BUILD BEGINS

Long day.....

Those who were up by sunrise (6:30) and opted to brave the brisk morning air were treated to a major pay-off, as some of the world’s tallest peaks seemed not just to reveal themselves but to come alive as they were struck by the rising sun with soothing Nepali music playing in the background. 

View of the Himalayas in the morning, breakfast, bus ride. Long walk down into the valley, many many namastes , village greeting, Tika on the head , flowers and then rinsing, moving bricks, moving mortar, straining gravel to make mortar. The project's off to a great start, wonderful team. Hot shower, Advil, muscle relaxant and a glass of wine, I feel great, good night all.

SAFETY

The safety given in the worksite presentation was the usual warnings. With one exception: what to do in case of an earthquake. RUN. Get outside.

IIn the aftermath of the BIG one, April 2015, there have been continuing aftershocks. Including one yesterday morning at 5:20. Woke me up and initially felt like someone was moving my bed. Then, like a freight train under the floor. Lasted about 20 seconds. The epicenter of this one was 100 kilometers away.

Data:
8,796 killed
22,300+ injured
400,000 houses destroyed
280,000 damaged

Many buildings still awaitingrestoration.

MONDAY

Even though we had only met last evening at the welcome dinner, when we set out Monday, we were already Habitat friends.

An organized tour with driver and guide showed it's some city highlights before the bus ride to Duhliekil and our Habitat hotel. We did the Monkey Temple, the Boudha Stupa, a Tanhka painting studio and the Crematorium. They all have proper Nepali names, but too difficult to remember.

Most I had already visited one of the other times I was here. But the Boudha Stupa, a World Heritage UNESCO site was new to me. Badly damaged, it has been restored and opened again only 7 days ago. 

The day was an opportunity to get acquainted with the team before our first day on the build.

The Stupa is in a Tibetan enclave, so naturally, the political message.

GOODBYE CAMP HOPE

As I join the Habitat team today, I consider a final thought about the tent city of Camp Hope. Originally housing almost 600, some people have been able to return to their village, but others remain, about 360, whose homes are still devastated. 

The government has been slow to aid and roads continue to be impassable in sections making it impossible for trucks carrying materials to reach the village. Sangita has a plan and funding to implement a building effort, but it is yet stymied by road conditions. In the meantime, Camp Hope provides tents, food, medical treatment and schooling. Hopefully the housing construction can begin soon so these families can move back to their villages and into decent shelter. 

Thanks all for your clothing donations. And for the additional funds which I passed along to Sangita and which will buy extra fruit and meat for the families.

Photo...Sangita and the clothing donations.

Sent from my iPad

CLOTHING DONATIONS

Stacked up at home from donations made by friends, the jackets and warm sweaters were stuffed into multiple suitcases and bought to Camp Hope, Kathmandu, Nepal. The request for children's clothing had been made to my friend James Vargo by Ambica Shrestha and her daughter, Sangita.

Together James and I energized our friends, his in Chicago area and mine in New Jersey. And the clothing soon began accumulating and the piles grew. 

Today is Sunday and the clothing is being sorted and the allocations made for the children, small adults and handicapped families. There is an abundance of items, plenty to impress Ambica and Sangita. Distribution will take place very soon.

Thanks specifically to the following friends of mine: Barbara, Carol, Doug, Manny, Paul, Ruth, and Sara, plus rummage sales at two local NJ churches. You have all been so generous.

Below ... James, myself, the resident dog, Mia, who arrived from Oklahoma with grandson, Sean, following his graduation from university in the state.

More photos as the sorting process begins.

THE CHILDREN

Even though displaced from their homes and villages for 18 months since the earthquake, Camp Hope's CHILDREN are happy kids. They have been well cared for, had schooling and developed good English as well as good manners. I am so impressed.

In person, these children are awesome. I fall in love over and over!

One girl asks my name, asks where I am from and is curious about my favorite food. I say, ice cream and she laughs with a twinkle in her eye and replies, mine too. I realize we have made a connection.

NEPALI FOOTBALL

They call it football, but we know the sport as soccer.

Today was a big day for the Camp Hope soccer team as they played their first game on a big field against a Nepal professional team. And they made a good showing, 2-3. Their coach (in blue shirt) who had volunteered to get them ready for this event was pleased. 

The newly formed.cheerleading squad was out there also. 

A ttruly special day to have been able to share. Hopefully these kids will get back to their villages next year. 

A RECONNECTION

FRIENDSHIP ... It has been 2 years since we had worked alongside our Nepali volunteer, Prabin on our 2014 Habitat Nepal build. Today, we met at the place he Is now manager: the Terraces restaurant at the new 4-month old mall, a highlight spot in Kathmandu. He said he wished all his American friends from that team were also there and was deeply moved when we gave him the memory photo book of the 2014 time together, (thanks Mary for the idea and the book of my photos).

EMPOWERMENT

One of Sangita's iniatives was to develop economic improvement in the families.

She taught the women to knit.

They could do this at home, knitting caps, hand warmers and scarfs could be sold. Economic gain.on their own they created interesting patterns and even made their own knitting needles of bamboo. Wool and mohair were donated by a German firm.

We met the ladies, knitting and socializing and happy to show off their work.

CAMP HOPE

This text is copied from a post by James, following our visit to "Camp Hope" with Sangita and her son Sean. The people were wonderful and the children so lovely and precious. The September 2015 earthquake left these families homeless and Camp Hope has been there current living situation. Even after a year their attitudes are positive and hopeful. 

The Camp has been built,funded and directed by the Shrestha family under Sangita's leadership. She is the driving force in organizing the rebuilding of housing in the destroyed villages and the final closing of camp hope with a 18 month time frame target.

The children were our guides taking us by hand and leading us through the dark little village. There English was excellent, they were extroverted and polite children". Its already getting chilly here and they face a long cold winter in this camp. We are going to revisit on Saturday during the day and will bring our bags of coats and sweaters for them to sort and distribute.

We had so many reasons to be thankful this holiday even though not home and tonight ever so many many more.

KATHMANDU

Himalayan prayer bells

Kathmandu relaxing at Dwarikas Hotel. The hotel is elegant and expansive with detailed wood carved artifacts salvaged over the years by Dwarika Das Shrestha and his wife Ambica from ancient buildings being destroyed in Kathmandu dating back as far as the 13th century. These pieces have been incorporated into the hotel building structure. His mission was to save this Nepalese heritage for future generations and to this day the hotel employs and trains woodcarvers and restorers on property who continue daily to repair and pass this skill and art on.  Unfortunately Mr Shrestha passed away several years ago.

In the morning, it was breakfast with Ambica who is vibrant and always has staff and friends coming to her with calls and asking for her decisions or directions. Both she and her husband opened this location in the 70’s and it is truly an amazing place. 

Ambica handles as honorary consul the affairs of Spain, is active in many organizations, Rotary, charities, and was and is instrumental in the international organization, Women in Professional Business. You can find her in Wikipedia and locate the hotel at www.DwarikasHotel.com for more information and photographs of this place plus the several other locations and businesses the family operates. 

My friend and fellow Habitat volunteer James Vargo first met this family through a daughter Vinita, who lives in the U.S., in his hometown, Geneva Illinois, and volunteers for St Vincent DePaul with him there.

On Ambica's last visit with Vinita in the US, James had a chance to get to know her and also met her other daughter Sangita from Nepal. They offered to host both James and myself prior to the beginning of our Nepal Habitat home build next week in the Dhulikhel area. 

My flight finally arrived late last evening in Nepal and this morning at breakfast I met Ambica, and her daughter, Sangita, who lives here. Both are very active in providing support and temporary living space at Camp Hope a tent village housing 360 individuals displaced since the earthquake, plus being instrumental in driving a multi million dollar project to rebuild 1100+ houses in 6 of their villages that were destroyed in the 2015 earthquake. www.Ourdreamvillagenepal.org for additional information. 

Camp Hope is the recipient for the clothing and funds that both James and I raised and brought here. We go there tonight, to Camp Hope with Sangita. and see what is being done for these families.

ENROUTE NEPAL

This is from 2014 Habitat Build. Should be in country tonight. Just landed in HKG and have long layover (12 hours) until flight to KTM. Am in a nice lounge, day pass which includes shower plus a massage. Have good wifi and am picking up my mail. This will be an all-time longest trip after factoring the flight change and waiting-around time.

OOOPS

Was supposed to be in the air. But, not in the air yet. A hiccup:

Loaded up the car, and left house at 4:35 a.m. For my early morning flight, arrived at the airport and got luggage on a trolley (3 cases), said goodbye to Roy.

And as the skycap was rolling it up to the counter, I realized that my carry on bag was missing. Left behind at the house. All 18 pounds (even a little over the allowed weight of 15).

So, changed my flight to later one ($200), checked in the 3 bags. Only 2 bags go free, so then paid the $170 for the third. Was able to get my boarding pass and am now hanging till midnight departure. Reason for so much luggage is I had collected warm winter jackets for young girls in Nepal and still displaced from their homes after the earthquake of last year. More than 60 pieces.

In the meantime Roy is retrieving my bag from home. Didn't reach him until he arrived at his office. He will bring the missing luggage back to the office and someone else will drive it to the airport. And I am waiting. But comfortably as I found a private area for British  Airway first class checkin, with a nice lounge area that most would never find, and that has 3 big old leather sofas. 

Now, instead of a 9a.m. Flight, my departure is a little after midnight. 

NEPAL RETURN

A few days before Thanksgiving I will be off once again to Nepal. For the fourth time, on my fourth build in the country. for Habitat for Humanity. Previously we worked in Pokara, the second largest city, then in the Kavre district, and in 2014 we were in the southwest in the Chitwan area.

This year we return to the Kavre district. The only person of our 15 member team who I know is another long-time volunteer and good friend from Chicago, James Vargo. This will be the sixth time we will be working together: three times in Nepal, once in Thailand and once in Cambodia.

On the final day of the build we hold a house dedication ceremony to celebrate and to give the family good wishes for them in their new home. In turn, the volunteer builders are given thanks. And in Nepal, this means draping each with the light yellow silk scarf and applying the tikka to our foreheads. It is always a very moving time as we spend the last moments together with family members who have worked alongside us on the job site.

Photo of me, house dedication, Nepal 2014.