Tuesday, January 9, 2007

My first day.....I am back doing work I love

Hello everyone, I thought I would pass a couple of things along. Today was my first day working back in Kathmandu and I visited 3 families. One the Dhal family is doing well. I am finding that when we help a family, it seems to lift them out of their plight and they become much more positive and then, better things start happening. This is the case here as the mother is now learning to sew, as is the eldest daughter. Their new room is a big improvement on the last one. Just one daughter that I am very concerned about. She is 15 and very sad, no schooling and she does all the work. We are going to try her at the orphanage and they are coming tomorrow to see us. We are hoping that she becomes another Uma. We have to give her a chance as she is so sad.

We have found a new house for the orphanage. It is not quite what I envisioned but we cannot wait as the owners want us to move out so they can get the current place back, and truthfully, it is kind of a hole anyway. This newer house has no kitchen and open stairs. If the kids fell it would kill them, no exaggeration! We made a deal that we would take the place if the owner made a kitchen and fixed the stairs. It is not very homely but for what we can afford it is the best we will get. 1200 rupees a month which is about $200 dollars. We looked at another lovely place yesterday but it was too much money at $300 a month. So we will take this one. It had a couple of children living in it on their own, who were suppose to live at another orphanage but not well cared for. We can move in within in a week I think. Somehow I do not think this will be ready but we shall see. I bought a bike helmet today as we only had one. If you thought driving in a taxi was bad, believe me it is nothing compared to riding on a motor bike. I think I need a full suit of armour. Feet especially vulnerable as they get banged against other bikes and curbs. So if I come back with no feet you will no why.

Anne, Uma is amazing. She went to her home today and took Prokash along until tomorrow. The kids are on winter vacation. So she was there when I visited her home. She called out to me by name which she has never done before. She had on that purple top you sent her and when I said to her "is that the top Anne sent?" She said yes and it is very lovely. For Uma to speak to me in English is a huge accomplishment.Many developments here politically and I am not sure I like them. More on that later. Take care.
Namaste....Susan

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