Returning to Australia

(This was written a few days ago before the power cut and never got completed)

Hello to you all,

This will be my last blog for now from Nepal.  I have had the most amazing time and experiences, and meet the most amazing people.  Nepalis are so hospitable and friendly.  I have been welcomed wherever I went and many a time been invited into their homes for 'dahl badht'. 

Today I have just found out that whilst I was in Pokhara I was in the midst of a SARs (Bird Flu) epidemic.   I am glad that chicken and eggs was not on my menu.  The Government of Nepal held off for nearly a week before they informed the locals and  came in and slaughtered many of the farmer's chickens and removed eggs from shops, farms etc.  It was pretty deverstating for the local people...losing their livelihood.  There are issues between the Government and locals around suitable compensation and the burying of carcasses on Hindu/sacred land.  This meant that the carcasses laid around until suitable Government land became available to bury them.  I guess this has made the situation worse.  I am thankful that I was given the heads up even before the information was released to the public. 

Now my time is coming to an end.  I spent my final days reviewing a school and its business processes putting in place some changes to the curriculum.  The school is conducted in English with some Nepali in the areas of dance and grammer.  The school age for these children start at two and half  through to six years old.  Nepali children go to school 6 days a week.  Some start as early as 6am through to 11am and then the next group commences at 11am until 4pm.  This is so that the school can cater for many children.  

Now I am back in Kathmandu staying at the Holy Himmalaya Hotel.  This is a blessing from one of the Director's at the school I was assessing.  Having some 'ME' time has been good as it is giving me time to evaluate all that I have been doing and finding some purpose to it all.  Many doors have been opened for the future and I see God's work in many things.  Sometimes I wonder how it all can be achieved and what do I really have to offer these people and their community.  I am reminded constantly that I am the catalyst that God needs to inject change for His people... beginning through education. Human rights and safety issues are only just coming to the forefront in Nepal.  The younger generation are keen to see and assist with change in a positive way in their country.

I have had a couple of interviews since I have been here.  One with the Kathmandu International Study Centre as the Human Resource Manager where I would be looking after the Staff at the school, and Equip Nepali Teacher Program, and Staff who help out in administration, kitchen, recruitment, evaluation of curriculum etc and one to be the Director of another Nepali School.  One is a volunteer positions and the other is a paid position but in Nepali Rupee.  The difficulty many mission agencies are finding is that it is difficult to retain volunteers due to the financial position and to pay and recruit Nepalise means that the costs will need to rise for education.  There are also visa issues that cause complications when recruiting from outside of Nepal. Volunteer visas are becoming very difficult to obtain.  Even though a person volunteers to assist a variety of projects they are still required to pay foreigner prices for many things.  Please pray that the right doors will open for the right people to assist the wider Nepali community and that the funds will be available for volunteers to stay longer than a few months. 

Continue on for 7 Feb 2010 or a Nepali Year of 2066. 
Today I headed back to the remote location of Sankhu to say good bye to my Nepelise family and friends.  I managed to visit a few heritage sights, play some badminton with the children.  I also visited one of the National Parks which backs right on to one of the golf courses once owned by the King of Nepal.  There are many monkeys that drift in from the forest across the golf course in search of food from nearby residents, hotels etc.  It is a pretty spectacular sight.  I did refrain from feeding them.  I actually thought it was best not to encourage them.  I went for a long walk around the edge of the forest with one of my good Nepali friends.  I found as long as you left the monkeys alone they left you alone.  By now I have manage to build up a good network of Nepali friends with whom I will stay in contact with when I return home. 

I can see myself returning to Nepal sooner rather than later.  There is much unfinished work to be completed.  I was surprised how many doors have been opened and just how many people are looking for assistance from the west.  Not necessarily financial, but more for ideas, and options to build a better community, ensuring all children no matter where they are located have an opportunity to good education, sanitation improved amongst the slum areas of Kathmandu, and an improvement in infrastructure including roads, transport, health, power, human rights, justice for the poor and women etc. 

There are many NGOs set up in Nepal but their purpose does not focus on the agenda's of the community nor do some of them meet the needs of the Nepali community.  The people I have been working with are local people who are greatly aware that to make an impact with their people one needs to listen to them not to resolve their problems but to actually hear what their needs are.  It is about working with them, not for our own agendas but theirs.  I have learnt like us in the western world we too have to learn by our own mistakes so why would this not be the case for Nepal.  The Nepali people do know what the needs are for their community.  The people I have worked with and spent time with certainly do.  I pray that the Government officials will begin to listen to the needs of their people and take some positive action not for their own agendas but for their people.

9 Feb 2010 or a Nepali year of 2066.

Today is my packing morning.  This evening I am flying out from Kathmandu via Hong Kong and on to Sydney.   I am being taken out to dinner for my last meal of 'dahl badht'.  After that... if I would like to eat Nepali food I will have to cook it myself ....back home.  I will spend the day with one of my Nepali friends and be joined by a number of other friends to say 'see you later' not 'goodbye'.  It will be a chance to re-live a few special moments.  I hope that I have been able to make some sort of an impact or a difference for these people, through my faith, the examples I have set and providing hope that through my belief in God change definately can occur.  I am thankful that I believe in only one God.  I could not imagine worshipping many Gods.  I would feel in adequate in many areas and could never live up the expectation of these Gods.  I am grateful that I have a forgiving, trusting, merciful and loving God who is worth all honour and much more. 

My next blog will be the summary of when I return home.  My love to you all.