Stories
write themselves over here. I just watch and talk and listen then I throw the
words down and I try to put them in the right order.
To do
the stories justice.
Stories
are just people and places really.
They
are snapshots of interactions.
Space
and time.
Writing
them here in Nepal is easy.
Kathmandu.
Children.
Schools.
New
beds.
Dead bugs.
The
Holy Dude
I hammer
away at my keyboard deep into the night.
I can’t
stop writing.
I
delivered a package from a very nice Singaporean girl named Yi Ju to a little
Nepali girls named Bhuti. Yi Ju visited Nepal recently with one of the groups
that my friend Jessie organizes.
Bhuti
is I think about 6 years old and she comes from a village far away in the Upper
Dolpo region of Northern Nepal. She has been at the Snowland school for nearly
2 years and has not seen her mother or father or brothers or sisters in all
that time, She likely wont for another decade.
It is
simply too far away and hard to get to.
I am a
parent
I
cannot comprehend the vastness of the pain of separation and the sacrifices
that have been made for these kids to attend school from so far away.
To be
apart from parents and family for more than a decade.
This is
beyond me.
Yi Ju
and Bhuti spent a couple of days playing at the Snowland School in Kathmandu
and they took lots of photos together.
Bhuti
was a natural.
Photographer
that is.
Anyway
– Yi Ju knew I was coming to Kathmandu and she asked me to give little Bhuti an
album of photos they had taken and a digital camera and charger.
I was
just a courier and I didn’t mind at all.
Little
Bhuti was overawed and over-joyed.
Me
too.
It’s
the main thing we try to do with visitors.
We try
and connect them with Nepal and the children.
We try
and bond them with the country and the people.
We
think this is needed by our visitors for them to see and experience the poverty and the opportunity
that exists.
To witness first hand the
potential and the bravery of the mountain children.
We
want them to hear the stories from the sources.
From
the kids.
Then
we want them to bask in the hope and the joy of it all.
We
like it when our visitors bond and connect with individual kids and they watch and
they help them grow. Our visitors can and do shape the futures of Nepali
children from the mountains in a multitude of ways.
Befriending
them.
Helping
them live to their potential.
It’s
not that difficult.
One
learns a lot too.
About
the world.
About
yourself.
It is
the bees’ knees
When I
left Snowland this morning – beautiful and smart Savi – the super efficient
Administrator of the Snowland School - passed me a note that Bhuti had written to
Yi Ju.
She had
drawn a picture as well.
I have
a few to take back to Singapore and some to send on to the United Kingdom as
well.
The
children love to write and draw.
Particularly
the girls.
The
boys like football and basketball.
I have
seen quite a few of these letters now over the years and many of the little
kids grew.
They
are both very beautiful things.
Here
is her letter to Ju Yi. I don’t think that either Ju Yi or Bhuti would mind me
sharing it:
Dearest Sis Ju Yi
Hi!
I am very happy J
to get your letters and photos. And also with lots of your love. Thank you very
much for sending me camera. It is very nice. I haven’t forgot your face sister.
I am very happy to see your face on photos.
My study is going well and I am in good
health with my school family. I am enjoying my days with my friends.
I remember you, You are in left side in
photo with red and dark blue shirt. You are wearing glasses. Thanks you so much
for your love towards me. I will take many photos in camera then I will show
you one day. I’m small so I’m going to give it to our captain to keep it and in
holidays and specials days I will get the camera.
I love you and will miss you always J
Your sister
Bhuti
Enough
said.
Enough written
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