As Hope Force International’s [HFI] first Nepal medical team returns to the U.S., our second team of eleven volunteers from four states, Canada, England, and Haiti has arrived in Khathmandu and will be working in remote villages which have yet to receive medical care since the first earthquake. The two teams crossed paths in Dubai, and the first team had a few hours to debrief and prepare the next team for what was ahead.
HFI staff member and medical team leader, Marianne Lako, who remains in Nepal stated: "Today I will say goodbye to an amazing team. I will miss them and am grateful for 24 hours to prepare myself to welcome "Team Two." As a team, we've gone through a lot together. Coming to help after the April 25 quake, we did not think we would experience a 7.4 ourselves.The aftershocks/tremors of 5.7, 5.5 etc. keep us all in "prepare to run mode." Yet we are doing well. The Nepalese people are amazing. Their hospitality and generosity blessed us on a daily basis. Having gone through the 7.4 quake with them made us one of them. A piece of our hearts will always be with them. Thank you "Team One" for making this special. We could not have done it without you and we definitely could not have done it without our God."
HFI nurse, Teryn Warnke, reflects on her time in Nepal: "With four day’s notice, I dropped everything to travel to a disaster-stricken country, and since being here I've been through a 7.4 earthquake (my first earthquake ever), NUMEROUS aftershocks, including a 6.3 and 5.7, actually feared for my life countless times, nearly jumped off a bus/out of a truck 3 times, have developed a startle and sprint reaction time like no other, and now know how fast my heart rate can go from 50 to 150 in response to a quake alarm.
But I've been able to help so many people who have suffered so much loss and injury, and have met and been reunited with some of the most amazing people.... I'm so blessed to have been able to serve with all of you these past 12 days. I'll never forget it!"
