Travel report February 2016
February 20th
This time we start our trip much more relaxed, because we know about what awaits us.Since we now travel to three, we can also take more luggage with us. We fully irritate this and have a whopping 90 kilos with us. Again, a lot of clothes , but also an ambulance, blood pressure device or thermometer, were desired this time. Since the situation is much more relaxed, we also pack a chocolate and suggest for the children for all 32 houses in the village.
February 21
In Katmandu we are warmly received by Narayan and his wife - it is almost a bit like a home, we have been visiting so often in the past six years. The time there is always very intense, we spend together all the time - often in a confined space.
February 22nd
The first day in Katmandu is used to organize a transport option to Bhumeshtan. We also want to bring a small present to the school and still buy a lot of foot and volley balls, as well as jump ropes for the children.
February 23rd
Today it goes via Jeep to Dhading and from there to the village. The driver is a very amiable man who drives extremely considerate - so the trip takes 10 hours, but we arrive safely.Shortly before the village, the first children run towards us and as soon as we come to the Lazy Stone we see a large crowd of people. Everyone waves happily. As soon as we get out, we are brought to three chairs, we have to sit down and the people almost overrun. Everyone presses a tikka on our forehead, hangs us flowers and wants to give us a hand. Almost a little much for our taste - but extremely touching.
Place the tent for the first time and wash your face, after which the first Dal Bhat is already served.
The temperatures are very pleasant, more like us on a fresh summer day. But as soon as it gets dark, the cold comes. At the campfire we can warm and get tea served.
We are happy with these people. Everyone radiates us - so very different than last time.
You can tell last time we were the strange strangers who promised them something in their emergency, but they could hardly believe - the shock and grief were still deep.
But since the construction has already started, everyone gets its part - this time we are friends who helped them in need - and let us feel that in every conceivable way. Tired and extremely happily we move into our declarer, which is a bit small for 3 people.
February 24th
The next morning we crawl out of our tent and the whole village on the Lazy Stone is waiting for us. The message we would have brought something for everyone thanks to the bush phone. We distribute the relief goods and the Schoggis.
Then they want to show us what they have already achieved.
When walking through the village you can see that a lot has happened since our last visit.
The ruins of the old houses are largely cleared and the stones stacked to clean walls. For some houses, the material is already ready for the building, others have started digging the foundation. A first house is even completely finished and ready to move into. Almost at least - only the house inauguration ceremony is missing. If a house in Nepal is completed, it is inaugurated according to the old tradition. We are invited to attend the ceremony.
A priest leads the family, us and a cow with bells three times around the house. Then there is a hole in the somewhat wet floor in the house that becomes the fireplace. The priest opens the first fire and inaugurates the house with a long ritual. The family's cow is also present in the kitchen all the time - cows are sacred in Hinduism. The first meal can now be cooked and served. Everyone involved is catered for.
We are very pleased that we were allowed to participate in the ceremony - we are also extremely happy that we see a house that was only financed WIR BEWEGEN So almost, because the wood for the upper floor was recycled from the old house. The corrugated plates for the roof come from the emergency shelter in which the family lived. We ask why the beautiful old stone roofs are dispensed with - we notice the fear of a new quake is huge - prefer to build with light materials and survive again.
We inquire how the village handles the order. We once again notice that Bhumesthan is more than a village - it is a community that holds together and for one another. Due to the emergency and resources, it is determined who can or may build when. Then it is actively helped.
We continue through the village and are impressed by how things are going on and going on on such a construction site. There are no machines here, everything is done by manpower. The materials must be carried by hand from the street, which can be several hundred meters, Bhumesthan is also quite steep on the slope. The holes for the pillars must also be excavated with pimples and shovels.
Everyone is happy when we come by - tea, local coffee and something to eat are given everywhere. If people were a little shy on our last trip, this time laughed at us from the bottom of my heart!
We realize how important and sensible our “work” is here.
When the children come back from school we distribute the Clothes . In the end, 42 children are proud owners of new clothing - laughing in their eyes is priceless.
It is eaten comfortably again and spent the last hours around the campfire. Unfortunately, it is incredibly difficult to learn - but people are happy about every strange sentence which we try to say.
February 25th
After breakfast, Dal Bhat, we visit the school. Gopi told us that a Nepalese aid organization, Journey Nepal , is now taking care of the reconstruction of the school. Of course we are also excited to see what you could achieve with our money.
When we arrived at the school we meet a friendly Frenchman who has the construction management on site. Natural houses are built, very simple, but efficient. When that is done, it will definitely look very nice! We also learn that there is enough money to build the classrooms - so we can hire our donation for school.
We give the headmaster the toys what he is very happy about - sport is very important to him, he would like to promote this more.
With the money from last summer they were able to build temporary classrooms and have furniture rooms - we would have helped them very much over the first time. A huge thanks to all donors from Switzerland !!
Happy after so many positive stories we stroll back into the village.
Tomorrow we are invited to a wedding. Narayan's niece, the daughter of his eldest brother, marries.
The day before the wedding, everything is prepared for the ceremony - actually preparation is a ceremony. The temporary "altar" that is built, it must consist of certain types of tree as well as a complete banana perennial.
Many villagers are also there, everyone helps. Be it to prepare the food or to offer your help. Around 300 guests are expected - but there is no catering or the like - the family buys the food, the village organizes the festival. Every child who has free also helps, even 3-year-old washing dishes or sweep the place.
On the way back, Narayan's second oldest brother shows us the small hydropower plant that he built. A small turbine is operated from a small storage pond via a line. Unfortunately, the line broke when the pipe was stored, so a new, smaller & needy solution had to be installed.
With this turbine, a good KW of electricity can be generated with approx. 220 volts. This is enough to donate light for a few households in the evening. The inventor himself can even do a small television to watch messages. There is enough water in the rainy season to operate the turbine all day. But most of the year of the year has to be collected in the storage pool throughout the day in order to be able to generate a few hours of electricity in the evening. We are severely impressed.
In the evening we meet with the building committee - you count everything again - Narayan also speaks again what he received from us and what is already in the village. Another 9000 CHF which were still on his account are presented to be able to pay the payments of the material. It is great to see how transparently everything is discussed in the committee.
We ask if something is still needed. The wish becomes loud that it would be very nice if, instead of the thin corrugated sheet, beautiful blue corrugated sheets could be used as a roof. These would be more stable and not blind if the sun is shining on it. Maybe some color to be able to paint the concrete houses lovingly.
We promise that we will try to find the necessary money.
February 26th
Day of the wedding. We are happy not to be the focus for once.We go to the house of the wedding again with our best Clothes n that we have again - on a harvested field nearby, everyone is already busy preparing. Potatoes are peeled, chillies are cut. In large pots above the fire, curry, rice, and of course the meat should not be missing.
We go to the house and wait for the groom's arrival. This runs from his village, about three hours of walking, to Bhumesthan with all its guests. As soon as this has arrived, the ceremony starts. We are asked to take a seat with our cameras. A lot of people are gathered - a huge crowd is on the small forecourt in front of the house.
The ceremony extends over many hours. In between, we see what is going on in the large field - the food is served there and we are asked to take a seat. A wonderful rice with dates and almonds is served, the curry is super sharp, but very tasty. With the meat, we do without everything here is really eaten - brain, heart, liver and even the skin in the pot ends up - for us it is almost impossible to bring it down.
After eating, we can hand over our gift to the bride and groom, of course not without the tikka. We are not very skillful, but the bride and groom enjoy that we are there.
In the family's garden, music is still played and danced. We should also, but only one dances and watch everyone else, we are too shy.
The ceremony takes many more hours. Even the cow that is given as a gift is still consecrated. However, this does not find this funny at all and vehemently defends itself. But that is also part of it.
In the end, Narayan's family hands over the bride of the new family. The whole society is now going home - again three hours.
We feel honored to be able to be part of such a traditional wedding. Everyone is extremely friendly to us, even people who are not from Bhumesthan and do not know us great respect and gratitude for what we do for.
February 27th
Today we are invited to Gopi, for the late breakfast - there are wonderful spring rolls with french fries - a blessing after 4 days dal Bhat. We explain to him that we call such a late breakfast - that is, a "meal between breakfast and lunch", brunch. He really likes that. And yet he puts us a Dal Bhat an hour later. We almost burst before so much food.
On the way back we see how the residents diligently build on their houses. Some have a little too little gravel, but even the man is, so you just hit small gravel from large stone.
In the afternoon there is a truck load material. It is extreme - so that all houses can be finished, over 100 trucks have to drive into the village.
Of course, tea is served everywhere - everyone wants to invite us and are very happy when we accept the invitation
February 28 +++
Today we continue to Lombini. After we have been in Nepal so many times, we now want to admire this historical place.
We grab the tent in the morning. Again there are many people there, everyone wants to honor us.
We have to promise that we will come back when everything is finished. Then we celebrate a big party!
The days in Nepal were again very impressive.
This visit was much more impressive because people opened up more towards us - wanted to talk to us, recognized us as friends.
We are already missing these special faces drawn by life!
During our last visit, a building committee was determined by five people who coordinated the work. This has now been increased by an examination committee by three people. In this way, every order and every act is checked carefully. Each family gets the same amount of materials available. They explain to us that it was possible with our money for each house in the village two truck loads sand, a truck loading gravel and 25 packages cement, as well as enough reinforcing iron that is enough for two rooms and six pillars.
Thanks to the building materials that could be paid by WIR BEWEGEN , each family can build a house with two rooms. Families who still contribute some of their own money can affect a somewhat larger and more luxurious house with three rooms. Because three generations often live in these houses with six or even more people. Luxury is defined differently than with us. Most people don't have furniture either - a mat is rolled out and the bed is ready.
The donations ensured that the social gradient in the village does not become too big, which we are very happy.
