- Joined
- Apr 23, 2003
- Messages
- 1,413
After chatting with Yangdu this morning, she asked that I post a little info on Nepal for you that you won't read in any of the papers. I hope that I've remembered our conversation well.
Nepal had always been a very happy, peaceful home, but now has become a very sad and scary place to be. Yangdu noticed immediately that the smiles were not very easy in coming and most people didn't smile at all. Times are very hard. They had to pass security checks all the time and they did bags and body searches all the time. Traveling was very difficult and the only trip out of Kathmandu that she took was to visit an old friend in a village about 30 minutes away. They arrived, got out of the car and went inside immediately and just stayed. No walk in the beautiful countryside at this time. It is a very dangerous place for all foreigners and the usual hotspots for foreigners were all but empty. The hotels were empty and the people of Nepal continue to get poorer. This is probably good for the Maoist activity because the Maoists best stategy is to go into the illiterate, poor villages and pay the people to join their cause. The illiteracy makes the people unable to grasp what is really going on and the lies that the Maoists tell them have no real meaning to the people who know nothing of communism and the such. We will never hear the truth of what is happening there because the King edits all transfer of news out of the country and nothing he doesn't want known goes out. It truly is a very sad situation in Nepal. Some of the beautiful places in the jungles have become the home to the Maoist rebels and they make attacks from these hideouts. All cell phone activity has been halted because that was one of the ways the Maoists coordinated attacks and kept in touch with each other.
Things in the shop are sad, too. They were robbed recently (took long swords and such) and Yangdu has ordered bars for the windows and hired men to stay there at night. Many other knife shops have been closed down by the Maoists and that is a great concern of Pala, too. They are having trouble traveling to get supplies as that is dangerous and sometimes just not allowed.
Despite the unrest, the school that Gelbu, Yangdu's brother, is running for the kami's kids and some local orphan kids, is going well with 32 students. She was able to drop off books and bags for all the kids and it is so good to see the charity of Birghorka at work. We should all be so thankful for a free (well sort of) education.
When Yangdu got to the factory she distibuted the money collected for watches for the Kami's. She said they were so happy to have it and that was a real boost to their situations. We indeed are helping some very needy people. Your good deeds will follow you always.
One last note from me. Yangdu is overwhelmed with emails, regular mail and phone calls. Maybe we can give her a little break for a week or so to get caught up. She worked 14 hours yesterday and, having done the one side of the planet to the other thing, I know she is tired and still trying to adjust to the days and nights thing. Am I being unreasonable to let you know that?? I'm sure you all know how it is. So be patient and things will get sorted out soon and back to the regular swing of things. Try not to have to feel the need to contact her unless you absolutely must for a little while. Thanks for understanding. She's too nice to say anything......but I'm not
Thanks guys....you're the best friends anyone could have.
Nepal had always been a very happy, peaceful home, but now has become a very sad and scary place to be. Yangdu noticed immediately that the smiles were not very easy in coming and most people didn't smile at all. Times are very hard. They had to pass security checks all the time and they did bags and body searches all the time. Traveling was very difficult and the only trip out of Kathmandu that she took was to visit an old friend in a village about 30 minutes away. They arrived, got out of the car and went inside immediately and just stayed. No walk in the beautiful countryside at this time. It is a very dangerous place for all foreigners and the usual hotspots for foreigners were all but empty. The hotels were empty and the people of Nepal continue to get poorer. This is probably good for the Maoist activity because the Maoists best stategy is to go into the illiterate, poor villages and pay the people to join their cause. The illiteracy makes the people unable to grasp what is really going on and the lies that the Maoists tell them have no real meaning to the people who know nothing of communism and the such. We will never hear the truth of what is happening there because the King edits all transfer of news out of the country and nothing he doesn't want known goes out. It truly is a very sad situation in Nepal. Some of the beautiful places in the jungles have become the home to the Maoist rebels and they make attacks from these hideouts. All cell phone activity has been halted because that was one of the ways the Maoists coordinated attacks and kept in touch with each other.
Things in the shop are sad, too. They were robbed recently (took long swords and such) and Yangdu has ordered bars for the windows and hired men to stay there at night. Many other knife shops have been closed down by the Maoists and that is a great concern of Pala, too. They are having trouble traveling to get supplies as that is dangerous and sometimes just not allowed.
Despite the unrest, the school that Gelbu, Yangdu's brother, is running for the kami's kids and some local orphan kids, is going well with 32 students. She was able to drop off books and bags for all the kids and it is so good to see the charity of Birghorka at work. We should all be so thankful for a free (well sort of) education.
When Yangdu got to the factory she distibuted the money collected for watches for the Kami's. She said they were so happy to have it and that was a real boost to their situations. We indeed are helping some very needy people. Your good deeds will follow you always.
One last note from me. Yangdu is overwhelmed with emails, regular mail and phone calls. Maybe we can give her a little break for a week or so to get caught up. She worked 14 hours yesterday and, having done the one side of the planet to the other thing, I know she is tired and still trying to adjust to the days and nights thing. Am I being unreasonable to let you know that?? I'm sure you all know how it is. So be patient and things will get sorted out soon and back to the regular swing of things. Try not to have to feel the need to contact her unless you absolutely must for a little while. Thanks for understanding. She's too nice to say anything......but I'm not
Thanks guys....you're the best friends anyone could have.
The US end of HI is indeed in very capable hands.
A situation that I don't see being resolved in the near future.
