Many children now had new uniforms, socks , shoes and underclothing to attend school. Games have been distributed, and so many other things purchased. Special meat dinners ( a second meat day is something here) kitchen supplies, a 2200 lt water tank enhance the lives of over 220 children now.

A refrigerator was purchased as well as dressers for clothing in two small childrens homes. Followup testing for the recipient of Chemo/radiations Therapy .

We now have a nursing student in what is called a Bridge Course. This three month, 7 days a week course will prepare her for the nursing exam which she will take in August. When she passes she will apply to 4 colleges. Alisha is now 16 and this is the Nepali way. I purchased solar lights ( 4 bulbs)for her home so that she could study as electric here often is out by 7 ( it changes every night) and I found her up at 3am in the morning to study when the electric came on. Candles just don’t do the job. She is at the crowded micro bus pick up point at 6am every morning. She crams herself in with the massive amounts of other people going to work. This is one grateful young lady that she has the opportunity to go to nursing school. Another lady will attend her final year of a Bachelors in education. She is making less than $100 a month as a teacher now and with this degree she will double her salary. I often wonder how people survive here. Soft spoken and with a wonderful personality, she too is happy to have this opportunity. One person, one family at a time also does a lot for future generations.

Our Pharmacy student is in his third year of pharmacy school in a few months. He recently had his first child ( he is a pharmacy student but ooops do happen) . His little girl will grow up in the home of a man who can provide for his family. He knows that one condition for this educational chance was that someday he would pay it forward to someone else.

My last day of teaching at Orchid Gardens found me on the back of the motorcycle with my pink and purple scarf wrapped around my head with only my eyes showing. Pollution is taking over the city and I have found my hair stiff as a board if not covered in a day of riding. Washing in water that had sediment in it has had its effects on my hair too…lol..

Kamala, who I told you about in an earlier note, is such a lovely person. With no arms and only one leg she has remained a sweet sweet lady. She is part of a handicapped association endorsed by the Rotary Club and talks on a radio station each Saturday morning. I was asked to speak but declined as I had a previous engagement. Next year I will explain how a small non profit can make small changes that can give people hope. I have paid for 15 weeks for her to educate children in music at Orchid Gardens, encourage them in life, and to loose the fear of a handicapped person. Kamala is so happy that she has had this opportunity to do this. I have networked here to have other people that run schools to connect with her also and am connected to a Journalist who I hope will follow through and interview her. Exposure will help so many handicapped people here. She was blessed to have a

New Zealand man some years ago find out about her and take her to Australia to be fitted with artificial limbs. Rob Buchanan and his Non profit is called Mendz. He builds clinics in rural areas to help all kinds of handicapped people including those with club feet. He and Rotary work together to accomplish many operations, orthopedic manipulations and distribution of equipment. This is how the West can help the East.

God in his wisdom and grace has placed me in Nepal. Trash piles up in the streets, rivers are dirty and putrid and children often are left without much parental encouragement as they play in the mucky areas.. Many adults cant get jobs and poverty reigns and yet the smiles of the children and the hope in their faces that there might be an opportunity for them makes all the hard beds, the long bus rides, the baths out of a bucket, squatty potties, pollution and huge amounts of rice, the constant barking of dogs and honking of horns a Joy that really does not make any earthly sense.

I am 61 and wonder each time I prepare to come…what am I doing? But when I come it all makes sense. There are many moments of darkness when I am here. This is a difficult country. The stories of NGOs who are getting rich off of the faces of sad children, the huge houses that are going up because of these unscrupulous people is scandalous and often discouraging. Men ( brokers) go to villages and get families to pay for children to come to Kathmandu to get a good education. Often these children live in poor poor conditions and get a horrid public school education and the worst is when some are sold and become house slaves. This is why I come. I am very cautious about the homes I work in and give supplies to. I spend time, interview people who know them and see the same children year after year well taken care of. So I am confident of where I work. Sometimes I pray at night to give me the courage to continue and then He shows me the next day WHY. He never fails me in showing me that my life can give some small amount of comfort and encouragement to others.

Community development and education for children and adults is such an important element for a country to be healthy. Humanitarian need begins the chance for change in a society and is not just a drop in the bucket. The deeper need is to know God as a loving God who wants them to know that He cares for the needs of His Children, always. He does this through people. I hope that this aide does show Nepali people that He is true and good.

Circumstances might change. The bible tells us we never know what next year will bring much less the next year. I have hope that Change for Hope will continue for a while.

I want you all to know your words of encouragement, support , prayers and continued help is what makes many peoples lives easier to cope with here and gives them a chance to be self sufficient through education and opportunity. God is good in all things.