Documenting the days following this earthquake changed my life. I am not sure where I was living before, but it wasn't reality and it felt like hell. When the moment came to go to Nepal or not, to attempt to help by the only way I knew how to at the time, there was no hesitation. I bought a one-way ticket and went.

Their gazes are forever etched in my memory. Their gentle, deeply felt gratitude expressed for the people who came to try to help is on repeat in my mind. The unshakable faith and strength they emitted, in the most dire of situations, is unforgettable in and of itself.

This is part of an ongoing personal project exploring light in darkness, faith, and community. My heart goes out to all the victims of this devastation, and those still struggling and displaced in its aftermath.

Namaste, Nepal.

Photos by Mallory Olenius