when i left for this trip, my intent was to donate my time. while it would have been great to donate a good amount of money for things like food, soap, and school supplies as well, i honestly was a bit short on cash and just couldn’t swing it. before i left, though, a few people had asked about ways they could help out. space was limited in my bag to bring things with me (although i did fit your supplies Nancy) and there was no way i was going to check a bag, so i went with the plan of getting here, finding out what they needed most, and then letting people know back home ways they could help.

fast forward three weeks or so, and thanks to the generosity of a few close friends, coworkers, and my family, i have been able to help the orphanage purchase new uniforms for their upcoming school year, new shoes for all the children, all the text books needed for school, and a bunch of food! even as i write this a day later, i’m still in awe of the kindness shown by those of you back home.

MON, we headed out to do a little shopping. first we stopped off at the local shoe shop to get new white kicks for the boys which they need for school.

after we finished up there, we made our way to the tailor shop to get all the children measured for their school uniforms (which includes one pair of black slacks and two dress shirts). the shop is pictured at the start of this post, and seemed to be the nicest place in town.

and a picture of us walking home – i always hang back just a bit so i can watch all the boys which never fails to make me smile.

i was so proud of how well the boys behaved themselves while waiting for their turn, and how polite they were to the shop owners.

yesterday, Rabindra and i went back into town to buy some food. it was neat to see the wheeling and dealing involved, and even though i couldn’t understand a bit of what was said, judging by Rabindra’s smile afterwards i’m guessing he got a pretty good deal.

Rabindra hired a truck to get the food back to the house (for about $2.00). i tried to offer a hand loading, but they were having none of it.

i was finally able to help out back at the house – below is Santa trying his best to give a hand as well. in the end, we were able to get eight bags of rice, two bags of red and black lentils (for soup), and two bags of cooking oil. it’ll be enough to last them for the next two months, and although he couldn’t really find the words in English to express it, i could tell a huge weight had been lifted from Rabindra’s shoulders. they were down to about a days supply of rice, and i don’t think he had any money to buy more. and being the man he is, Rabindra would have never let me know and wouldn’t dare ask for help.

so proud (and happy i’m sure), Rabindra wanted a photo:

this coming MON, the kids start school and i’m going with to buy the books. i don’t think their uniforms will be done until a few days after i leave, but i asked Hana if she could snap a picture and send it to me. if she does, i’ll post it up.

to close, i can’t express how much the funds have helped the home, and thank you so much to those of you who helped out. asking for money was never my intent for this trip – and please don’t take this post as a request for you to give. simply giving my attention, guidance, and support to the children was always my intent for coming here. but people offered on their own will, and this has made my experience here so much more. more importantly, it has helped the orphanage so much. thinking about the kindness shown leaves me without words. it also has me overwhelmed with joy and a bit choked up.

yesterday while in the city, i picked up supplies for PBJ’s, and also stocked up on pringles, animal crackers, oranges, juice boxes, and some cookies. why? today was picnic day! and before you comment on the crap menu for a picnic, ZIP IT! it’s all i could find. we left the house around 1:00 pm, and walked for what seemed like FOREVER up into the surrounding hills. after about an hour, we got to the most beautiful spot where some rocks were stuck out over a ravine, and a stream from up the hill made a waterfall. what was not fun was the fact the rock everyone was hanging out on was sloped downward, only about five meters long, and dropped off about 100 feet. to say it was sketchy would be the biggest understatement of the year. but Goma snipped at the boys if they got too close to the edge, and for about a half hour, we sat and chatted, the boys swam in the water, and i stressed myself out more than i have in years thinking someone was going to fall.

we then walked back down the trail and found a nice spot to eat – everyone loved the PBJ’s, and we made enough for Rabindra and Goma (and Boxer) as well. none of them had ever had peanut butter, and they rarely eat sandwiches, so it was a real treat.

at about 3:30, we headed back home, which was way easier being all downhill the entire way. the sun was amazing, and it was neat to see all the boys so happy with full bellies. the houses were neat to look at along the way as well. Tul found some rare flowers and was happy to tell us all about them. the picture i made of Goma with a handful of them is one of my favorite shots from today.

as you might have guessed, today was a good day. sadly, they all aren’t. some days, the house is just down, and the boys don’t feel like doing much. others you just don’t want to end. tomorrow we’re going into town to get fit for school uniforms – a huge thank you to everyone that made this happen. i’ll be sure to make some pictures to share with you soon.

i’ll leave you with a picture of the view from the rocks we were sitting on by the waterfall. it was pretty amazing.

above is a small preview of a project i’m working on while i’m here. it’s proving a bit more difficult than i had thought it would be, but i still have two weeks to finish it, and i’m thinking that will be enough time.

who’s here:

Rabindra – a quiet man with caring eyes, Rabindra runs the house. he’s married with three children, and his family lives about a two hours drive from here. while his english is pretty broken, we’ve been able to have some pretty good conversations after the kids go to bed.

Goma – the housekeeper, Goma has lived here since she was 15. now 21, she has the most infectious laugh, and cares for the children like they’re her own. despite the fact the children help with the laundry, cleaning, and other chores, Goma’s usually the one finishing what is left undone. she also cooks all the meals, which are served twice daily. every meal is the same – rice, lentil soup, and a vegetable (which is either cabbage, spinach, or potato).

Nabin – you met him at the end of the last blog wearing my shades. he’s the youngest here at five, and he’s also been here the shortest amount of time – only a few months. while he gets along with all the other boys, he never participates when they are playing futbol due to his size, and on trips into town, he usually stays behind unless i carry him on my shoulders. he also speaks very little english or nepali (out of shyness), but his smile makes up for his quietness.

Manoj – i broke up a fight he started the first day i was here, and had to mend a neighbor kid’s bloody nose as a result of it. while i hate to say this about an 11 year old, he’s very mean spirited. he’s always faking like he is going to hit someone, always mean to the dog. and when you call him on it, he gives attitude and walks away. it’s hard to see at times.

Tul – Tul’s your typical 12 year old boy – he loves to build forts, play games, and is so eager to get my attention by calling my name, holding my hand, or jumping off the highest ledge to impress. he’s also quite smart – Rabindra said he’s finished first in his class for the past three years.

Anjil – he’s pictured bottom right in the picture above, and might just have the world’s best smile. he’s been quite up until yesterday, but seems to be very polite. his english isn’t the best, but he loves to have a good time and graces me with that smile about 245 times a day – and it’s a welcomed present every time

Shivaraj – by far, he’s the smartest boy here. Always first in his class, always winning the games we play, and witty – last night while i was showing the boys constellations and telling the story of orion, he was the one who asked the most intelligent questions and i can see he’s always on the quest to learn. he’s in the above photo as well – bottom left.

Ashok – the oldest at 16, Ashok is your typical 16 year old. he ignores both Hana and me, and goes off to work during the day. at night, he’s usually in his room unless there is a movie playing. i’ve yet to talk with him, and don’t think i will the entire time i’m here.

Santa – a nice boy, but very attention seeking. he’s always in your face, always doing something to make me notice. sadly, this often comes at the cost being scolded by Goma or Rabindra.

Bijaya (BJ) – also very quite, BJ finally spoke to me for the first time last night while looking at the stars. he loved it! he had so many questions, and didn’t want to go in for bed. still, he’s timid, stays behind a lot when we go to town, and looks quite sad more then i care to have him look that way. he also came here at an older age, so i’m sure he remembers his parents more than most – all the other boys with the exception of Nabin have been here for more than six years.

Bikash – i hate to play favorites, but Bikash is just so likable. he’s so polite, so caring, so happy to play the simple games all the others don’t care to play. and like Anjil, his smile warms the heart (see top left in the photo above). i was quite surprised to hear last night from Rabindra that he struggles in school, and that he failed nearly all his classes last year. when i asked him about it, he said he’s bored with what they have to teach, and that he doesn’t care about school. he’s not dumb – his english is perfect, and he knows pretty much everything i’ve introduced to him – i think he’s just more interested in popular culture than formal education. oh, and he loves to sing.

Suko – like Tul, Suko’s another average 12 year old. loves to play, loves to get dirty, and loves to push my buttons by yelling at the dog. he does listen, though, and i can see he’s being a bit nicer to Boxer (the dog) everyday.

and last but not least, Boxer, the family dog – like most dogs here, he’s a mutt, and i’d guess there’s a good portion of some small terrier breed at work there. regardless, he’s a sweet dog, and usually sits at my side on the front porch each morning while i drink my tea. while Rabindra treats him well and he sleeps inside at night, the children are often a bit unkind to him, and he’s very timid as a result. if i succeed at nothing else while i’m here, i hope to instill a small amount of the value of kindness to animals in each of the children.

i hope this gives you a little better idea of who’s here, and i’ll leave you with some of my favorite pictures of the kids doing what they do. i realize i’m not posting up a ton of information for you all to read – part of the reason is due to the fact i’m not finding much time (or internet availability) to post. and i think the other part is that what i’m feeling here is often so hard to put into words. i can’t say i’m sad, but it’s not a happy place to be. it’s very frustrating at times, but other times i’m so glad to be here to experience this place. i’m doing my best to let you know how it’s going, but hang with me as i struggle to find the words.

so this is the town i’m currently living in. the title of this post is the name – you can imagine my difficulty trying to tell the cabby where i want to go when i’m trying to get home. more on the town and the house in a minute.

FRI before i was place, Jonny (sp?) and I went to see the monkey temple which sits really high up on a hill in kathmandu. to get to the top, you have to climb the 365 stairs which get steeper and steeper as you go. by the top, i was taking about one step every 10 seconds or so – it’s that steep. along the way, tons of monkeys were hanging out in the trees, on the stairs, etc. they weren’t always the friendliest, and i was wishing i had got my rabies shot before i came…

FRI afternoon, we were taken to our placement shown below. i’ve also included a few pictures of the bedrooms, kitchen, living room, and where we wash our clothes. we do have running water, a hot shower (which is a super sketchy propane run unit, and power (although everyday, the power is only on throughout the entire kathmandu valley for two five to six hour periods), so while i’m not living on the floor, it’s pretty basic living.

i’m cutting it short for now, but i’ll be posting up tomorrow with more info on the kids and town then. for now, i’ll leave you with a portrait of Nabin rocking it euro trash style.