Pratiram

The other afternoon I visited a family where I recently sponsored 3 children. When I was there the first time the parents were not at home so I went back to see the parents. Kamal told me I knew the parents and when I saw the father I certainly did know him. He has often helped me when I have been visiting other families in that area as he speaks some English so has interpreted for me. The thing that amazed me was that he had never asked me to help his own children and he was equally as poor. Kamal referred the family to me. I told him that I really respected him for this. He sells syringyes (do not know how to spell this), that are a national instrument of Nepal. He sells in the tourist area and when I questioned him about this he said he sells one or two every few days in season for this he profits about $2.50 and his wife cleans the outside of tourist shops. He then played and sang Nepali songs for me with the family gathered around. Sometimes I visit families on my own as I did this day and I actually enjoy it more for the reason that I have to communicate myself and somehow this brings me closer to the family.
The little girl Partima has a new sponsor who lives in Germany and had a gift and card from her. This caused a lot of interest and excitement. I guess Germany was different as they know I am from Canada.
Yesterday I visited our college student Nauchhen in the town of Banepa about an hour by bus from Kathmandu. The last time I visited this town was in 2006 and it was a ghost town due to the riots. Two people had been shot by police and the town was under curfew. The stret was full of overturned cars and burning tires and we had to walk through it with soldiers pointing guns at us. Yesterday that was a memory and the town was bustling with activity. the college she attends was lovely and out in the country. Her family lived in a very old house and I enjoyed a traditional meal with them seated on the mud floor in the kitchen.
this morning on my way into the bank, I came early as the other day there were a hundred people in front of me and it took over an hour to withdraw money, I stopped in to see sushant who is at the school for the blind. He has been there a week now and what a change in him. He looked bright and happy and was doing really well. That was a very good start to the day.