Mike Cassidy is our project leader for these projects. He is in Nepal until the end of March. Below are some of his emails that he is reporting back from the field in Nepal. Mike is volunteering his time to serve the people of Nepal. Enjoy, and Thank You for your continue support.
Namaste,
FEB. I left St. Devi's Academy this morning and told them i would return
in three weeks when our programs in the South are finished in the Lumbini Zone..
I took a few boys from Porapokar orphanage to help me get the two buses to the
disabled home outside Kathmandu. I was good to see Daya Ram Thapa and the now 33
deaf, blind and crippled children he cares for. I assured him of our $900
continued support.
Two successes greeted me.Steel rods were placed in Surjan's crippled legs
and he will walk normally in a few years time. He is seven years old. Gita, five
years old, had two successful operations, one on her cleft lip and the second
one on her throat. She is still blind and learning braille on a newly gifted
computer from France but she is 'talking up a storm' now that she is able to
speak. Be glad...we are all part of this...
spent the evening at Porapokar home sitting on the roof around a fire made
of bamboo sticks. It is cold at night and we talked and ate sweets. I was taken
to the 'bus park' at 7am for a local bus to Bhairahawa on the southern plains of
Nepal. down the Kathmandu valley along winding roads past towns and villages for
the 8 hour ride. i was glad it was over.
Feb . this is my second day here at the Eye Hospital i am still making my
rounds to see all the staff and former students of 9 years ago. Plans will
be made for our School Screening Program, I met with Hari Thapa who manages the
Low vision department and tomorrow i will go to the town of Butwal to speak to
Dr Amil about our eye glasses program for poor children. All will be
well...
it is time to find some food.
Week of Feb 18-23
Namaste,
I took a long walk at dusk on saturday evening (feb 18) around the village
of Balwari for the last time this year. I saw a flock of parrots fly overhead,
water buffalo were walked back to their stalls and the smell of smoke from
cooking fires filled the air. I will miss the rice paddy, the squeal of water
pumps, the crow of roosters in the morning and having tea by the fire as water
is heated for the morning bath.
Shivaratri - Shiva's night feb 20th
The eight hour bus ride to Kathmandu turned into a 14 hour ordeal. All was
going well until Narangath town bridge where a 'strike' closed the bridge for 3
hours. A 'bandt' is a common form of protest here where schools, offices, shops
and roads are closed, sometimes for days. On the move again until the 'jam' of
traffic slowed and stopped on the two lane road to the Kathmandu valley for 3
hours more. I love Nepal....
I celebrated the god Shiva's Night late at Paropakar orphanaged. A bonfire
was lit, two side drums played, clapping and chanting started the folk singing,
and dancing around the fire soon began. All we glad i kept my promise to attend.
I gave out butterscotch sweets brought from the USA and I soon forgot my long
bus ride.
I took the Braille typewriter to the SEVA headquarters to see if we can
find the organization for the blind that i was told could repair the
machine.
Thur Feb 23
I took four classes today at St Devi's Academy. handed out framework and
work seek puzzles I brought with me from America. It is nice to see the children
one year older. Which reminds me that i will also count one more year this
coming Saturday. It is the custom for me to give out sweets on my
birthday.
all is well.
mike sir
