United Methodist missionary Katherine Parker, who serves in Nepal with the United Mission to Nepal (UMN), has shared an update on the church’s response to the devastating flooding just west of the Kathmandu Valley. First Church has been among her supporters for years; Katherine has deep roots in the Pacific Northwest Conference and has been directly supported by more than 90 PNW congregations.
As of August 27, UMN reported an official death toll of 359, with 910 people still out of contact. More than 9,000 responders have been deployed, and over 440 people have been rescued. UMN has joined the rapid response effort for over 1,000 affected families across several municipalities in the Dhading District, partnering with the same organization it worked alongside after the 2015 earthquake. Longer term, UMN plans to support school recovery in the Nuwakot region. You can read UMN’s own account of the flooding and their response.
“The videos and images coming from the affected areas are heartbreaking,” Katherine writes. “Please continue to hold affected families in your prayers, including both Nepalese communities and tourists who were in the area.” Katherine herself is safe, on home leave with family outside Nepal, and remains in close contact with her UMN colleagues.
UMN has opened a dedicated appeal, Nepal Flood Emergency Relief 2026, to bring food and essential supplies to roughly 1,000 families in Dhading and Nuwakot through trusted local partners already rooted in those communities. For tax-deductible giving from the US, UMN partners with Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church — their USA giving page lists the current Advance numbers and mailing instructions.