Contact: Mark W. Gaither, 214-457-5418
MOUNT JOY, Penn., May 6, 2015 /
Christian Newswire/ -- A retired Air Force Colonel from Lancaster, PA, is in Nepal for 11 days to assess how to help those in need. Phil Liller, the director of the GAIN Logistics Center, had just two days to prepare for his trip to Kathmandu, Nepal.
"We knew that GAIN would be doing something after the earthquake in Nepal. I was called by one of our field reps for the region and asked if I could go personally to meet with Nepal Campus Crusade for Christ staff to see how GAIN could help," Liller said. "I knew I had to go."
Liller's experience with logistics in the Air Force has made him a vital part of GAIN's logistics program for more than 10 years. Liller helped establish the humanitarian aid logistics center in Mount Joy. Now he will be called on in Nepal to meet with local staff, other ministries, and even United Nations officials in "Cluster Meetings" where Non-Government Organizations (NGO's) trade information, plans, ideas, and even aid and transportation.
Liller and the team of three other staff members arrived to experience a 4.8 aftershock. Soon afterward, they were distributing food and other supplies in two villages 30 kilometers north of Kathmandu. The notorious terrain and damaged roads made the journey slow and arduous. But at the end of the day, each family in the two villages received one month of life-sustaining food.
"Right now, the best way to get vital supplies to those who need it most is to wire money and buy what's needed," Liller said. "The bags of food we distributed were purchased here with money donated in the US and sent for this purpose."
Next steps will include determining what other aid is needed and how to get that aid delivered. In a disaster like this, coordinating plans is vital. Each organization brings strengths and assets to the table—and local staff understand how best to help.
"We had a good meeting with representatives from Samaritan's Purse today," Liller said. "GAIN representatives will be continuing the discussions for ministry-to-ministry partnerships here while Nepal Campus Crusade for Christ staff will lead us on how that partnership would play out in the field."
Liller was finishing typing reports to send back to GAIN around 11:00pm Nepal time. "I have only had about 5 hours sleep since we landed here 53 hours ago," he said. "But it's worth it."
About Global Aid Network:
Global Aid Network, a Christian humanitarian aid organization and a ministry Cru (Campus Crusade for Christ International), partners with individuals, businesses, and churches to provide hope and compassionate aid—including food, clean water, clothing, medical supplies, tents, school supplies, and other necessary items—to refugee camps, hospitals, orphanages, and schools in needy communities around the world. They currently oversee projects in some 30 countries.
