Jill and Derick Dillard, from the hit reality show 19 Kids and Counting, might be on cloud nine right now after the recent arrival of their firstborn son Israel David, but they along with so many others are grieving the huge earthquake that shook Nepal last weekend, killing and injuring thousands.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Nepal, after the devastating earthquake that shook the country," they wrote in the Dillard Family Blog.
They shared information about the Baptist Global Response, a disaster relief and community development organisation that aims to help people in desperate need, and at this time, the tragedy that shook Nepal is its main concern.
The organisation has already released an initial $50,000 to aid Nepal earthquake victims, and their teams are now on the ground assessing the damage and needs of the people.
"The teams will examine the overall need and decide how we can best respond, with a focus on providing what is needed to sustain life during the initial stages of the relief operation," said Pat Melancon, BGR's managing director of disaster response and training.
Jill and Derick hold Nepal really close to their hearts, as it was the place where their love blossomed. After graduating from Oklahoma State University in 2011 with a bachelor's degree in accounting and a minor in economics, Derick decided to go to Nepal and do humanitarian work. He dedicated two years of his life there, with 19 Kids and Counting patriarch Jim Bob Duggar acting as his prayer partner.
While there, Jim Bob encouraged Derick to get to know his daughter Jill because he felt they had similar values and dreams. Come November 2013, Jim Bob and Jill went to Nepal, and the two met each other face to face for the first time. By then, Jill and Derick had gotten to know each other pretty well via Skype and e-mails, and they began a courtship relationship. Derick returned to Northwest Arkansas in early 2014 and proposed to Jill shortly thereafter. They were married on June 21 last year and just welcomed their first child, Israel David, to the world last month.
