Outside her home Chanchali Shrestha outside her new home. 2015 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.

Monsoon season and cold weather have arrived in Nepal but the people are still recovering from the devastating April 2015 earthquake. LDSC (Latter-day Saint Charities) joined with CHOICE International to build semi-permanent houses for the earthquake victims living in the Dolakha district of Nepal.

LDSC volunteers worked along side CHOICE volunteers for four days to complete 48 houses. On day five, as dark was approaching, they were working hard to complete the remaining seven houses to be able to travel to the next village the following day. Chanchali Shrestha’s house was one of them. Chanchli greeted the workers warmly, welcomed the team with boiled potatoes, and eagerly shared her story with them.

Chanchali Chanchali is grateful for her home with the winter weather here. 2015 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chanchali has three daughters and two sons, all married and settled elsewhere, leaving Chanchali and her husband to remain in their home in the village. On the day of the earthquake, Chanchali was working outside the house while her husband was taking a nap in his bed after the morning meal. The earthquake suddenly hit and the house collapsed in front of her eyes. She screamed for help but no one was there and her husband died in the collapsed shambles. Emotionally, she said, "I had only one person who loved and cared for me and then Daiba (God) took him away."

Now, alone in the village, she told the workers "I had none to help me here; you appeared like an angel and made me a beautiful house."

Since the earthquake, 140 houses have been constructed for the people of Nepal. The work done by LDS Charities around the world lifts people from devastating situations and gives them hope again.