Standing Strong for Nepal: Two Days at the Minnesota State Fair

It is almost midnight, and after two very long days, I finally have a quiet moment to sit down and write. I am happy to share that the first two days of the Minnesota State Fair have been busy, successful, and full of beautiful connections. Seeing people stop at our booth, discover our Nepali collections, ask questions, appreciate the craftsmanship, and support a small business from Nepal has been incredibly meaningful.

But this year, being here is different. Standing for hours, selling, talking, smiling, answering questions, and representing Nepal has not been easy. I am physically tired, but more than that, my heart is heavy.

Just one day before the Minnesota State Fair opened, Nepal experienced a devastating natural disaster. On August 26, a large section of a glacier in the Himalayan region near Langtang collapsed, sending an enormous mass of ice, rock, mud, and water downstream. The debris traveled for nearly 100 kilometers through river valleys, triggering catastrophic flooding and destroying homes, roads, bridges, businesses, and critical infrastructure. Communities in Nepal's Rasuwa district and areas farther downstream were among those severely affected. The disaster also reached across the border into Tibet. The scale of the devastation is difficult to comprehend. I can hardly check my Facebook or Instagram accounts.

And for me, it is not simply a news story happening somewhere far away. It is Nepal. It is home.

I have been away from Nepal for more than a decade, but leaving a country does not mean leaving your roots behind.

My heart is still there.

My memories are there.

My childhood is there.

My family and friends are there.

The villages, mountains, rivers, culture, language, food, traditions, and people who shaped me are there. So while I am standing at the Minnesota State Fair, surrounded by thousands of people and doing everything I can to make this year successful, part of my heart is somewhere else: wondering, worrying, grieving, and asking, What can I do?

Over these last two days, I stopped counting how many people have come to our booth and asked me: “How is your country?” “Is your family safe?” “Are your friends okay?” “How can we help?” Some people have asked with tears in their eyes. Some have shared stories of their own connections to Nepal. Some simply stood quietly and told me they were praying. Every single one of those conversations has touched me deeply. And honestly, some of them have shaken me.

There are moments when I feel triggered, emotional, sad, and even agitated. I am trying to hold all of these emotions while also reminding myself that I have a job to do.

I am here.

I have a booth to run.

I have customers to serve.

I have a team depending on me.

And I have spent months preparing for these 12 days.

So I keep telling myself:

Be strong, Jeena. Keep going.

Not because I am not hurting. But because sometimes strength means continuing even when your heart is hurting. And this year, I have found another reason to keep going. I want to do so well at the Minnesota State Fair that, when these ten days are over and the noise settles, I can turn around and ask: What can I do for the people who have been devastated by this disaster?

I don't have all the answers yet. I don't know exactly what that will look like.But I know I want to do something meaningful.

Perhaps it will be through fundraising. Perhaps through gathering support. Perhaps by connecting people who want to help with organizations doing the work on the ground.

For now, I need to stay focused and finish what I came here to do. And then, in the weeks ahead, I will take the time to learn, listen, and figure out how I can contribute. Because this is one of the reasons I built Namaste.

To every friend, customer, community member, and stranger who has reached out through social media, phone calls, texts, and emails:

Thank you.

Thank you for checking on me.

Thank you for checking on my family and friends in Nepal.

Thank you for asking questions.

Thank you for caring about a country that may be thousands of miles away from where you are standing.

And thank you for reminding me that Nepal is not alone.

As I prepare to hold myself up for the remaining days of the Minnesota State Fair, I am carrying more than my products and my business with me. I am carrying Nepal in my heart. I am carrying the stories of the people who made these beautiful products. I am carrying the hopes of artisans and families. I am carrying the love of friends and family back home. And I am carrying the pain of a country going through an unimaginable moment. So, tonight, as I close my eyes and prepare for another early morning, I have just one request:

Please keep Nepal in your prayers.

Pray for those who lost their lives.

Pray for the families searching for loved ones.

Pray for those who have lost their homes and livelihoods.

Pray for the rescuers working through dangerous conditions.

Pray for the communities facing the long road of rebuilding.

And pray for Nepal.

Tomorrow, I will wake up, take a deep breath, put on my smile, and go back to the Fair.

One customer at a time. One conversation at a time. One day at a time. And I will keep going.

For my business. For my family. For my community. And, in whatever small way I can, for Nepal.

With love and gratitude,

Jeena