Friday, March 16, 2007
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Making the Adjustment
We arrived home safely yesterday, Mar 3. the flight went well and we arrived at Newark a half hour earlier than expected. All luggage was collected and we were on our way.
One of our people hand-carried a Nepali broom home with them. Unfortunately immigration saw it as having some living spores on it and it was confiscated. Following this we met our two drivers who brought us back to Hummelstown, PA where families were waiting to greet us all.
This trip was unique in that to my knowledge it was one of the first work team projects that we have had in the south Asia area, and that it was totally coordinated by the local partners. They planned for our involvement and had laid out all of the plans for the development of the SPICE hostel. Most construction in that part of the world begin construction by building a parimeter wall. This was what we were able to assist in with them.
The other thing that this group did more than many others was to spend quite a bit of time directly with the students in the Hostel. They came prepared to lead in several activities with the children. There was instruction in knitting (Particularly meaningful to me since my Mom used to teach hostel kids how to knit); a singing class where guests learned songs from the children and vise versa; and a great time of learning and playing some new games.
It was different being in Nepal during the time of a bundh (general strike). Fortunately it did not impact us very much. One activity had to be cancelled, but otherwise it only impacted our ground transportation. We did a lot of walking and riding rickshaws. There was a parade of nine rickshaws that took us to the airport. On arrival we were picked up by a bus from the Xenial Hotel.
One of our people hand-carried a Nepali broom home with them. Unfortunately immigration saw it as having some living spores on it and it was confiscated. Following this we met our two drivers who brought us back to Hummelstown, PA where families were waiting to greet us all.
This trip was unique in that to my knowledge it was one of the first work team projects that we have had in the south Asia area, and that it was totally coordinated by the local partners. They planned for our involvement and had laid out all of the plans for the development of the SPICE hostel. Most construction in that part of the world begin construction by building a parimeter wall. This was what we were able to assist in with them.
The other thing that this group did more than many others was to spend quite a bit of time directly with the students in the Hostel. They came prepared to lead in several activities with the children. There was instruction in knitting (Particularly meaningful to me since my Mom used to teach hostel kids how to knit); a singing class where guests learned songs from the children and vise versa; and a great time of learning and playing some new games.
It was different being in Nepal during the time of a bundh (general strike). Fortunately it did not impact us very much. One activity had to be cancelled, but otherwise it only impacted our ground transportation. We did a lot of walking and riding rickshaws. There was a parade of nine rickshaws that took us to the airport. On arrival we were picked up by a bus from the Xenial Hotel.
While in Biratnagar
It is great to be able to write this evening (Feb 26). We have one computer here at the hotel and I have given others the opportunity to get on and write, but tonight I will try to write a little .
We have had a great time here. The worship with the church was wonderful. The hostel children shared a great program with us and we have been out at the work site two days to actually work there. We are constructing the boundary wall around the site. It will be a great place once it is all finished. Many thanks to all of those who made contributions to SPICE so that all of this could happen.
We have a little sickness for one or two on the team, but overall we have remained healthy.
On the site we are working right alongside of the regular workers. The main work team is from Jokbuny an Indian city just four kilometers away. It has taken them a little time to adjust to the fact that we are actually here to work. The first day the one brick layer told me it was an embarrassment for him, to have me serving him. I told him not to worry and we are all moving along together.
Today we had the opportunity to use a local system to move water from one part of a ditch to another, after building a small dam, so that we could get the area where the bridge to the property will be located dried out. It was a fun experience. I have seen many people use the system with a kerosene can tied with ropes so that you can move water; today I actually was able to do it.
People are glad for what all is happening and we have many local people coming to watch day to day. Carol and I are really pleased with the people we are leading in this work trip.
Some of you may have heard that the "bundh" or closer strike has started again. Today shops were closed and there were only rickshaws and motorbikes on the road. It was strangely quiet. It has only effected us in not being able to get transportation to go to Karsiya.
Thank-you for your prayers. Our time is quickly flying away.
Thursday, March 1, 2007
What a time!
We are back in Delhi. It was a wonderful week in Nepal! Again and again the Lord opened doors for us to work and be involved with the things we had gone to Nepal to do. Truly God is good.
While we were there we were able to assist the local workers in making 80% of the boundary wall up to the three foot level. This was on top of the foundation that at placers was three feet or more in order to have a truly level ground surface when it was all completed.
People came and watched and asked many questions to see if they could figure our why these white people were working on this project. We became good friends with our Nepali hosts and with the workers who were hired to do the work. It was difficult to say good-bye at the end of our workday yesterday.
We also had great times with the children of the SPICE hostel. Perhaps the highlight was when they all walked out to the new site and saw what was happening for the first time. They laughed and sang and played games. We also provided a snack for all of them.
All of these things happened in the midst of Biratnagar moving into a Strike or Bundh mode. All traffic was stopped except for rickshaws and motorbikes. One day the only thing that was moving were rickshaws. This morning we actually went to the airport by rickshaw. Regardless all that was planned for the site worked out very well. The bundh did affect our being able to travel to Karsia, but instead we just spent more time at the work site and with the children.
While we were there we were able to assist the local workers in making 80% of the boundary wall up to the three foot level. This was on top of the foundation that at placers was three feet or more in order to have a truly level ground surface when it was all completed.
People came and watched and asked many questions to see if they could figure our why these white people were working on this project. We became good friends with our Nepali hosts and with the workers who were hired to do the work. It was difficult to say good-bye at the end of our workday yesterday.
We also had great times with the children of the SPICE hostel. Perhaps the highlight was when they all walked out to the new site and saw what was happening for the first time. They laughed and sang and played games. We also provided a snack for all of them.
All of these things happened in the midst of Biratnagar moving into a Strike or Bundh mode. All traffic was stopped except for rickshaws and motorbikes. One day the only thing that was moving were rickshaws. This morning we actually went to the airport by rickshaw. Regardless all that was planned for the site worked out very well. The bundh did affect our being able to travel to Karsia, but instead we just spent more time at the work site and with the children.
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