{ Disasters and humanitarians

Baby Sonies rescued after the April earthquake in Nepal

Strip story Take a letter and get in groups: A, B or C. Read the strips and organize the story.

Strip story As Rasmila Awal walked home from the store on Saturday, the earth began to shake. A few moments later, she saw the building she lived in collapse.

Strip story As Rasmila Awal walked home from the store on Saturday, the earth began to shake. A few moments later, she saw the building she lived in collapse. And inside, under all the debris, Awal knew, were her children -- Soniya, aged 10, and Sonies, only 5 months old.

Strip story As Rasmila Awal walked home from the store on Saturday, the earth began to shake. A few moments later, she saw the building she lived in collapse. And inside, under all the debris, Awal knew, were her children -- Soniya, aged 10, and Sonies, only 5 months old. "I started screaming and asking neighbors for help," she recalled in an interview Thursday. "I had very little hope that they had survived," she said. "I didn't hear any sound at all." And then, a blessing: After two hours, Soniya, a fourth-grader, was found alive.

Strip story As Rasmila Awal walked home from the store on Saturday, the earth began to shake. A few moments later, she saw the building she lived in collapse. And inside, under all the debris, Awal knew, were her children -- Soniya, aged 10, and Sonies, only 5 months old. "I started screaming and asking neighbors for help," she recalled in an interview Thursday. "I had very little hope that they had survived," she said. "I didn't hear any sound at all." And then, a blessing: After two hours, Soniya, a fourth-grader, was found alive. But the baby was still missing. The desperate family called the Nepalese army. Soldiers arrived at 6 p.m. They, too, dug through the debris, but didn't find the infant so they left at 9 p.m.

Strip story As Rasmila Awal walked home from the store on Saturday, the earth began to shake. A few moments later, she saw the building she lived in collapse. And inside, under all the debris, Awal knew, were her children -- Soniya, aged 10, and Sonies, only 5 months old. "I started screaming and asking neighbors for help," she recalled in an interview Thursday. "I had very little hope that they had survived," she said. "I didn't hear any sound at all." And then, a blessing: After two hours, Soniya, a fourth-grader, was found alive. But the baby was still missing. The desperate family called the Nepalese army. Soldiers arrived at 6 p.m. They, too, dug through the debris, but didn't find the infant so they left at 9 p.m. The father also began to lose hope of finding his son alive -- until, from under the rubble, he heard faint cries. But night had fallen and there was little that could be done. The family went to sleep in a nearby field.

Nepali soldiers had given up their search but returned when Sonies' father heard cries. The next morning, the Awals returned to the remnants of their home. And they heard the joyful sound they had prayed they would hear. Their baby was crying.

Nepali soldiers had given up their search but returned when Sonies' father heard cries. The next morning, the Awals returned to the remnants of their home. And they heard the joyful sound they had prayed they would hear. Their baby was crying. The soldiers, having returned as well, resumed digging. And, miracle of miracles, 22 hours after the earthquake, the mother saw a soldier pull her baby out of the debris.

Nepali soldiers had given up their search but returned when Sonies' father heard cries. The next morning, the Awals returned to the remnants of their home. And they heard the joyful sound they had prayed they would hear. Their baby was crying. The soldiers, having returned as well, resumed digging. And, miracle of miracles, 22 hours after the earthquake, the mother saw a soldier pull her baby out of the debris. His face was coated with dust. But he was alive.

Nepali soldiers had given up their search but returned when Sonies' father heard cries. The next morning, the Awals returned to the remnants of their home. And they heard the joyful sound they had prayed they would hear. Their baby was crying. The soldiers, having returned as well, resumed digging. And, miracle of miracles, 22 hours after the earthquake, the mother saw a soldier pull her baby out of the debris. His face was coated with dust. But he was alive. Sonies was taken to a nearby hospital. Doctors said he had suffered minor bruising and a small cut on his thigh. But he was OK. He was returned to his mother's arms.

Nepali soldiers had given up their search but returned when Sonies' father heard cries. The next morning, the Awals returned to the remnants of their home. And they heard the joyful sound they had prayed they would hear. Their baby was crying. The soldiers, having returned as well, resumed digging. And, miracle of miracles, 22 hours after the earthquake, the mother saw a soldier pull her baby out of the debris. His face was coated with dust. But he was alive. Sonies was taken to a nearby hospital. Doctors said he had suffered minor bruising and a small cut on his thigh. But he was OK. He was returned to his mother's arms. "He just started smiling," Rasmila Awal said. It was a happy ending.

Nepali soldiers had given up their search but returned when Sonies' father heard cries. The next morning, the Awals returned to the remnants of their home. And they heard the joyful sound they had prayed they would hear. Their baby was crying. The soldiers, having returned as well, resumed digging. And, miracle of miracles, 22 hours after the earthquake, the mother saw a soldier pull her baby out of the debris. His face was coated with dust. But he was alive. Sonies was taken to a nearby hospital. Doctors said he had suffered minor bruising and a small cut on his thigh. But he was OK. He was returned to his mother's arms. "He just started smiling," Rasmila Awal said. It was a happy ending. In post-quake Nepal, few endings are entirely happy. Sadness abounds. And loss is everywhere. But then again, a little baby boy, Nepal's new face of hope, has his whole life still ahead of him.

Humanitarian = Involved in or connected with improving people’s lives and reducing suffering Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary

Rachel Martin I work for the International Rescue Committee. Seema Manohar Humanitarian aid work, the risks and rewards. Jeffrey Dow I've been working in this field for over 10 years. Jessica Alexander I am currently the health director with Save The Children in Liberia working on the Ebola emergency. Listening A Match the speaker with their quote

Rachel Martin Humanitarian aid work, the risks and rewards. Seema Manohar Jeffrey Dow Jessica Alexander Listening A Answers

Rachel Martin Humanitarian aid work, the risks and rewards. Seema Manohar I am currently the health director with Save The Children in Liberia working on the Ebola emergency. Jeffrey Dow Jessica Alexander Listening A Answers

Rachel Martin Humanitarian aid work, the risks and rewards. Seema Manohar I am currently the health director with Save The Children in Liberia working on the Ebola emergency. Jeffrey Dow I work for the International Rescue Committee. Jessica Alexander Listening A Answers

Rachel Martin Humanitarian aid work, the risks and rewards. Seema Manohar I am currently the health director with Save The Children in Liberia working on the Ebola emergency. Jeffrey Dow I work for the International Rescue Committee. Jessica Alexander I've been working in this field for over 10 years. Listening A Answers

aidfield attackskilling headlightphysical extremethreat Listening B Fill in the gaps

aidfield attackskilling headlightphysical extremethreat Listening B Fill in the gaps

aidfield attackskilling headlightphysical extremethreat Listening B Fill in the gaps

aidfield attackskilling headlightphysical extremethreat Listening B Fill in the gaps

aidfield attackskilling headlightphysical extremethreat Listening B Answers

aidfield attackskilling headlightphysical extremethreat Listening B Answers

aidfield attackskilling headlightphysical extremethreat Listening B Answers

aidfield attackskilling headlightphysical extremethreat Listening B Answers

aidfield attackskilling headlightphysical extremethreat Listening B Answers

aidfield attackskilling headlightphysical extremethreat Listening B Answers

aidfield attackskilling headlightphysical extremethreat Listening B Answers

aidfield attackskilling headlightphysical extremethreat Listening B Answers

The nature of the work is alluring. The nature of the work is appealing. The nature of the work is attractive.

The biggest physical threats are more mundane. The biggest physical threats are more ordinary. The biggest physical threats are day-to-day occurances.

Attacks…have put humanitarian workers on edge. Attacks…have made humanitarian workers nervous. Attacks…have scared humanitarian workers.

Paired discussion What risks are there in humanitarian work? Why do you think humanitarian workers take these risks? In your opinion, are the rewards better than the risks?

Homework: Dialogue journals Choose ONE quote below. Write a response in your dialogue journals about disasters or humanitarians. “Life is painful. It has thorns, like the stem of a rose.” ― Daisaku Ikeda “Those who do not weep, do not see.” ― Victor Hugo, Les Misérables “It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” ― Mother Teresa “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” ― Jesus Christ, The gospel of Luke, chapter 6 verse 31, the Bible Quotes may be found on Good Reads (