Saturday night we separated 200 blankets from the bound 40 piece bundles that were delivered. Sandip and David tied rope around 12 at a time and mounds of blankets were everywhere. Dani at 5 saw them as a challenge to climb and fall on! The blankets were close weaved wool which will be good in all types of weather for the Chepang people.

Sunday morning thick grey fog was swirling around the building as we woke up at 4am. We waited for the micro bus to come around 5am to excitement in our hearts. It took us an hr to load up all the blankets even with Sher Lama, his wife and two teen boys helping. WE piled in at 6am, the eight of us and began our 6 hr journey in the pitch black crowded conditions but content. As short as I am my knees still cramped and the seats were narrow and hard. Traffic is better this year because of the shortage of petrol. Petrol is available if you wait in long lines ( we are talking lines of cars and busses parked for days and a mile long) or purchase on the black market. And so the streets are not as crowded. People can be seen everywhere surrounding little trash fires to get warm. Smoke fills the air as we fly by. Busses wait curbside waiting to be over stuffed with people to make their journeys across Kathmandu. We drive slowly thru Kalanki Chowk ( cross roads) to start our journey up into the mountains, then down again and up and down numerous times. Thick fog surrounds us as we slowly wind our way around the various loops in the mountains, upon bumpy gravel roads and pray we don’t go off a side cliff. I am glad it is dark outside. Construction is being done to widen the road which I am told will take ten years to complete and lots of “stopped” traffic for travelers. WE were blessed and were able to drive at a pretty steady pace. We stop at several places to use the restrooms which can only be described as overused and cleaned once a day after hundreds of uses. I roll my pant legs up and pray. On our way again after some noodle soup. I purposely drink less than I should for obvious reasons.

Around 2pm we arrived at our destination and transferred to a bus that looked like it came out of Mel Gibson movie in Mad Max. Pastor Bikash arranged this. He was a former ESL student of mine 5 years ago . He has been working with the Chepang for a few years now. The transfer bus had 100 bags of rice piled in 90 percent of the seats .The faded ancient blue and white vehicle had doors missing, balled tires, windows cracked, ceiling bubbles, pealing paint and this was going to drive us 5 miles into the river area to meet the Chepang! Seats were old and all cushion was gone on the seat. We loaded our two hundred blankets piled them everywhere we could on top of the yellow bags of rice and began to seat ourselves. More knees up to our chins. Men sat everywhere as we took on 7 more volunteers. Over the bridge we went and then slowly down into the river bed and under the bridge as we started the journey through the river. I am impressed with this old bus, made in India with a weak body but a strong engine.. I soon realized this was also a taxi service to people who lived up the river and then walked into the mountain village. We would stop every 1/4 mile or so if the driver saw people waiting. And so we picked up another 20 people on the way…seats made for two had four and mothers with babies strapped on their backs crammed the already loaded bus. WE squished until we could squish no more. Chickens gained access and children sat anywhere they could find space.

The river water was clear and ran quite fast but the bus was able to plow thru easily with water often up to the wheel rim. An hr. later we arrived at our destination on the side of a mountain. Lush dark foliage covered the sides where landslides has not occurred. Around 200 people were waiting for us. Sher Lama gave open prayer thanking God and asked that He bless the people with the food and blankets. Bikash managed the distribution well with names being called which he had formulated the week before. All went smoothly and in 1 1/2 hr. we had finished. People gave thanks and started to move up the mountain. Many women carried these 65 pound bags of rice on their backs while children carried the blankets. Some people had journeyed 11 hrs to meet us there. Incredible people. Children smiled and were so happy to have blankets. Curiosity overcame their fear of this old westerner delivering and they came near. Women were overcome and sat and just watched until their names were called. It was a good day and we were given a live chicken by the people as a gift .

WE arrived home at 9pm tired but satisfied. Saru boiled water for me and I washed in my bucket and was in bed by ten and slept for 11 hrs. We will go to another people group in the next few weeks and provide much the same to 17 families that have been displaced totally by the earthquakes and have had no relief work done. They are a people group that stays hidden and wants little influence from the city people. I should really be a shock to them. We hope to go this Thursday.

Thank you for your prayers and donations. Without this nothing could be accomplished here. I want you to know that so little does so much here and that every donation accumulated directly effects these people in need.

May you be blessed as you have blessed others