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Wednesday, July 02, 2008
I'm back in the U.S. I just got back from an amazing trip down to the Caribbean with my mom but am still recovering from some lingering issues with my stomach. Today is really the first day I’ve felt back to my normal self. The journey back went really well. I actually made it out of Nepal JUST in time. As I left, the borders were about to be shut down due to a transportation strike and the day before I left there was a landslide that closed down the main road to get out of the city.
It was sad leaving but the kids fully understood. I’ve been blessed with the most amazing team of staff there that really have things under control. Construction is just about finished. We’re in the last stage of it all, with plaster and paint and electricity and plumbing. Monsoon hit early this year, which always slows us down a bit and that’s why I’ve been out of touch. I lost my internet connection.
We have 20 kids living in the home. It’s really interesting to watch the dynamic change as a new little personality comes in. They really take care of one another though. We were also fortunate enough to have some of the kids from Ramana’s Garden pass through and stay with us for a while. They’ve grown up a lot and they really had a lot to teach our little kids about. They are just such amazing role models for them. There’s nothing better than young kids have older kid mentors to look up to. They were learning cricket and all these new games, working together in the kitchen and helping them with their homework. It was really a gift.
School Uniform
Kindergarten Class
In one of my last few weeks there, I trekked up to a village school with 285 kids. The roof had been damaged so the main classroom was completely flooded. There were also no desks or benches so the kids were sitting on the mud floor. There was no water and no toilets or outhouses. Who I did meet however were some beautiful kids and a VERY loving and enthusiastic group of teachers and villagers looking to give their children the best education possible. We immediately ordered some sheets of tin to repair the roof and found a team of “lumberjacks” to cut some trees for benches and desks for the kids to sit on. When I asked the teachers what they thought about toilets, one of them looked at me and said, “I don’t even know how to use a toilet.” “I’ve never seen one before,” the youngest teacher said to me. We all talked and decided that if these kids can’t learn how to use running water and a toilet in school and why it’s important, then where are they going to learn it. And what a better place to build the villages’ first toilet, than in the school. So I’m planning on making two toilets next time I get up there and bringing some piping to connect to the nearest canal to get a water tap there. The whole thing was really exciting and this is something I’m interested in doing a lot more of, being that we can impact such a significant number kids.
So I’m home now. I’m so happy. I feel like we’re entering a new phase as an organization. The house now has a bigger capacity to hold more kids. We have around 60 children in our program altogether. I’m excited about being home and being in the visionary stage again, thinking about my plans, dreams, goals, and needs for the next 6 months of operation. MOST of all I’m ready to live in a house, free of sledgehammers, electric saws, and anywhere from 20-30 laborers traipsing through the house with cement, sand wood, and bricks. Being able to focus 100% on the operation.
I have so so much to say. I’d love to e-mail, phone, and meet with people while I’m home. It’s really refreshing for me and I’m looking forward to it. Hope to hear from you all soon.