Children to Children

Primary children and leaders

Primary children and their leaders in Macau, 2015.

A severe earthquake struck near Kathmandu, Nepal, on April 25, 2015, devastating the country and leaving virtually no Nepalese family untouched by tragedy. The earthquake, as well as several aftershocks, killed some 9,000 people, injured almost 22,000, destroyed more than 600,000 structures, and left 3.5 million people homeless. Many of the victims were children. Schools were closed, and many families huddled together under tarps for shelter from the monsoonal rain as the aftershocks continued for weeks. In response to the earthquake, the Church contributed resources from Latter-day Saint Charities to aid general humanitarian efforts.

The small group of Latter-day Saints in Kathmandu have long felt a sense of isolation caused by language barriers and the long distance between them and other Church members. Without government sanction, the small branch exists informally and receives only limited support from humanitarian missionaries assigned to the country. When humanitarian missionaries were evacuated after the earthquake, the isolation of the Saints in Nepal only deepened.

More than 2,900 kilometers (1,800 miles) away in Macau, Latter-day Saint Primary children learned about the plight of children in Nepal and wanted to do something to help. Primary leaders in the three branches in Macau coordinated to organize an activity with the Primary children from throughout the area. Children drew pictures and collected markers and other childhood treasures and sent them to the Latter-day Saint children living in Kathmandu. “We love being a part of a worldwide Church that cares,” said Sister Chris Valentine, a senior humanitarian missionary. “The kids had fun looking at the writing that was different than their own. It was more convincing that they were a part of a culture totally different than theirs but with the same beliefs.” Primary children in Nepal were delighted by the gifts.

Having shown their Christlike love for children they are likely never to meet, the Macau Primary children were thrilled at the response passed along from Kathmandu through Chris: “Your Primary is so awesome! Thank you from the Kathmandu Branch Primary!”