We do need to remember that he has also blessed us with a brain and we should use it once in awhile.
This car is traveling down a highway going about 50 miles an hour.
On the 17th of February we had a wheelchair distribution in Chitwan, about 6 hours away on busy canyon roads. We got to our pretty nice hotel, with warm water, electricity and hard beds and pillows. Found a Neplai place for dinner and then went to bed early so we'd be ready for the next day. Since we had the morning free Rakeesh called three hospitals for us to go and visit. The reason we visit hospitals is to see if and how they resuscitate newborns and see the conditions of the hospitals. We always try to visit the NICU's and explain to the doctors what the plan is with HBB for Nepal. They are always very receptive to us, coming into their hospitals and showing us around. We've even been taken to the delivery rooms and seen a few babies born. It's important to note here that they don't allow fathers into the delivery room but because we have white faces and can talk a little doctor talk - in we go!
The woman behind the curtain is giving birth- no doctor only nurses deliver babies here.
This baby is a preemie and is laying on a warming table. The blanket wrapped around has been used over and over again and you can tell by looking at it.
This would be the hospital scrubs being laundered
This is one of the most modern hospitals we've seen in Nepal. This hospital is owned by someone from India, they also receive funds and very modern equipment from India. Not many people use it because in this hospital they have to pay whereas government hospitals are free. Government hospitals also pay women to come to their hospitals to deliver. Not much, just a little stipend mostly to pay for their transportation. The private hospitals still cost very little compared to our hospitals in the U.S.
This guy was in the orthopedic unit of the hospital and was really showing off for all of us. He was singing and dancing around, even with his broken leg. He had the whole room laughing. We all signed his cast.
Kent's gotten pretty good at doctor talk. Here he is talking with a pediatrician at one of the hospitals we visited. I just stand back and take the pictures.
Then, on to the reason we were in Chitwan, Wheelchair Distribution and Sewing Training Certificate Ceremony. Whenever a project is completed there is a "closing ceremony." This is good for those who get certificate because it lends credibility to their training as they seek employment and it's good for the Church because this is where we're recognized for the aid the Church is providing. We always have a sign up with LDS Charities on it so people understand where the help is coming from. The reason the Church wants to be recognized as we help here is to bring the Church out of obscurity in Nepal so that one day missionaries will be allowed in the country to preach the Gospel. I think once this country allows missionaries and people are converted to the gospel there will be a much needed change, not only spiritually, but also economically and physically. You'd have to be here to really understand why I think that would happen. Tradition is so ingrained in the people that it prevents them from moving forward. We frequently talk about how they are their own worst enemies. Tradition keeps them from recognizing who they are, that they have worth and could do almost anything they desired.
Twenty five wheelchairs were distributed in Chitwan on this day
Nepal receives around 800-900 wheelchairs from the Church each year, so we have lots and lots of wheelchair distributions to attend.
I can only imagine what it would be like for a father or mother who has been carrying their child around for several years to now have a wheelchair. Not only does the wheelchair help the receiver but the whole family .
Women receiving certificates for their sewing training.
These women can now help provide for their families, whether it be just in this newly acquired skill of sewing for their family or of going out and getting a job to bring in an income. The Church financially supports four sewing centers with two six month trainings each.
Showing off their certificates
It was too late in the afternoon to leave for home so we decided to go to the Chitwan National Park and ride the elephants the next day. This hotel was wonderful, the beds were a little softer, we didn't even have to sleep in twin beds which most of the lower end hotels have. We had hot water and electricity, the food wasn't great but the gardens at this place were beautiful.
Beautiful Gardens
We still had a few hours before it got dark so
we went for a jeep ride to see the elephant breeding center.
Elder Rempp thought he would drive the jeep - NOT
This was our guide and the bridge we walked over to go and see the Elephant Breeding Center
We saw this herd of water buffalo crossing the river on our way over the bridge. He told us that at certain times of the day there are crocodiles at this spot on the river, but we didn't see any at this time of the day.
He told us that these elephants are sometimes put back out in the wild but only stay away for a couple of weeks. They come back to the good food they are fed while in captivity.
These twin calves are almost 5 years old.
We got back, walked around the gardens again and had a bite to eat before we went to bed. We had to be up early to go out into the jungle on the elephants. I had some great pictures of this day but when downloading from my camera they all disappeared. So the next pictures are from Sister Rempps camera.
It was very foggy in the morning but made for some very mysterious looking pictures.
Here is our elephant backing up to the platform. They usually put four people in one of these baskets but we paid a little extra so we could ride by ourselves and be able to have great views of the forest.
Crossing the river
I guess if I had my pictures you wouldn't be seeing us on the elephant.
Wild peacocks
Sleeping Rhino
Sleeping RhinoS
We also saw lots of different kinds of deer and some wild boar and birds but I had those pictures on my camera -
And we never tire of looking at these beautiful Himalayans
When we got back, we had breakfast and then walked down to the river where the elephants were bathing. Unfortunately I was the only one with a camera. I got some great pictures but now they are only in my mind.
leave Nepal.
The next day we went with the Rempps to Channuttie to visit one of their water sites. They do the water, we do the wheelchairs and HBB and we both do smaller projects.
Again because of the terrain we took a jeep. Carol and I always get stuck in the back, the bumpiest ride ever, because of our short legs. But we always have a great time and it's always an adventure. We drove to the mountains for about 3 hours where we then had to hike down for about 30 minutes to the project.
Every project has to have a water committee from the village where the project is being built. After the project is completed they are in charge of maintaining it, collecting funds to keep it repaired etc. This is Kent with the water chairman and Brother Panna in the back. He is the site monitor for this project. He visits it twice a month to make sure that the work is being done in accordance to the plans and reports back to the Rempps. He's also one of our branch members.
The walls of the tank
This is the water source
I love this picture. He looks like a heavenly being coming to greet us. This man came running down the hill about 30 minutes after we arrived. He was bringing us flower garlands, their way of letting us know how much they appreciate what LDS Charities is doing. We were a little surprised in that this is always done at a ceremony and we had only come to visit the site.
All water committees must have at least one woman on them, since it is mostly the women who are impacted by the new water source. These two women are on the committee and they also walked all the way to the site to give us garlands. They walked about 1 1/2 hours to get here. They told us what a blessing this water will mean to their village. They walked back with us, hanging on to Carol and I so we would not slip or fall. One of them was hanging on to me so tight that my arm was black and blue when were done.
Since we were just a couple of hours from the Tibetan border, we decided to go and see. On the way we stopped to walk across this bridge, there was also a bungee platform. Brother Panna thought I should try it.
Too bad! It was too windy so was
closed for the day!
It was a little steep!
We stopped just before the border and had lunch in a little town called Tatopani (hot water) where they have some natural hot springs.
Loved this sign!
PICNIC SPOT
AND BATH
all for only ten rupees for a Nepali.
twenty rupees for us.
I left this place feeling good that Nepali's in Tatopanni had a place they could go for a hot bath or shower. We touched this water and it was nice and hot.
This is looking into Tibet. A village on the mountainside. We could not actually step into Tibet and once on the bridge to Tibet they would not allow us to take pictures. So we stood back a little in Nepal and snapped the camera. Kent, however, did go up to one of the security guards and asked him if he could step over into Tibet and if he would take the picture. Answer: NO WAY
We then squeezed back into the jeep, Carol and I in the back and headed home.
I think I need a break but I don't anticipate one for the next little while. The next day we have another wheelchair distribution at NRSD, at least it's only 30 minutes away from home. The people that received wheelchairs on this day were from the Spinal Injury Rehabilitation Center.
The bus bringing them all to the venue.
She was excited to get a wheelchair!
Three months ago this young man was a rickshaw driver. He crashed his rickshaw and is now paralyzed. This is his daughter sitting on his lap.
Kent had Rukmina help him write a little speech in
Nepali.
This little girl is 15 years old. We didn't have a wheelchair small enough for her on this day. But we got one for her a couple of days later. I say little because she's probably not even 3 feet tall.
Saturday was church and then we had the YSA over for dinner and a fireside. I forgot to take pictures. I'll never get over how these Nepali's eat. I thought I had a ton of food but every bit was eaten up and I'm sure if I'd had more they would have eaten more.
Sunday we left for New Delhi, India for a Senior Couples Conference with President and Sister Sackley. The Rempps and us were sure we had died and gone to heaven when we got to India. I was expecting it to be very much like Nepal, but it's not. Way more modern, and have all the conveniences of home (almost), electricity 24 hours a day, hot showers in the morning, soft beds and pillows, ( I even bought soft pillows while we were there and brought them home), freeways, and not anywhere near as much garbage as Nepal.
We flew and it took us about 1 1/2 hours to get there.
View of the Himalayans from the plane.
We were all in awe from the minute we stepped off the plane into their beautiful airport.
President Sackley picked us up and took us to the mission home where we stayed for 2 days. Lovely home, all the conveniences of a real home. We then took a tour of the mission offices and building where they are doing some major renovations. A funny story, well maybe not funny but it almost sounds Nepali. There is a tenant who has rented the bottom part of the mission home, whose lease has been up for several months and they are supposed to move. They refuse to move and refuse to pay rent any longer. The Church has been told that it may take years to get them out so renovation can continue. So as of now the work goes on around them. The workers were trying to clean up the building mess and Sister Sackley said "no, just leave the mess there, maybe they'll leave". but it doesn't look like they have any plans to go. They may turn off the power next.
Kent and I with President and Sister Sackley (she is a hoot, what a personality)
Elder and Sister Stevens, they are the mission office couple. I think I'm glad I'm not doing what they are doing. Our mission is so different and much more exciting.
We had a yummy pot luck dinner and then went to bed. Oh how I loved those soft pillows and the bed was soft too.
The next day, meetings were planned for the morning and shopping for the sisters in the afternoon and more meetings for the brothers and then we went to an Italian restaurant for dinner.
Elder and Sister Pulla, Stevens, and Black.
Elder and Sister Pulla have been members of the Church for almost 20 years in India. They are amazing, I asked them before we left, how do we help the Asian brothers and sisters to accept the culture of the Church like they have. They told us to never give up, it will happen someday. That would be our hope. We have to keep reminding them that the way we do things isn't the American way, or the Nepali way but the Lord's way. Sometimes it's very hard to help them understand that.
The next day we got to go to the Taj Mahal. You just can't come to India and not see the Taj. We got up early, all loaded on the van and took the 4 hour drive to Agra where the Taj Mahal is. Poor Rempps, they were so sick and couldn't go. They were sick the whole time we were there and spent most of their time in the bedroom and bathroom. I felt so bad for them.
This is our guide, Solanke.
I wish I had words to describe this beautiful building. It was built in the 1600's. by King Somebody, I can't remember his name. He built this for one of his wives who he'd had fourteen children with. She was the favorite wife and when she died, this was built in her honor, where she is buried. Her casket and the Kings rest in the middle of this building, that is all that this building is for. It is however, breathtaking.
Stevens, Pullas, Blacks and Mendenhalls at the Taj
I love all the wonderful colors the women wear
I can hardly believe we are actually in front of the
Taj Mahal
Beautiful inlaid tiles
Kent forgot a hat and his head was getting a sunburn. Solanke took
my scarf and tied it around his head, Indian style. He got lots of
compliments.
These are Nilnao Prone we saw from the van - they looked like a cross between a deer and a llama to me
A funny sign we saw said "Over speeding will invite prosecution" I'm not sure our driver understood what that meant because he was sure driving fast.
We got home late, ate Pizza hut and all went to bed. I hated the thought of tomorrow, when we had to go
home.
The next morning we got up early, packed and sat around and visited and asked missionary questions and received a lot of good and worthwhile information. It was a fun time talking about what we all did and how we were working to help the Gospel move forward. But I do think my favorite part was visiting the Taj Mahal.
So we're now back to our real lives, continuing in the work of the Lord. Tomorrow we fly to Biratnagar, the second largest city in Nepal to make arrangement for more HBB training in April when Dr. Clark and a team of nurses come back for training. Arrangements need to be made, printing needs to happen and we need to find the best group of trainers. Much work to be done, but we wouldn't have it any other way. We love serving in this country, doing humanitarian work for Nepal but mostly for the Lord.
We're learning to love crazy Nepal, especially the people. Time is flying, this week we reached our first 6 months, only 12 more to go. Before we know it we'll be home and wondering what we're going to do with ourselves.
As each of us serves the Lord I know that He will be with us in everything we do. I know that if I'm with Him, He will be with me, and that is truly where I want to be.
