Nepal Travel Log

2007.02.22 Thursday

We’ve had several fun & productive visits to the Center for Children with Disabilities (DNC). We’ve had the joy of getting to play with the kids as well as continue our project coordination for the programs already in place. With a generous grant from the Smith Family Foundation we are adding to the higher-education fund that we started last year with the help of the Rotary Club of Kopundol. We are also using funds from the same grant to replenish the medical-needs fund which funds surgeries and physiotherapy. We are about to begin a program to re-connect the children with their parents and families and start a new fund with the soon-to-be Rotaract Club of Kopundol to provide funds for field trips and special events for the children at the center. We handed out the ‘Pen-Pal’ letters to the children and they had a blast reading them and also seeing the video of their pen pals that I brought along with me!

We also visited the school for the deaf last Sunday with Rotarian District Governor Elect, Jesse Tam and his wife Lilly who agreed to come along on this trip to help generate excitement about my Rotary dream-project to uplift the lives of people with disabilities throughout Nepal. At the school I read the sponsor letters to the children we have participating in the program. Then, my words were translated into Nepali sign-language so the children could understand. They sat with rapt attention as they held the photos of their sponsors and watched the sponsors words translated into sign. Can you imaging the difference this will make in their lives? These children come from the poorest of families, which in Nepal is saying a lot, as most families are somewhat poor to begin with. This was a very exciting event for these kids and to top it off we handed out some “goodies” and other give-a-ways that we brought such as candy bars, toothbrushes/toothpaste, toys, games, coloring books (thanks Nanette & Tina!), etc. After that we visited the deaf/blind program and saw the wonderful progress they are making with these children.

The next day we visited the Nandumaya Orphan home and similarly, handed out sponsor letters, pen-pal letters, books, toys, games, candy, etc.....I’ll write more about our visit in another installment.

Tomorrow, we pay our final visits to our treasured children as we prepare to leave for Seattle on Sunday. I’ll try to prepare a final segment tomorrow evening!

With Love,
Rob & Gina
 

2007.02.14 Wednesday

From Gina
Let me tell you about our visit to DNC (Disabled Newlife Center). These are kids I first met in 2004 so this is the 3rd year to see them again since I did not get to come over in 2005. Yet we both have fond memories of the girls that are still there since 2 have left to be with their families 2 years ago. They are looking very well. Sunita has blossomed into a beautiful young lady and looks more confident in stature and her manner of speaking. All the kids speak English better now since they had moved to a better private English school while the two elder girls have had tutors for a whole year. They all look happy to see us and seem happy where they are at school and amongst each other.

After half an hour of crafts and sewing and some reading, we found ourselves settling down in their TV room and watched a Hindi movie that went on and on but what was interesting is that the two 6-7 year olds Chiranjivi and Kumar nestled on either side of me and watched the show like as if we did this every Saturday afternoon! It felt so natural and easy going that I did not mind feeling uncomfortable at all, we were on a mattress on the floor a makeshift space, I do wonder why there were very few chairs? Being all handicapped, it would be easier to sit than to get up and down from the floor level. Or pillows even, so hey there's an idea?

It was not long before I spied Rob giving photo lessons to the 4 photo students at the center, The light outside was great, cloudy but not dark. After another half hour, the cook had given out Mayos - dried soup noodle snacks and warm milk for a snack so in between the dance routines of this Hindi movie I was able to ask Anju what the whole story was about and what the issues were. I should have known better, just like many Asian films. The story centers on lovers who are destined to have difficult time making a life of their own either because of a jealous father, mixed caste issues or jilted suitor.

And so goes the afternoon, like coming home to all 28 kids for just 4 hours after 365 days? How incredibly unfair! I can't stand this at all, how can we keep doing this and only see them a few days a year? They have all seemed to grow up with that knowledge that the people who care still care despite their absence. And when we appear, they welcome us with open arms and warm embraces! Thanks to technology we keep in touch by email. We're going back on Friday and staying the whole day. I can't wait!

Gina Rose TRIFC

2007.02.09 Friday

Namaste, friends of TRIFC!
Gina and I arrived in Nepal on Tuesday and have had a busy week of weddings and meetings. Our good Bellevue Nepali friend, Amit Shrestha is now a married man! His new wife, Sabrina is delightful and we had the unique experience of attending many of the ceremonies that accompany a Nepali wedding which can cover 6 days!!!  My favorite memory of the wedding was the procession through the streets of Nepal where the groom goes to to the brides house with friends, relatives and well-wishers to bring back the bride to his parent's house. You don't walk all of the way, however you walk about 30 minutes, hop on a bus that's been hired for the occasion, get close to the bride's house, then hop off the bus and walk another 30 minutes until you arrive.

On Wednesday evening, before Amit's wedding reception I spoke to the Rotary Club of Kopundol about our joint projects at the Newlife Center for Children with Disabilities as well as the Rotary district-wide project we are developing to help people with disabilities throughout Nepal. There was a great turnout of club members and spouses and after the meeting, they threw us a reception on the patio of the Summit Hotel. Evan Rai from the Rotary Club of Kopundol told us about the progress of our joint program to re-connect the children at the center with their families, and that in the process of this, he found out that one of the children who was thought to be orphaned actually had parents, and that his parents had been looking for him! Really amazing stuff! He will be reunited with his parents and family, while he continues to stay at the center. Gina and I were reunited with all of the children and they tested me on my ability to remember their names! Last year, I studied everyone's name before I had arrived, so I knew them all- even kids I'd never met before! Well, I did pretty well this year and only missed one or two...

Nepal has been chilly so far, but it's looking to warm up in a day or two. Today is Friday and this afternoon we'll be meeting with Sanjeev Dahal and Vishwa Thapa from the Rotaract Club of Dillibazar and discussing how we will continue to work together to help the children at the Nandumaya Orphan home.

Power and petrol have been a kind-of off again, on again event with daily 'load-shedding' (brown-outs) and gasoline supplies that have been spotty at best. The petrol situation is improving but the power isn't. However, you learn to adjust and make do with what's available!

Life is good, and the work we have undertaken has meaning for the children we help through our efforts.

Take Care.... Rob & Gina

2007.02.03 Saturday

The Trip Begins!
As we embark on another emotional trip to Nepal, I take time to reflect on what we can do, what we must do, and what impact we can have on people who were born into a life less fortunate than ours. I don’t believe that there is a proper answer for ‘why’ this has happened. Why we have been born into relative comfort and security, and others have not. This is our opportunity to help and we are fortunate to have the ability. I am no longer alone in my journey as my wife, Gina and so many Join us on this year’s trip to Kathmandu, Nepal as we continue to enhance & expand our projects and impact with continued support from friends and family. Check this page for updates from the trip!

2007.02.02 Friday

Photos Taken by the Children at DNC (Disabled Newlife Center)