Newly Sponsored Child

This is Ganga and she is five years old.  We have just sponsored her as she is extremely poor.  She lives in a room made out of blocks on the edge of the river which is used as a stone quarry.  Her mother works there carrying rocks out of the river and she earns $60 to $70 per month for four to five months a year.  Once the monsoons come the river is too big to work in.  Her father owned a truck which he used to earn money in the quarry.  Two years ago a dam broke further up the river and it caused a large flood killing many people and the father lost his truck.  Since then he had a mental breakdown and turned drink so the wife does not see him now.  The sons, 8 and 15, go to school and told the principal that if he allowed them to go there free of charge that they would pay him back when they grow up.  They are really nice boys and little Ganga not only cute but very happy.

Meeting Families Today

Today we went to Simpani and met with all the mothers of the students at High Mount and I took photos of them with their children.  I gave out letters to those that had them, then we visited some families at their homes.  Some had lengthy letters that needed reading and interpreting.  A touching moment happened when I gave a letter to a little boy named Manu.  He is a very poor child and his single mom cannot work as her hands have been badly burned and are now useless.  We sponsored him a year ago.  I gave him the letter and he held it while I took their photo and then he handed it back to me.  I said "no this is your letter". His face lit up and he took off running across the playground towards home.  I watched him go and thought that this child has never in his life received a letter or card.  We went to his home and I asked him where the letter was.  He went to the bed and took it out from under the pillow.  I read it to him and Mann translated, it also contained a photo of the sponsor and family.  The sponsor made this child so happy and it was a delight to see.  He is about 8 but only in nursery class as the mother could not afford to send him to school until we found him last year.

Letters bring so much joy.  When I was leaving he said goodbye several times in English and his face was so happy and bright.  

Some letters are quite detailed with information about the sponsors lives along with pictures and the children listen with such interest, even children who are neighbours, it is like reading a story and everyone wants to listen.  These are my favourite times.

Visiting Children at High School

Today we visited Simpani and High Mount School.  At this school we have 43 children attending and in the photo below 3 were absent although I saw two of them later.  This is the only school where we have so many NEF children sponsored.  It makes it very easy for us and the principal, Tol Prasad, is always in touch with us.  All the children seem to do well here also.  Tomorrow we are going back there to meet with all the parents and see the children again.  Then we will visit some of the homes.  Next week we also have a dental camp planned for Simpani.

We also visited Daumaya and her children.  Daumaya is the lady that had the cancer last year and had to be away from her children for about six months.  She is looking so much better and the children were definitely happier with their mother home.  A kind donor paid for her medical treatment and so saved her life and the children have their mother back.  Last November Bob and I decided she had to have a bigger room and asked the landlord what she could do.  There was a store room that was much larger than the tiny room they were living in so it was cleaned out and is a much better living space for them.  It really was great to see this family together again and their mother looking well.  This time last year we just felt despair for them.   When I visited her in the Cancer Hospital a year ago she was in a very bad way.  

I am having trouble posting photos here as there seems to be no way to resize them on this iPad so I am just going to leave them the way they are or I will drive myself crazy trying to fix it.

Official Opening of Kristi School

Today we attended the official opening of the Kristi School.  The ceremony was quite long and it was very hot but the children were very patient through the long speeches.  They performed some Nepali dances and sang songs.  The school looked so different from last year and was bright in its blue and white paint with brown trim.  We wish it a good future and that it has many students within its walls.

Afterward the Charter President of Annurpurna Rotary, Dev Raj Chalise, gave me a ride back in his car, saved me going on the motorbike down that Rocky Mountain road, and we had lunch together.  He is the Principal of a science and technology college here in Pokhara so is interesting to talk to about education in general.  

Tomorrow we start visiting children in earnest before the days slip away.  I think I am over jet lag now, this morning I felt really rough but hopefully that has passed.

First day of work

Arrived in Nepal Monday night and then flew to Pokhara yesterday, Tuesday.  Met up with Jeff, the dentist and his friend Ivan.  Today we went to the Kristi school for a dental camp.  It was a very successful day and Jeff worked from 10 am to 5 pm.

Last November the Watkin family visited here with us and they offered to paint the school and pay for some desks.  They had previously fundraised with the Pollock family, also from Duncan, to help rebuild the school which is now completed.  The painting looked great and made the classrooms so much brighter.

Mann and I also went further up the mountain by motorbike on a road which really was a steep rocky trail to see another poor little primary school which needs some help.  These children are really adorable and I enjoyed sitting with them, taking their photos and showing them.  They are always delighted to see themselves on the camera. 

I did not stay the whole day at the school as I was tired from travelling so came back and had a sleep.  Jeff said it was a very successful day though and that the organization was good.  They saw about 100 people who had never seen a dentist before.

Leaving for Nepal

I am leaving for Nepal on March 8th.  Less than two weeks away now.  Please get any letters to me before then so I can deliver them in Nepal for you.
As usual I will be visiting all the children that are sponsored through NEF.  Plus we will be running some dental camps.
Our donors from Qatar, Carol and Keith, will also be joining me for a week.
We are short some sponsors for this year as I am still waiting on some payments which may not come.  Hopefully we can work this out so that no children are disappointed.  Children get very attached to their sponsors.

Sponsors Visit their Child

In January Heather and Stuart and son Nathan visited their sponsored child, Sunita, in Kathmandu, Nepal.  They have sponsored Sunita for about three years and made a special trip to Kathmandu to visit her.  Sunita is 13 years old and in class 6.  She has a large family living in two very small rooms and they have little income so life is a constant struggle.  There are nine in the family including her married brother and his wife.  I have been involved with this family since 2004 and there are three children left in school, Sunita being one of them.  This was a really big thrill for Sunita to be visited by her sponsors and she also spent a day sight seeing with them.  She never has the luxury of being taken out for the day so this is something she will not forget.  Her sponsors have made a big difference in her life as they pay for her to attend a private school.  Sunita started school late as her parents could not afford for her to attend school so she was 7 when she started.  Then unfortunately she lost her sponsors and we re-sponsored her with Stuart and Heather who have been so caring towards her.  It is a very good match and they have made her feel special.  Many thanks to them.