because he was not alone.
He claimed the disaster had destroyed 90% of houses, cattle have been killed and seed for planting rice has been buried under mud.
Mr Budhathoki said: “People have nothing and are in a very difficult situation.
“Thank you for standing with us and praying for us and supporting us.”