Adrenaline Rush

Tonight was the first night I was truly scared while in Nepal. While conceptually we understood the current political climate was less than stable, our experiences to date have been nothing short of mundane.

As Fiona and I were walking back in the dark to the 2nd orphanage after saying our good nights at the 1st, I saw a pack of men approaching just as we arrived at the orphanage gate. The gate locks from the inside, and you have to wait for somebody to come let you in. I quickly rang the bell, hid Fiona behind me, and nonchalantly wielded her walking stick as the men drew closer.

The futility of my defense became ever apparent when it became obvious that it wasn't a pack a street thugs, but rather young Maoist soldiers (some looked as if they just hit puberty), all heavily armed with AK-47s and enough ammunition around their necks to rival Mr. T's jewelry. So there I stood, watching at least 100 soldiers (I kid you not) march pass, completely helpless should one decide that my presence was somehow offensive, praying for the gate to open.

The gate did open, and Fiona and I quickly slipped inside, without incident, but it did highlight that we weren't at Summer Camp. This is real life...How well would you react to armed rebels marching down your street in the middle of the night? Things we cannot fathom until it happens to us is just a simple reality to the locals. The ability to take a night time stroll with Fiona in Mountain View suddenly has a new appreciation.

Sorry for the lack of a picture, but I have nothing appropriate, and pulling out my camera at the time strangely didn't cross my mind.

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve....Sitting around watching Christmas movies and eating chocolates with the children is sure to lower my blood pressure back to normal levels.

Best to all,

Tom

HipHop in 'Da House

We are not sure if the little kids are excited about Christmas yet but they sure are loving the Christmas movies but the last few days the little ones at the new home have been crazy over their new "HipHop" names.

Everyone here is crazy about HipHop or what they perceive as HipHop. Tom saw Dhiraj one morning and in the big NBA introduction voice said, "It is Deeeee-raj!" From then on, all the other 13 kids wanted their own new names.

So, it gives us great pleasure in introducing our new HipHoppers:

Dhiraj: Big D or just "D"
Ashok: A-Bomb
Purna: Happy (he was most unimpressed by Panther and insisted on Happy)
Ashika: Lil Miss Sunshine
Bhumika: Bee-Bop
Sabina: Sapphire
Sumitra: Yogi
Roshan: Shaggy
Hari: H-Bomb
Jeny: Jenny from the Block
Ishwar: Iggy
Tilak: T-Bone
Yeshorda: KitKat
Rajan: Eyeball
Vinod (House dad): Bollywood
Mary-Kate (House mum): Captain Nemo

If Christmas morning is anything like the past few days (and I am sure it is going to far exceed) it is going to be insane in the most wonderful way.

Sending love from Nepal,

Tommy-G and Fifi-G

Gifts From the Heart

Dear World,

This morning was like every other morning in Dhapasi. We had tea and biscuits with the kids in our house and then got ready to take on the day. We headed up the hill to walk the other kids back down the hill for school.

On arrival at the yard, Binu told me my neck looked cold. She showed me her scarf and asked if I knew how to make one. I said yes, I know how to knit and crochet but her scarf was very pretty. She mentioned that her mum had made it for her but she had another one in her room and this one was for me.

I was just blown away. Just the day before she had handed over her last half handful of makai (Nepalese corn kernels that have been burnt & a few get popped along the way) that her mother had sent down from Gorkha with a volunteer who had visited her village. These are all extremely precious treasures for Binu, yet she is more than willing to share with a virtual stranger.

I was telling Tom about the makai and he stated that he is always amazed that the children with the least are the most eager to share.

I tried to return Binu's scarf, not because I did not appreciate the gesture but because it was too large a treasure to accept. Instead of taking it back, she proceeded to tie it into a tighter knot around my neck with the instruction of not to take it off. The only way I know how to repay such generosity is to crochet her a new blue scarf since it is her favourite colour.

Binu's generosity outstrips her remarkable athletic ability. I am almost almost convinced that the kids from Gorkha are born with an extra athletic gene. She is part of the group who wakes up for their 5:30 am karate class. We have been to watch the karate class and let me tell you, it is C--O--L--D at that time of day!!

I tear up every time I think about this morning and I know I will cherish this little blue scarf for many many years to come.

With a happy heart,

Fiona

Quick Update: The Carnivore Challenge

Dear Family and Friends,

I just wanted to let you all know the Carnivore Challenge was a huge success. We raised just over $2,000, which of course we're receiving the match on! For all those who contributed, THANK YOU! I think I'm now officially a vegetarian.

You guys are awesome. The kids are going to have a marvelous Christmas. With the additional funds, each child is getting a new pair of winter slippers, gloves, bathrobe, and a watch (Fiona found a great deal on "Baby G"s). We got a basketball, and I'm currently looking for a hoop (may have to have one custom made by a welder) and we'll pick up a couple Cricket sets as well (yes, it pains me deeply, but what can you do?).

Merry Christmas to all,

Tom

Male Bonding

Hello again, Web Wanderers,

To follow up on my adumbration from last night (yes, I'll wait a moment for you to grab your dictionaries), I wanted to share with you my experiences with the older boys of the house.

From left to right, we have Chham, Saroj, and Hikmat.

Chham is a 13 years old, and comes from a long line of Gorkha warriors, and boy, you can see it. At 13, Chham is already SOLID. When he shakes your hand, it's already a manly shake. When he gives you a hug, you can feel the raw power he possesses. My guess is under the right environment, he would grow up to be a Heisman Trophy Linebacker.

Saroj, at 14, is the comedian of the three (but they're all quite funny). You would never guess that this is the boy that had to escape a Maoist compound in the middle of the night and navigate the jungle on his own to freedom. He always has this smile on his face, but he really cracks up when the situation warrants. Today, we were walking down the street together as we passed this group of women. They all smiled, and we exchanged our "Namaste"s, and continued on our way. The women were talking and laughing amongst themselves as they walked away, and Saroj, got the biggest, brightest smile on his face and started teasing me, "Ooooooooh, they all think you're SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO hand-some!!!" Supposedly, the women were commenting that I was largest, most handsome man they had ever seen. Mind you, these were all 40-50 year old women, and the irony wasn't lost on Saroj.

Hikmat, at 16, is the most introspective of the three. Although he is not as athletically inclined as Chham, or as outgoing as Saroj, he has impressed me as a very kind soul. He was the first to share his chips and soda with other children, both in the neighborhood and at the home. Hikmat also has an eye for fashion. He joined the sewing class and is quickly growing quite talented on that front.

When I first arrived, it was quickly apparent that these young men had hearts of gold. But, I found the constant stares, often times from within my personal space, uncomfortable to say the least. Chham in particular intently stares and hangs on my every word, while inching closer and closer as if I won't notice. Then the realization hit me that he's desperate for adult male role models, which is short supply. Here's a young man, separated from his village, whose only male role model is a man who has to share his attention across 50 children. The orphanage itself is heavily weighted towards young girls (as they are generally the most at risk), and the entire staff for his home is female. Combine that with the fact that 95% of volunteers are women, and I suddenly became on the very few people that can help teach him how to grow up into the man he's destined to become. I remember a very lost 17 year old, who Destiny delivered to a small town in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney. There, Jim Hulbert took him in as a son and for the first time in his life made him accountable for his actions and showed how much one could accomplish by channelling his temper into a positive force of change. I can never pay Jim back for what he did for me....All I can possibly do is try to pay it forward.

So today, the four of us sat on a park bench, drinking soda and scarfing down potato chips, and talking about anything and everything. We talked about men and women being equal, but opposite, and the importance of finishing their education and establishing their career before pursuing a family. Chham and Saroj shared their dream to be airplane pilots so that they could travel the world. You could see on each face the power of having their dreams affirmed. But more so, the simple fact that they got 2 full hours of my undivided attention. Just us men, doing what men do best....teasing each other over who the other has a crush on.

They're going to grow up to be outstanding men, in the truest sense of the word.

Best,

Tom

Bittersweet Evolution

Good evening Web Wanderers,

Today was the day the children suddenly lost their sheer fascination with me. Actually, it started last night, so let me regress...

Each night, since men are not allowed in the girls' rooms, I have been hosting star gazing sessions on the top floor balcony with the girls from individual rooms. It started out with a few of the girls seeing me taking the boys up to look at the moon with Michael's telescope, and quicker than wildfire, every girls' room was jockeying for a position. So each night, in the freezing cold, I've been sitting up there, helping the girls look at the craters on the moon, and using the opportunity to speak to each of them about the importance of believing in themselves and their dreams. Even if they didn't entirely understand what I was saying, they hung on every word I had to say. I figured even if they they didn't completely understand that evening, a seed was at least planted that would eventually bloom in the knowledge that they are indeed good enough to become the doctors, teachers, nurses, and astronauts they dream of becoming. Each night, I've had to eventually send the girls to bed because they would have stayed up there all night, alternating between looking at the moon and warming up in my arms, if I had allowed.

Then last night, the girls whose turn it was in the rotation came up for their astronomy lesson. Each was very excited to see the moon, but much less so in my conversation with them. I wrote their desire to quickly escape back downstairs to the cold evening air and was secretly quite pleased myself to escape the chill so early.

This morning, however, it became clear a metamorphic change had taken place. Jeny, one of the tickle bunnies, goes bananas every morning when she sees me; running up to me, jumping up and down to be picked up, and then using me as a personal jungle gym. Today when she saw me, she greeted me very politely and then returned to whatever it was that had her interest at the time. Then Ashika and Rajan, both of whom usually fight over who gets to stand on my feet this morning, gave me a similar welcome...A very warm good morning, and then racing off to their own activities.

Not exactly sure what to make of it (but not complaining either as my knees and back gave a mutual sigh of relief), I made my way up to the first home to interact with those children before walking them to school. As I arrived, I got the initial rush of "Hello, Father!" with warm hugs, but 5 minutes later, I suddenly realized that for the first time since I stepped onto that playground 1 1/2 weeks ago NOBODY was latched onto me. Nobody was vying for my affections. Nobody was showing off their hacky sack skills, or demanding that I watch them do a back flip. I was simply standing there watching the children happily playing amongst themselves, seemingly impervious to my presence.

Here I was, finally getting what I had been secretly wishing for for the last several days. So why was it so bittersweet? With all of my interactions with children in my adult life, I have been a novelty...Never more than a couple hours at a time, so I have always been the newest, biggest, most amazing thing they've ever seen. Somehow, in the last 24 hours, I became such a fixture in their lives that my presence no longer jolts them from their daily routine.

After a few moments of contemplation, I'm OK with that. Sure, there is instant gratification that comes from having children desperate for your attention, but there is a much deeper gratification when the children become so comfortable with you that they don't feel as if the moment is going to be lost. The lesson learned is that it doesn't mean they appreciate me any less, but rather they have installed me as an integral part of their lives. It's going to make leaving nearly impossible. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I have cried in my adult life. On January 5th, I'll be moving on to my second hand.

I have other thoughts to share with you, but I think I shall end this entry on that note, and save the rest for another day.

All the best to you and yours,

Tom

The Toy Maker of Jamal

Hello World!

What a wonderful day! Anita, Nora (volunteer from Canada) & I did a mega shopping trip today. It started off at the clothes shop where we ordered 50 bathrobes, 50 pairs of gloves, 16 pairs of jeans & 14 t-shirts.

Then we stopped to price out Christmas trees and toys at Namaste market and flooring for the new shed/schoolroom at a different store.

We saw Bisha (the regular taxi driver for the orphanage) looking for a fare so we were very happy to flag him down to take us to Jamal. On my shopping list was 22 soft toys. After my experience with the slippers, I wasn't holding my breath. After 2 shops, I was starting to think I was going to spend all day there. The toys were of poor quality and the faces were a little scary.

I detoured into a stationery store and as I came out, noticed giant stuffed monkeys and dogs hanging out of a window across the street. After asking around on how to get to the second floor of the building, we ventured down an alley and up a dark stairwell.

We walked into a toy making shop. We had found the toy maker of Jamal. I was thrilled beyond belief.

He told us to pick all toys we needed and then we could discuss the price. I was a little tentative but after picking all 22 toys we needed, he started listing of the prices. 80 rps, 110 rps ... I was trying so hard not to show how happy I was. The toys at Namaste market started at 250 rps and were not half as well made as these ones.

So we now have 22 toys, sitting in the storage room waiting to be wrapped and sent off to their new "parents" to be loved and hugged and to keep their "parents" safe through the darkness of the night.

I truly cannot wait to see their faces on Christmas morning.

Tonight Tom and I came home from Papa's House to the 2nd home to the sounds of Jose Felliciano singing Feliz Navidad and the kids jumping up and down thrilled at the sight of their first Christmas tree.

Little victories are oh so sweet here in Nepal.

Take care, keep warm and we send all our love,

Fi

Disasters of Trivial Proportions

Dear Family & Friends,

There comes a day in every adventure where things just go wrong over and over and over again and you pray so hard for the day to end so that you can start anew with the morning light. Days where at that moment in time you simply want to cry, but once you stop to breathe and get a good night's sleep, you realize how truly trivial the "disasters" of yesterday actually were in the grand scheme of things.

Yesterday, I was meant to go shopping with the older girls to whittle down the Christmas list and Tom was taking the older boys go-karting. We went our seperate ways around 10:30am, and when we finally re-grouped at 4 pm, we immediately noticed that each other's face just showed the wear of the day.

Tom & the boys took a taxi down to the go-kart speedway. Firstly, their meter was rigged and a 100 rps. ride turned into a 500 rps ride. So after fuming over that, they turn around and notice that the go-kart track is closed for the day since it was Holi! Tom was DEVASTATED! But the boys just shrugged and shook their heads in the South Asian fashion and said "OK". They took a bus back to Namaste market and were treated to soft drinks and potato chips. Tom couldn't believe how his big treat for the boys was just shot to pieces and the boys didn't complain once. They just felt happy that they were out for the day and Tom had spent time with them.

Nirmala, Sangita, Bino, Samjhana & I headed out to Jamal to get 33 pairs of winter slippers for the kids since they are just having plastic flipflops at the moment and their little feet are just freezing cold. It was quite an amazing experience dealing with the various vendors. 1 slipper was 90 rps per piece but when I asked for a discount because we were going to buy everything that they had, the price would go up to 110 rps per piece. Huh???

I have to admit, I threw a bit of a tantrum 2 hours into the process and we had bought nothing. I couldn't communicate with the vendors directly to tell them exact what I wanted and what I was prepared to pay, or even for that matter, what I thought of them. Now, little Bhumika has developed her own sign language system. Frustrated and at a loss, I flipped a vendor what I now call "Flipping a Bhumika"; you clap your hands and swing one hand up and ending in a "L" shape finger point.

Here is a picture of Bhumika demostrating.

We did manage to buy all the slippers we set out to get but it took several vendors to fill the order and negotiating with many more vendors over the price.

However, we didn't manage the 50 bathroboes, 50 gloves and mittens, 12 t-shirts or 20-odd teddy bears. I felt like a shopping disaster!

I had volunteered to cook for the entire home. I was going to make chow mein topped with egg and chicken and chilli. After the exhausting shopping trip, I thought making dinner for 37 kids and 3 didis and 2 volunteers was going to be the calming exercise I needed to unwind. I think some days I am just crazy.

Tom tells me it was prehaps the worst meal I have ever cooked in my life. The children were trying to figure out how to eat their dinner and be thankful and polite to me.

Let me tell you, there is no worse feeling in the world than when you think you are sending children to bed hungry because you sucked in the kitchen.

When I went it to tuck them into bed, I was hugged and kissed and loved with abandon and thanked profusely for cooking dinner. By the time I made it to the last room, I couldn't contain my tears. These children hold no grudges, they love unconditionally and are so forgiving. Despite every boo boo, tantrum & miscalculation we managed to make in a day, the love and the kindness shown to us is truly breathtaking.

My lesson for the day has been that something done from the heart, with great intentions, should it meet a disaster, the receiver will still receive it in the spirit in which it was intended. Our real job in the next 3 weeks we have left here is to continue loving them and reminding them how very special they all are.

From my heart to you,

Fi

Happy Birthday, Dear Depa

And a good frosty morning to you, Web Wanderers,

It's Saturday morning here in Nepal, and after a couple hours of work this morning on some of the business / accounting tasks given to me, I have a few minutes to share with you a most remarkable day yesterday.

Yesterday, we finally had the opportunity to celebrate Depa's birthday. We met Depa our first night (her birthday), and when asked what she would like for her birthday, she replied, "I really would like to go out to a restaurant and eat American food." So we scheduled a trip to "The Roadhouse", probably the most famous Western restaurant in Kathmandu. They serve everything you can imagine, from Pizza to Burritos to Steak to TGIF styled Potato Skins. Depa had one more request; she asked if it would be possible for her brother and sister, Roshan and Cila (who also live at the orphanage), could attend as well. How could we possibly say no to that?

So we hired a taxi for the afternoon and drove into the Thamel district. Upon entering the restaurant Roshan's face lit up like a Christmas tree. It was only then that we discovered the Roshan had *never* been to a restaurant (of any kind) before in his life. While Depa and Cila have been long term residents of Papa's House, Roshan had continued to live with his father in a nearby holy place that has become a slum for the impoverished. It was only with the acquisition of the new house that there was a bed available for him.

We sat down at the table and told the kids they could order anything they wanted on the menu. Roshan was the first to loudly whisper "PIZZA!!! With EVERYTHING!" Depa ordered the spaghetti, and Cila the chicken kabobs. When asked what they wanted to drink, they all carefully studied the menu and came back with a single response, "Chocolate Milkshake!"

I just wish I had my camera out when Roshan's pizza was delivered. It was 14 inches in diameter...The only things wider at the table were his eyes and smile. Multiple the following picture by 100, and you'll have a pretty good idea of his expression.

Fiona and I were amazed at how much food these kids could pack away. Depa and Cila finished their plates and each had a slice of the Hawaiian pizza Fiona and I ordered for the table (yes, I gave the Ham to Fiona). Roshan got halfway through his pizza before pooping out, but also had a slice of the Hawaiian as well. At this point, Cila found my sunglasses on the table and start playing with them. When Fiona pulled out her camera, Cila struck a movie star pose.

When then waddled down the street, our bellies far too full, when Depa shyly asked, "Would it be ok if we have a slice of chocolate cake?" Stunned that they could possible eat another bite, we agreed, and had the taxi driver drive us to a bakery, where Fiona and I sat in awe as each child polished off an entire slice of Black Forrest cake.

Our day ended with each child picking a wool cap (like the Peruvian ones you see at REI) we saw a box of for 90 NPR each (~$1.50). The kids were thrilled for the colorful additional warmth, and ran back telling each of their friends how amazing their day was. When was the last time you got that excited over a Combination pizza and a watered down milkshake?

In closing, I want to extend a very warm thank you to all who have contributed to the Carnivore Challenge so far and to encourage those who are thinking about it to go ahead and pull the trigger. The dollar for dollar match is still in place, but only for a short period longer. If a pizza can create so much joy, imagine the thrill of Christmas morning awakening to presents of their very own.

Best of the season to y'all,

Tom

Caste-less Beauty

Hello World!

One our first night here, I sat down for dinner next to a girl named Kabita. Her first question to me was "Do you know what caste is?", followed by "Do you have caste in Australia?" and "Do you care what caste I am?"

Most of the children at both homes are from lower castes and even though they are young, they have been laughed at, treated poorly and ignored just because of their surnames and the colour of their skin.

Today I am introducing you to Kabita & Kabita M. Two gorgeous girls with wonderful spirits who have been told all their lives that they are not good enough for marriage, not good enough for anything because of the colour of their skin and their caste. Since living at Papa's House, they have come to realise that they can dream and they can be anything they want to be.

Kabita is 12 years old, I am not exactly sure which caste she is in but she is most happy that we don't care. She dreams of becoming an astronaut like Valentina Tereshkova or a doctor if the NASA space program will not accept her. For Christmas she is hoping for a big soft doll to keep her company in bed because she has a recurring nightmare that a man comes and takes her away and chops her feet off. She can hear Michael looking for her in the distance but she cannot get to him because she has lost her feet.

I was shocked to hear about her night terrors because she is such a loving child. She was the first to start calling me "Mamu" (mummy in Nepali) and is always the first to greet us at the gate when we arrive with hugs and kisses. Tom & I are going to make her a dream catcher to let her know that when she sleeps we are looking out for her.

Kabita Mahato is from the Terai region. The Terai is the bread bowl of Nepal but the girls are not considered beautiful because they are "too dark" from working in the fields. She has the most gorgeous smile and kind heart. She wants to be a nurse. Tom and I tell her at any given opportunity how ramri (beautiful) she is. She bursts into a gorgeous smile and start giggling.

Everyday we are in awe and wonder that these children are so well behaved, so well adjusted and so very loving to us and to each other. They are already cross with us that we have been here a week and are leaving in 3 - they want us to stay for at least a year. We love them all very dearly and think we are going to have our hearts broken very hard when we leave.

Sending lots of happy smiles,

Fi

The Carnivore Challenge

Good evening again Web Wanderers,

For those of you looking for Fiona's entry this evening, I must apologize. I had something I just had to share with all of you.

As you've read in the blog so far, I've had a bit of a rough go of it physically so far. A friend recently mentioned to me that my experience sounds identical to boot camp, and I think it's an excellent analogy. Most of the difficulties I shrug off, (like having a heavy blanket on a piece of plywood for a bed), but having no meat in the daily diet is the one area that is really starting to wear on me. Despite being expertly prepared, the smell of curried vegetables is beginning to make me quite nauseous.

The other day, Fiona and I travelled into town to pick up 3 care packages that one of the volunteer's parents sent her. She was busy teaching classes and asked us to pick it up so that they wouldn't mysteriously disappear (which is entirely too common in Nepal). In them were assorted foods for her and supplies for the kids, but what really caught my eye and made my mouth water was the two big bags of beef jerky that was sent to help her survive the next 3 months (she's already been here for 2). That made me think and appreciate all of my close friends that I know any one of them would come to my rescue and send me a box of beef jerky if I asked.

Christmas is coming soon and all of the children have written letters to Santa asking for 4 things they would like for Christmas. Their responses would break your heart. One child asked Santa to bring a doctor to help his crippled friend walk. The other wishes were for things like a new heavy coat since their current one has grown too small. Others asked for school supplies or a new pair of shoes to go running each morning in. Items we consider necessities, are items these children dream about.

So this is my proposal: The Carnivore Challenge. Instead of asking each of you to send me a care package of assorted meat products, I respectfully request that you donate the $50 (or more) you would have spent on food and shipping (it costs $37 just to ship a care package) to ensure these children have a truly blessed Christmas. For every $50 we receive, I PROMISE to go an entire day not bitching and moaning my lack of animal proteins. And here's the best part, a close, personal friend and outstanding individual has agreed to match dollar for dollar ALL contributions up to $2000 submitted as part of this challenge. With 50 kids now, I don't think my pocketbook can do it alone. I can't imagine anything more fulfilling than to make the children believe Santa really cared enough to read their letter and bring them all four things on their list, as well as buy some assorted sporting goods and toys for all to share. I brought a football with me, and despite never seeing one before in their lives, we playing "3 flies up" like pros within minutes.

So please help make their dreams come true at the expense of my ample waistline. Donations can be made via the Paypal link to the left. Just put in the comment section that you would like the funds earmarked for Christmas or the Carnivore Challenge so that we can claim the matching funds and make it a very Merry Christmas for all.

I truly appreciate all of your support. Even if you contributed before, here's a chance to make your money go twice as far and you get my ongoing guarantee that every penny will be spent on enriching these children's lives.

Best,

Tom

Happy Walls

Good evening my fellow Web Wanderers,

I found out today why Michael was able to get such an amazing deal on the rent of the second house he runs (and of which I'm currently calling home); it turns out that the landlady has never been able to rent this house out for more than a couple months at a time because the house is haunted. A supernatural tenant has pushed each and every family that has come to live in the home.

And sure enough, the first night in the new home, not having been told anything, several of the children reported that a ghost had come into their room in the middle of the night and sat on their chests to study them. Having seen a ghost myself once with Fiona in Australia, I'm inclined to believe their story as it was very similar to our experience. Ghosts are curious, and they want to discover who is sharing their home with them.

Ghost sightings have been way down in the couple months since they moved into the new home from the dilapidated shack the previous chairman had them living in. The youngest boy of the house, Rajan, still gets the occasional visit. At 6 years old, he still gets scared by these nocturnal callings, but just in the last couple days has started to realize that the ghost just wants to be his friend instead of meaning him any harm.



This takes me to one of my great life mantras: Walls absorb energy, both positive and negative. How often have you personally walked into a room and felt either an extreme sense of warmth or an intense uneasiness for no discernible reason? It's the walls. I know it sounds like hocus pocus to some, but truly, if you look at various cultures, it's well documented that intense joys or sorrows will stay with a house, resident to resident, until a new event is powerful enough to overwhelm the previous energy.

And that's exactly what's happened here. The joy, laughter, and love that fills the home has turned malevolence to benevolence. The children have single handily transformed a home that nobody wanted to live in into a house nobody wants to leave. Let's just hope the Landlady doesn't find out!!!

I can't wait for Christmas. The joy, awe, and thrill of Christmas morning will have the walls singing for years to come.


Best,


Tom

Letters to Santa

Dear Santa,

I want to know how someone could almost starve and abuse these kids to the point where they were planning on running away together.

They sometimes bicker when they want to play with the same item, they get jealous over whose turn it is to get cuddled, but after all they have been through in the past year, they have the most gorgeous spirits and wonderful smiles.

Today was a slow day for me. The walking stick I procured yesterday in Thamel helped with navigating the unpaved roads but my body decided enough was enough. I did get to spend most of the day at the 2nd home getting to know the kids better.

After tea and biscuits at 6 am I started hair braiding and brushing. The boys LOVE having hair oil put on their scalps and getting their hair brushed. I think a lot of it has to do with the personal physical contact as opposed to being ramro (handsome).

Most of the children at the original home had written letters with their Christmas wish list but for this home, it will be their first Christmas. After dinner, Vindo explained who Santa was and how they were to write their wish lists. They were asked to put 4 items that they wanted.




This leads me to introducing you to Purna. Purna is Jeny's brother. When told he could ask for anything he wanted, he asked Santa for a doctor for Bhumika so that she can walk properly. This brought tears to my eyes; Purna definitely embodies the Christmas spirit without knowing it. A doctor would be a blessing to the home. The children are now healthy and have a little bit of meat on their bones but there are just little ailments we wouldn't normally think about - warts, yellowed toe nails, frost bite, skin issues that they have Nepali words for that I cannot begin to describe.

Many of you have asked if you can send money for specific things when I get a list of what is needed and how much it costs. I think this Christmas, we can easily make it a very memorable one for the kids. They are not asking for anything fancy, just things our children in America and Australia take for granted and would never consider putting in a "Dear Santa" letter. Winter jackets, shoes, gloves, socks, bathrobe to keep warm after their cold showers, school bags, colour pencils, their own colouring book.

They have to share pretty much everything and we think it is very important that they have something they can call their own and establish a pride of ownership.

Tomorrow I am going to put 50 letters to Santa into a spreadsheet so that we can quantify what is really going to be needed. I ask that you think about what you might want do for these kids for Christmas.


Sending lots of Christmas spirit,
Fi

Resistance is Futile

And a fond good evening, Web Wanderers,


Fiona asked me to write today's entry....I guess a few of our frequent readers have started to question whether I would survive the first 48 hours (Thanks, guys!). So here I am, bruised, battered, and amazingly sore (more on that later), but very much alive and kicking.


If 30 hours on planes and in airports wasn't enough to completely throw the body out of whack, the plane ride was a spa treatment compared to the boot camp I was about to enter. While I had tried to mentally prepare myself for anything, I was completely overwhelmed I crossed the threshold of the orphanage. Instantly upon our arrival, I heard a child yell out something in Nepali (which I can only assume meant "Tree!"). Suddenly, I was swarmed by children trying to climb me. Big ones, small ones, young ones, older ones...They just kept coming and coming! Each one was desperate to make an impression. First came endless renditions of Jingle Bells (I really need to teach them some new Christmas Carols!), then came a stream of gymnastic stunts, meant to be bigger and better than the last. Finally, the children would try to one up each other in the title they gave me. I went from "Tom" to "Tom Sir" to "Brother" to "Uncle" to "Father" to "Father and Mother" (the highest honor one can bestow) in the course of just a few hours.


There are three children in particular, who are particularly competitive for my affections: Bipen, Anu Maya, and Anu. I literally can't get 5 feet without one, two or all three of them pulling at me persistently. In the picture, I had just sat down, when all three made a mad dash to make sure they were positioned as close to me as possible. Fiona, being quite amused at my being a piece of playground equipment, pulled out her camera, causing all three to instantly pose for a picture.

So, after countless dead lifts to give hugs, or "Superman"s above my head, my hamstrings and triceps are ready to snap. Combine that with sleeping on a bed where the mattress is the equivalent of a thick blanket and plywood for a box spring, and my body is in a full revolt. But strangely enough, I still find it impossible to say "No" when one of them rushes up to me with an ear-to-ear grin on their face.


This leads to the serious part of my entry, dear readers. I was complete unprepared for how much attention a child needs to thrive. Yes, they are well cared for...Clothed, bathed, fed, and Michael makes a point to tuck each child into bed personally each night. But it doesn't replace every child's need to be the center of an adult's world. I'm sure several of you got a good chuckle at my being referred to as "Mother" (ok, I might have chuckled at that one a little as well), but it shows how desperate these children are for the intense, personal love and attention that should have been their God given right. And I question how I, a person who's never spent more than about 30 minutes interacting with a child in my adult life, can fulfill this need for so many. It's only been 2 days, but I'm already physically exhausted. But mentally, I'm amp'd up, because failure is not an option. I owe it to these kids, and to all of you who have given so generously to the cause, to give it my all. I've got 26 more days, and I plan to make the most of it.



Namaste,

Tom

Clouds of Dust & Tickle Bunnies

Today has been our first full day in Dhapasi and wow, what a different world it is here.

Tom and I are staying at the new home (Yellow Building) where Michael had reserved us the master suite. As an extra bonus this home has solar hot water. We were in bed by 9 pm & woke up at 3:30 am and decided to organise all the supplies we brought with us. By 5 am we heard the kids moving around downstairs. They were off for their morning jog. At 5:30 we heard heart wrenching sobs coming from the boys’ room. One of the little ones woke up in the dark crying since he couldn’t find his brothers. They had decided to let him sleep in since he was too little to take on the morning run. After a cuddle and continual reassurances that everyone was still here, he settled down and broke into his trademark toothy grin.

After their run, the kids fill the courtyard and go through their exercises; jumping jacks, stretches and the like. Tom joined in and made many new friends.

When we planned our trip, we thought it would be lovely to introduce all of you to the children, didis (big sisters) and other staff here.

I am going to start the introductions off with three gorgeous little girls I have nicknamed the Tickle Bunnies.

The children in the new home are very shy. Given their recent history with their last caregiver, it is not surprising. On our arrival, they were all very polite but wary. This morning while most of the children were in the yard for their exercises, I discovered Ashika, Jeny & Bhumika tucked into a single bed keeping each other warm. I stopped for a hug and discovered they really liked tickles and would start giggling before your hand could make contact with them.

From right: Jeny, Ashika, Bhumika.

Ashika is the most outgoing of the group. She is cute and she knows it. When she is caught doing something naughty or told to do something she is not happy with, she will just smile brilliantly and tell you with a shake of her head, “NO!”. She discovered the joy of dancing on Tom’s feet.

Jeny is quite the little spitfire. She was the one who initiated the tickles. She has limited English but is very happy chatting to me in Nepali. When I cannot respond, she put both little hands on my face and looks me deep in the eyes and starts chatting in Nepali again. As long as I smile, hug and tickle, she is quite happy with our interaction. She is also the only one that insists that Tom pretend to be a monster and chase her around the yard. She sure is a little personality!

Bhumika is has special needs. She is learning to walk but is much faster on her hands and knees. All the children dote on her and she responds with a beautiful smile. The center of her world at the moment is Mary Miss, the super efficient, wonderful volunteer here who has been running the home school.

Tea and sweet biscuits is served at 6:30 am. After tea, Tom and I headed off to the other home up the hill to start a session of hair braiding and getting ready for school. Shortly after we arrived, “Holi” was declared and school was cancelled. The disappointment in the children was just palatable.

Breakfast of dhal, rice and vegetables was served at 8 and at 9:30, 11 of the children walked down to the Yellow Building for a visit.

Just after 10 Anita and Sangita accompanied me to the bank to exchange currency and to a fabric shop to buy material for koltas for me. We walked down to the main street. By the time I reached there, I was quite certain I would not be allowed into any shops because I was covered in a deep layer of dust. Like Jamaica, there is constant construction in Nepal. With concrete and granite being the main building materials, there is just a layer of dust that covered everything.

When we arrived at the bank, I wasn’t sure we would make it in due to the large crowd gathered outside waving paperwork at the guards but Anita assured me that there were provisions for foreigners and we were ushered straight through the door.

The fabric store was yet another experience – Anita drives a hard bargain and Sangita was very determined to get me into colourful koltas. I succumbed to peer pressure.

Tom is constantly surrounded by children. He is the biggest, whitest, reddest person the children have ever seen. They think he is Spider-Man because they can see his scar from his surgery on his wrist. If allowed, they would spend hours just rubbing the inside of his forearm!

Much more soon,

Fi

And the Departure Date Nears...

Good Afternoon Web Wanderers,

It seems hard to believe that the Thanksgiving Weekend is already coming to an end. In just 1 1/2 weeks, our plane will depart for the other side of the globe. My, how time has gotten away from us! So, as we make our last minute push to get everything together, this will be our last posting until we get settled into our new home.

To all of the many friends who have so generously given to our endeavor, Thank You! I really believe (through your contributions) that we've already made a difference and will continue to do so. For those of you yet to contribute, don't worry, there's still time. Your contributions are just as important and appreciated. I promise all to be rewarded with countless pictures of countless smiles.

Happy Holidays, my friends.

Best,

Tom

Spirit of Service

Dear Friends (old and new),

I have spent the past month in Australia. While most of the time was spent with family, I also managed to catch up and meet with a lot of people interested in our trip and how they can help immediately and for the long term.

Tom & I are by no means doing anything heroic. Through the past few months, we have discovered that Michael and the children have been a very healing influence on our lives. What we hope to offer Papa's House is nothing compared to what has been given to us.

Before we even leave on our trip, I have learnt so much from people I have met:

1. People have wonderful hearts.

Just the mention of our trip and what we are planning to do gets the average person interested. They want to know what we are doing, how the children are and what they can do to help or if they can plan a similar trip. The usual question is "Are you going with a church or charity group?", the response that we found Papa's House on the internet and set up our visit with Michael leads to a few dropped jaws and "Wow, we would love to do something like that but wouldn't have know where to start". If nothing else, I hope our trip will let people realise that they too, can take time out of their usual life and rejuvenate their spirits by helping others. That each person can make a huge difference even if they do not have every resource in the world at their disposal.

2. People are disillusioned by charities.

For people who know us personally, they were more than willing to join in our journey by making a financial contribution to Papa's House. They know of Tom's meticulous nature when it comes to charitable financial accountability. But for people who don't know us, the natural question is "How do you know this is not dodgy?". It just breaks my heart that the general perception of charities is that of charity CEOs earning 6 figured salaries and wining and dining at the best restaurants while only a fraction of the donations make it through to those they are suppose to support. This dim view is often true. It has taken us many years, and many disappointments, to find a place to put our energies and our hard earned finances. I urge you not to give up looking for a cause to support. Keep the spirit of service alive in you.

A spirit of service that comes from the heart gives more that it thinks it can and in return, receives rewards beyond its imagination.

Let me close this note with a challenge. I challenge you to take time out from your everyday lives and plan to volunteer. Be it two weeks, or two months, find a project that captures your heart and your spirit. Step away from the excuses and as the Nike ads say "Just Do It".

http://www.VolunteerNepal.com/

Blessing to you,

Fiona

The Courage of One

All it takes for evil to triumph in the world is for good men to do nothing. - Edmond Burke



Good evening Web Wanderers,

This week I've given much thought to Burke's quote above and what I call, "The Courage of One". Examples fill our collective ethos, perhaps the most notable being the photo of a lone man standing against 4 tanks in Tiananmen Square in 1989. But this is simply an example of the extreme...each day, people of courage and conviction perform acts big and small that, even if they are never noticed or recognized, leave an indelible mark on the social tapestry that binds us together. Each of us has the opportunity and potential to perform such acts every day of our lives. Yet, despite living blessed lives, the majority of us (myself included) go through entire days where the only person we enrich is ourself.

Then there are people with less than nothing who end up giving more than we can fathom. People, who despite their own adversity and unmet needs, give of themselves unconditionally and without reservation. This week I was introduced to one such extraordinary individual.

This past week, I learned that Michael assumed responsibility for a new orphanage with 12 young residents. The long story short, the individual who was in charge of the house was exposed as being a cheat, liar, and a drunk. The man stole all of the money that was intended to care for the children to support his own vices and philandering ways. The 12 children were expected to share a single twin bed, and were lucky to get a serving of rice each day; their diets void of vegetables or basic proteins. Their only care was provided by a lone didi (female house staff), Sabrita. Despite not receiving any of her owed wages, or a bed to lay her head each night, she has stayed in the home day after day to ensure the safety of the children and to provide for them to the very best of her capability.

This would be impressive and have earned my respect if the story ended there; but it does not. When you look at the picture of Sabrita to the left, you see the modest smile of a 27 year old woman. What you cannot see, and which silences me in awe, is that Sabrita has done all of this despite the fact that she lost her feet in a tragic accident as an infant. This amazing woman, who has every right to feel society should be taking care of her, instead has found the strength and innovation each day to care for 12 high energy youths. How many of us could claim to have such courage?

So now I'm a man on a mission. My trip to Nepal is no longer so much about the children, but rather meeting, being inspired by, and doing all I can to support remarkable individuals like Sabrita. I'll be in Nepal for only a month, and then I'll head home to the comfort of my own condo. My goal is to help give and/or develop the tools they need to be successful in their own lives so that they can continue to help others.

Fiona and I would love to be able to introduce Sabrita to a doctor who would be able to provide her prosthetic feet to increase her mobility and general quality of life. She deserves the same life-changing blessing that she bestowed on those 12 children. Without her, they never would have survived to join Michael's fold. If you, or someone you know, could be of assistance in this endeavor, please contact us at TomandFiona@JourneyToNepal.org. We're all immeasurably blessed when individuals stand up for what's right. People are inheriently good, but sometimes are afraid to stand up against seemingly unconquerable odds. But when one person stands up, it often gives the courage to another to stand beside them. And then two more. And then four. Join me at Sabrita's and Michael's side. Together we can indeed change these children's lives.

Humbly,

Tom

Thinking Beyond

Good evening Web Wanderers,

A month has passed since our last entry, but that is not to say we've haven't been actively occupying our time preparing for the journey ahead. Our pile of supplies we're taking with us has grown substantially; almost to the point that I wonder how we'll be able to carry all of it and still have a change of outfits for ourselves. Much of our free time is spent either researching items the home is in need of, or socializing with others to help spread awareness of Papa's House and it's mission. We've met many new people along the way, and truly appreciate the moral support they have shown us and their generous financial support for orphanage itself. Thank you to all who have contributed or are considering to do so.

Over the past month, I decided where I want to focus when I'm in Nepal: I want to help the older children develop workable business plans and then help finance their venture once a viable plan is produced. At the end of the day, these children will grow up, and will need to be able to provide for themselves and their family in order to break the cycle of poverty and broken homes. Michael and I have exchanged several emails on the subject, and are also looking at ways to bring vocational training into the home. For example, we're currently looking to acquire an embroidery/sewing machine. Not only would it provide seamstress training for the girls, it could also help offset the costs of the home by allowing them to sew their own school uniforms and make basic repairs. Also, the embroidery function could allow a small business embroidering names or disney characters, on hats, sweatshirts, school bags, etc. So if anybody reading this blog has a contact with a sewing machine distributor that would be interested in helping in our cause, please email us at TomandFiona@JourneyToNepal.org .

For those visiting for the first time, please take a few moments to read our posts, and visit the Papa's House website at http://www.nepalorphanshome.net/ . For those with a few extra minutes on their hands, http://www.nepalorphanshome.net/news.asp is Michael's blog which gives extraordinary insight into the daily lives of the children.

Again, thank you for your support.

Best,

Tom

The Carabiners Arrived!

Hello Web Wanderers,

Today Fiona and I got a pleasant surprise...the carabiners we ordered to help promote the website arrived. When we first created this blog, we began debating how to best "get the word" out about Papa's House and the Journey ahead of us. After going back and forth, we decided on custom made carabiner keychains. After numerous web searches, we found Marshall Song (lgyou@hotmail.com) at http://www.promoldings.com/. Pro Moldings is a Chinese based company, so it was a little nerve-racking wiring money overseas, but Marshall took our mission to heart and made us an excellent deal on producing these carabiners. He always treated Fiona and I with the utmost professionalism, so I highly recommend his company if you're looking for something similar.

You will notice that the keychains are "for sale", but really this is only to satisfy Google Checkout policies. Really, their purpose is strictly to help guide traffic to this site, so if you don't have one already, or you know people who would be interested in following Fiona's and my Journey, please let me know and I'd be happy to give you extra keychains to share. And since I would expect that "selling" them will open me to tax liabilities, my preference is for you to donate directly to Papa's House via the paypal link. But if you prefer for me to your steward to ensure the money is well spent, I have left the Google Checkout option available and I'll figure out the tax consequences when April 15th comes around. Ultimately, our goal in this all is to maximize your comfort and trust in supporting what we feel to be a vital institution.

This leads to the serious part of my entry this evening; why is Papa's House truly vital? It was recently reported that 1 out of 20 children in Nepal is an orphan. Some of these children have witnessed unimaginable acts of inhumanity. As Fiona highlighted in her previous blog, the Maoist problem is very serious. Some of these children have families, but it is simply too dangerous for the children to live with them due to the Maoists "recruiting" them through torturous means. Others have witnessed their mother being abducted, never to be seen again. And yet others have witnessed horrors too horrendous to think about. Michael Hess does everything in his power to provide a safe home and an education to these children to give them an alternative to being conscripted into Maoist "army" and a fresh start to acheive a potential that was almost deprived from them. Mikel Durham, an author and photojournalist, interviewed one of the boys in the home while visiting Nepal. An excerpt of his story follows:

"I have been in the orphanage for one and a half years. There was a Maoist problem in my village. The Maoists came to our house and asked for things, food. They came at night and if we could not provide food for them, they would beat us and do a lot of bad things. They showed us their guns and told us over and over, if we didn't give them what they wanted they would hit us and shoot us. They used to close the school and take us to their programs. One time they came and when I refused to go with them, they beat me. Then they took me to a far, far place. They did not give me food. And they threatened me. if I didn’t stay with them, the police and army would come and beat me. They locked me in a room. In the morning, they opened it again and brought me and some other children to a place far inside the jungle. One night, in the jungle, they told us that we could go home. But we were so far away that we didn’t know where our home was. So we could not leave. Then they took us further ahead and said, “You now have to join us.” They gave me a Maoist name. My mom and father were looking for me but they didn’t know where I was. One night we managed to escape from the Maoist camp in the jungle and I found my way back to my village. My family sent me away to here, to Papa's house so that I could be safe and get an education. I don't want to go back to my village."

Michael has spent over $200,000 of his own money (the vast majority of his assets) over the past few years to provide this safe sanctuary to 30+ and an education to over 340. But this isn't the main reason I've grown to respect him. I respect Michael most for allowing himself to become such a public figure in a land that knows no rule of law. Where any showing of "wealth" leads to people conniving and scheming how they can part him with it; whether it be by trickery or by physcial threats. However, despite the ever-present danger his work puts him in, Michael stays the course. Every time the threats reach new heights, the smiles and hugs of his "children" compell him to stay the course. Being willing to risk his own life (and that's not an exaggeration) in order to care, nurture and educate his charges is what truly earns Michael the right to carry the moniker "Papa".

Please take a few minutes to read Michael's website (http://www.nepalorphanshome.net/). Especially, read his "News" section (http://www.nepalorphanshome.net/news.asp). As you read his chronicles, you'll come to understand how much he truly cares about having each and every child grow and develop into a remarkable adult.

If you haven't done so already, please consider donating. Michael is not independantly wealthy and the continuation of his good works require our help. And of course, please share this website with your friends, family, and colleagues. Help create a sustaining wave that will ensure each child has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Namaste,

Tom