When I learned about the flooding in Nepal, my heart dropped. It’s a place so very close to me — to who I am as a person — to my spirit and my sense of wonder. But, when I ran across this post on Facebook a few days after the flooding, it completely hit home in a totally different way — and I’ve been struck to my very core.
You see, two of the three Sherpa guides who expertly led our group of intrepid explorers to Everest Base Camp — Avi and Ranjon — are both missing in the floods in Nepal. When it happened, they were guiding a group to Kailash Mansarobar Tibet, and they haven’t been heard from since.
I am struggling to find the words to write this.
I made that journey with three extraordinary Sherpa guides — Avi, Ranjon and Binod. They started out as expert guides, and along the way, we became close friends. With my hip injury, I honestly don’t know that I would have reached Everest Base Camp without their encouragement, patience, strength and care.
There were moments when I didn’t know if I could take another step. That’s when they were there for me. Cheering me on, helping me, and sometimes simply believing that I could do it, even when I wasn’t so sure myself.
Today, two of them — Avi and Ranjon — are still missing.
They are young. They are strong. They are kind. So deeply kind. And funny!
And we are holding on to hope.
When I was struggling on that mountain, they held hope for me.
Now, we hold hope for them. And maybe a few “bunny ears” when they finally make it home again.
I am sharing these photographs because I want to surround Avi and Ranjon, and everyone who loves them, with light and with every prayer, every blessing, every bit of love and hope we can send their way.
Please pray that they are safe.
Please pray that they come home. 🙏
Avi and Ranjon, we are holding you in our hearts. May you find your way home.
Thank you to everyone who is lifting the Nepalese people up in prayer. May our light be the one that brings them home.
If you’d like to make a financial contribution to help people in need, please donate to one of these organizations who are on the ground helping: