Back from Chimkhola

Well we are back and it was a successful and amazing trip. The villagers made us so welcome and it was three days of celebration. They could not have done more to make us welcome. The children at the school danced and sang which we all enjoyed. Six or Seven Pokhara Rotary members also came. It was funny to see people like Keith Grey and Joe Simpson doing Nepali dancing with the villagers, something I never thought I would see happen. Dr Bill Code was a big hit and once the word got around that there was a doctor in the village he was kept busy seeing patients. They were shown around the village, saw the poor little medical clinic, the school, the mill for grinding wheat etc. I think it was a huge event for the village with much hope for the future.
I have to run as I have just returned and now have to go to dinner with a Pokhara Rotary Past President.
Hopefully tomorrow I will have time to tell you more news and add some photos.

Incredible Rotary Evening

Last night's Rotary Ceremony and dinner was a wonderful, memorable evening. The Pokhara Rotarians made us feel so welcome and special and they certainly had made a huge effort to make this a great evening. We were given embroidered Rotary tee shirts with our names on them, flowers and their club brochure and Joe, Dag and I received their club flag. I felt very honoured by this. I did not know that I would have to give a speech but managed it quite well off the cuff. It must be because I can talk about NEF endlessly. We all so enjoyed talking to our hosts and there was so much food and some drink!
This morning we head off to Beni to begin our trek to Chimkhola tomorrow. We have so many people coming now that one of our schools has offered their bus. Today is a holiday for International Women's Day. Mann mother and father are coming which is great news. Aama has not visited her village in three years. I have assured her we will go slow and help her up there.
I will not be able to update here till we come back at the end of the week.
Things are going very well for this project and NEF. I fee very satisfied with that.

Simpani

Some pictures for you. Joe Simpson with his wife Penny's sponsored lady Kamala, in the principal's office where we received keta scarfs, children in the classroom, a little girl who we are giving a new sponsor to, she has no parents, Joe, me and Kamala with Penny's letter, we had tea here today with several of the ladies, Denise and her newly sponsored lady. This lady has some psychological problem, I saw her a year ago and she was in a very bad condition and I was so surprised to see her in the literacy program looking so much better. When I asked her how she was she said her husband was beating her. Denise picked her to sponsor even though she had sponsored two other women. Dag and Kirsten with one of their women, they sponsored four women last night including our oldest student who is 75 year old. Thank you to them all for sponsoring 9 women last night. Melinda also sponsors four women but I do not have her photo as it is on Joe's camera. I am relying him to take a lot of photos for me.

Today Joe and I and Mann spent all morning in Simpani visiting children and the schools. We saw the new science lab that the Doha soccer club donated last Fall. A Pokhara Rotary member was with us who is a Professor and we discussed a new library for the Gov. school. Joe met his new sponsored child a little boy in nursery class named Sunil, we also sponsor his sister Sumitra and his mother is in the literacy program. Joe so enjoyed seeing all the children in their classrooms. Mann and I he said are like one person as we work together so well. Mann seems to be thinking ahead of me all the time and guards my purse, money, and bags otherwise I would lose something everyday. We then went to see a College of Science and Technology where the Rotary Professor was the Director. It was very interesting.

In just over an hour we are going to a ceremoney the Pokhara Rotary Club are putting on for us and then a special dinner.

my days are very full. Tomorrow we go to Beni to make the trek to Chimkhola on Tuesday. I will try and update this again tomorrow morning as we do not leave till after lunch but Mann and I are going to work in Simpani tomorrow to check out a new literacy project.

Till then

Rotary Arrived

Members of the Duncan Daybreak and Duncan Rotary Clubs arrived late Thursday night and have enjoyed touring Katmandu. Dr. Keith Grey and I went to the Animal Treatment Centre and Keith enjoyed watching surgeries here while I groomed some dogs. We then met the founder and ate lunch with her. It was a very pleasant day and a change for me. The Founder was a lady I immediately connected with and Keith said we were very alike. Just different charities. I feel I made a new friend here. They were very happy with the supplies Keith brought.
Today we made the long journey to Pokhara. After tea I took some of them to meet my Literacy Ladies. We all enjoyed this so much. The people with me sponsored 9 ladies while we were there and they all had their photos taken together. It was quite emotional and Denise said it was bitter sweet because she said they have such a difficult life here and it is a privilege to be able to help. My original class can speak some English now and were so proud to ask me how I was in English. They were just so happy and grateful to us. After we watched from outside as one studet stood up and read in the front of the class. To me it is just remarkable and I think it is our shining star.
Tomorrow Mann and I are going to see the science lab we did last fall at the government school and Joe, Daybreak Rotary President, is coming with us as he is meeting his newly sponsored child. We also want to check out a location for our new literacy program further up the river.
Tomorrow evening we are being hosted by the Pokhara Rotary Club.
It has been a full on week with never a spare minute but all the Rotary members are really enjoying the trip. We have one 16 year old with us and he is just loving Nepal.
This is different for me having to lead a group like this but Mann is a real assest in this.
More tomorrow.

Arrived in Nepal

I have been here for 3 days now and have been busy doing banking, changing money and making arrangements for the Rotary members who are coming tomorrow. The journey was long and tiring and I have had no time to rest since being here. There is so much to discuss with Mann and Jagat after not being here for a few months and we talk for many hours.
We visited some children this morning and gave out gifts and letters from sponsors. Also visited the Kathmandu Animal Treatment Centre to make arrangements for Keith Grey, a vet from Duncan who is one of the Rotarians coming, to visit with a vet there. It is a wonderful little place that helps street dogs with mange and various complaints. They also spay street dogs and they say that in the five years of operating they have stopped 50,000 puppies from being born. Mann and I wandered along looking in the cages at the females who were to be spayed tomorrow. Most had puppies in tow. Then we looked at a couple of dogs who had been hit by cars, a dog with mange and a regular dog there who drags its back around as it has lost use of its legs but manages quite nicely. The vets said they will be happy to see Keith and are hoping that their founder is also there that day. It is a very relaxed atmosphere and we were able to wander around freely. Keith is bringing supplies with him for the centre. I think if I had not been helping poor women and children I would have liked to have founded a charity like this one. But one charity is enough in a lifetime I think.
Although it has only been four months since I was here I still find the poverty striking when I first start visiting homes. The first place we went to is the home of my granddaughter Ali's family. They were wearing clothes I gave to them some years ago even though they were worn and way too small. I gave out a bag full of clothes and promised to be back with more. We also bought some groceries for two families. I always give clothes and they make them last for years. How different from us. Thank goodness we have loads of clothes and shoes this time.
I will get some photos up as soon as possible but electric is in short supply.

Leaving for Nepal in one week

It is just a week now until I leave for Nepal on the 26th. Thank you to everyone for your payments, for new sponsors and sponsors who have taken on another child, for donations and for all the gifts and letters to your children. It has been great.
The Rotary members travelling to Nepal a few days after me are very, very excited. They are all carrying a bag for NEF of shoes, clothes etc. We really appreciate this. We will be able to take things to the village and have lots of clothes and shoes for all NEF children. We all go up to Chimkhola on the 8th of March with the Pokhara Rotary Club members. There will be over 20 of us visiting the village. The villagers are very excited. I know it will be an unforgetable experience for all concerned.
I will write about it on this blog as soon as I get back down to Pokhara after the trek. I will also strive to keep the blog updated as often as I can while in Nepal. Electric as per usual is in short supply.
So All new sponsors will be matched with their child or woman while I am there but I may not be able to update you with the information until I return at the end of April.

Thank You

I have had a good response to the email that I sent out last week regarding lost sponsors and lack of fees and I just want to thank everyone that responded. We will be okay now with even maybe some extras.
We are still needing some children's clothes etc to take to Nepal and I have been going to every charity shop around especially on their so much a bag days. I seem to have clothes and shoes everywhere but still have lots of room.
I am looking forward to my upcoming visit to Nepal which is just over three weeks away. Remember please that letters and gifts must be delivered by the 20th.

Thank you everyone for your support, we are hoping to be able to do more good work in Nepal on this trip in the way of Women's Literacy and sewing projects.