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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, April 30, 2015 | 10 Families homeless as residences reduced to rubble by Ian Holroyd Oakville Beaver Staff Michael Messenger, Oakville resident and incoming president of World Vision Canada, is on the ground in Nepal where a massive earthquake has caused widespread devastation. The Oakville Beaver spoke with Messenger by telephone early Wednesday as he travelled in a Land Rover to a remote area of the country hardhit by the disaster. A 7.8 magnitude quake struck Nepal Saturday impacting nearly eight million people. More than 5,000 people are dead and thousands more are injured. The death toll continues to rise. Messenger said he spent most of Tuesday (April 28) in the community of Bhaktapur. It is a mostly residential neighbourhood on the outskirts of the capital of Kathmandu. He said most of the homes there have been rendered uninhabitable. "Homes have been reduced to piles of rubble," Messenger said, over a crackling phone line from Nepal. "There's fine dust in the air. There's smoke and, of course, for every one of these homes, there's a family that has a story and now has to find shelter where ever they can." Messenger said in every public space, there are entire families huddled under tarpaulins trying to stay warm and dry, each family with a similar story of survival. "One of the families was in the middle of a meal and had to scoop up the children and rush out the door just as their house collapsed behind them," he said. "We heard stories again and again of families like that." World Vision Canada's focus right now is meeting the immediate needs of the Nepalese One of the families was in the middle of a meal and had to scoop up the children and rush out the door just as their house collapsed behind them. We heard stories again and again of families like that. Michael Messenger World Vision Canada Oakville's Michael Messenger,who is in Nepal with World Vision Canada, surveys damage with a team of rescue workers. | photo courtesy Britt Hamilton - World Vision Canada people, according to Messenger. This includes providing shelter and clean drinking water. Messenger said nearly all the water in the city areas has either been cut off or contaminated. He said World Vision is also working to provide child-friendly spaces. They have trained staff to run these facilities who can help begin the healing process for children who have lived through this disaster. Messenger recalled talking to one young man who said he liked school but didn't want to go back because he was afraid that some of his friends might not be there, killed by the earthquake. "That is a lot for a 13-year-old boy to handle and we're coming across stories like this all the time. There are children who have just barely survived, others who have lost loved ones and friends and, of course, living with the panic that the disaster might happen again." Messenger said he visited a neighbourhood where he could see funeral pyres burning. He was told in that one area, 300 bodies, many of them under age 10, had been burned in the first three days of the recovery effort. He said the fear of significant aftershocks or another earthquake is ever-present among the population. "Families are afraid to go into their homes. Most people are continuing to live outside of their homes, even homes that haven't been destroyed," he said. "But the Nepalese people are very tight-knit and family-focused and we have families working together and staying together and supporting each other." Messenger said the best way for Oakville residents to help the people of Nepal is to make a donation. "Oakville residents again and again have shown their generosity to people around the world," he said. "There are children and families in need right now. Organizations like World Vision are ready to help." The Canadian government has pledged to match dollar for dollar donations dedicated to Nepal until May 25. To donate to World Vision Canada's Nepal efforts, visit www.worldvision.ca. n O o p w en Interlocking & Concrete Specialists Great Family DininG For over 40 years! · Pebble Concrete · Stamped Concrete · Interlocking · Flagstone · Walkways · Garage Floors · Patios · Driveways · Curbs (French) Out Mom take akfast... y re for b thers Da n Mo pm e p O -3 8am Visit our new location today! 2420 Lakeshore rd., W. unit 1112, Oakville Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner Breakf Call Mario 905.842.7171 sunmarlandscape.com 905-827-4851 Mon. - Sat. 8am - 9pm Sun. 8am - 3pm SAVE SAV AVE $10