Even half a world away, the effects of the devastating earthquake in Nepal can be felt here in North Texas.
More than 300 students from Nepal attend school at UT-Arlington.
Now, they’re asking for prayers and donations for their home country.
“We’re totally restless knowing what’s going on with our families and we cannot do anything to them,” said Mahesh Pandeya, a senior at UTA who is from Nepal.
Sleep has been hard to come by for Pandeya and his friend Rabin Bhattarai, who is also from Nepal.
Both have spent most of the week looking at the tragic images coming out of their home country and trying frantically to get in touch with family and friends there.
“It was a really devastating moment for me,” said Bhattarai. “I cried all night.”
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“I called back home and couldn’t reach anybody,” said Pandeya. “It was really sad.”
Both said they’ve had more success communicating with their families in the last day or two and all reports indicate their family members are alive.
While they continue to deal with fear and uncertainty, they say they also feel determined to act.
“Being youth, what we think is it is our responsibility to help Nepal in any way we can,” said Bhattarai.
They and other members of the UTA Nepalese Student Association have started holding drives on campus to collect money for relief efforts.
They’ve also organized a candlelight vigil that will take place in front of the university’s main library at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
“We can help them in what little way we can,” said Bhattarai.
