Dave with Mankumari and Family

Dave, from New Zealand, is enjoying time with his sponsored child, Mankumari, and her family.  The mother, Daumaya, is the lady who has had cancer.  Dave brought them into Lakeside for a meal and ice cream.  He also took Daumaya to the hospital for a check up and she has to go back next week for more tests.  She is looking well though.  

New Glasses

This is a very smart student that Ed noticed was having difficulty reading the blackboard.  Yesterday he took him to the hospital to have his eyes checked and then to buy glasses.  The student picked out these purple pink coloured ones.  Ed tried to show him others but no these are the ones he wanted.  His father was so grateful offering Ed lunch etc.  when we took this photo we were given a warm glass of Buffalo milk each.  But these are much nicer than the ones this little girl is wearing in class yesterday.

The glasses are for distance but there was no way he was going to take these off.  The doctor said he had very weak vision.  Thanks to Ed he will be able to read the blackboard now.

This photo did not publish so trying again

Doing this blog on an iPad is difficult and that is why photos may not be lined up properly or missed such as this one of Ed delivering gifts.  Also a photo of Manu holding photos that Ed took last October, laminated and put hangers on, the children and families loved them.

Visiting Children in Simpani

We have been visiting children in Simpani.  I have been sick for the last two days with sore throat etc so Ed has filled in for me and has done a good job.  Hopefully tomorrow I will be back in action.  I think the terrible journey and mayhem at the airport took its toll.  We have unfortunately lost about three children due to them moving, marriage breakup and family problems.  I know this is disappointing to sponsors and for us too but in very poor countries there is often a lack of stability.  People move to where they can find work or sometimes back to mountain villages.  This is beyond our control and there are no guarantees.  We have a high success rate but nothing is one hundred percent.

I am posting some photos of the children: Yomaya and her mother and baby brother, Ed delivering some gifts and a new little boy who we are going to sponsor.

Simpani

Now in Pokhara which is pleasant.  The air pollution in Kathmandu was horrible, worst that I remember.

We visited Daumaya and her daughters.  Dave sponsored Mankumari in 2007 and he was anxious to see them.  Daumaya had cancer a couple of years ago, many of you will remember.  She looked well but is losing weight so we are going to arrange for her to go for a check up.  Maya, the eldest, read Sabita's sponsor's letter to her and we were very impressed by Maya's reading skills.  Maya is just going into class 10.  Tomorrow Dave is bring them into Lakeside for dinner and ice cream and then taking them shopping.  Daumaya is selling a few vegetables to earn some money and makes about 60 rupees per day, less than one dollar.  Running shoes in the photo donated by my running club members.  Photo of Mankumari.

Krishna

I met Krishna at the airport yesterday while we were waiting for Dave to arrive from New Zealand.  His flight was badly delayed owing to Kathmandu airport being closed again.  We sponsored Krishna and his brothers many years ago.  Somewhere back on this blog there are photos of him with a vegetable cart we bought for his veg business.  He went on to work at the Kathmandu Guest House as a bell boy and now has been promoted to the airport pick up and welcoming job.  He works along side Rajendra who works for us in Hattiban.  He told me how he always remembers those times when we sponsored him and visited him.  We sponsored him through college.  I am sure his sponsor will be happy that he is doing well.  He said it is a special memory to him and asked if he could have the photo of him that I put on the blog.  I said I would find it when I go home.  I always knew that Krishna would do well.

Shailendra

I met Shailendra at the Nakhipot school two days ago.  Although I was concentrating on the girls Shailendra made himself known to me.  He wanted my business card, he was attentive and had a intensity about him that could not be ignored.  He is 15 and finishing class 8.  The teacher told me that he had a very bad home condition as his father was a drunk and wanted him to quit school and do labouring work, he did not want the mother spending any money for her son's education.  Shailendra is extremely bright and a dedicated student.  He asked Mann if we would come to his home and so today w e went.  He and his mother met us on the street and took us to their room.  The mother cleans eight houses every week to make money for the family but there is nothing left over for books etc.  I looked at Shailendra's notebook and was surprised to see such beautiful writing in both English and Nepali.  He wants to finish school and college and go into the army.  He is the eldest and needs to provide for his mother.  He has a younger brother of 12.  I could not say no to this boy, something about him made me want to give him a chance to finish his education.  I am going to pay for his school year from donations.  He had a big smile when I told him and seemed relieved.  Now he can go onto class 9 at another school as Nakhipot only goes to class 8.