so much to tell, so little time!!Oct 29, 2009
|
|
Namaste everyone,
First of all, I met a group of Scottish travellers in Pokhara, thanks to Bruce Anderson who had read an article about me in the Deeside Piper, it was really fun to be with this group who were from Cults (near Aberdeen)I spent a morning with them, having coffee and telling them about my children and our hopes for the future. A little bit of lunch aand more talk about the children... obsessive? probably.. but I prefer the word enthusiastic and in love with my children.
Now about my trip to Mardi,it seems a long time ago now, but there are so many distractions here, things to do and then I realised that I hadn't updated you on this trip..sorry..
Remember in one of my updates I told you Krishna and I were going to rescue three children from near the Indian Border? As always in Nepal the bus journey was extremely ardious, long, incredibly hot and uncomfortable. But no sleeping bus drivers.....
We arrived at Krishna's village about 10pm, (we left Pokhara at around 9am) and had to walk about an hour in the dark and I mean dark... no electricity here. we were both very tired, but the welcome we received was so warm we soon overcame the tiredness, partly due to Krishna's sister in law making us great chappatis,dahl bhatt and coffee.
The following day it was back to work.. Krishna's brother Tika runs a clinic from his home, in the morning there was queue outside the room where Krishna and I were sleeping all waiting to see Tika ( I gave him the nick name "Doc" he is the local teacher, advisor, medical person, farmer and a really nice guy).
Unfortunately the Doc was out in the fields, so I was handed a thermometer and asked to attend to the sick... I was terrified... I can't rememer the last time I even used a thermometer never mind deciding what was wrong with someone. Luckily for me there was nothing serious, coughs, earache, eye problems and small cuts. Two small children had a temperature, one slightly above normal but one was 103, whichwas worrying. The only medication available was Paracetamol... I gave the two of them half a paracetomal, which was not easy as the children were screaming and were obviously scared. The parents were given some paracetamol with instructions on what and when to administer them. However I was worried about the little boy whose temperature was high and only gave the mother half of one, I she wasn't happy about it, but I wanted to make sure she came back the next day to see the Doc.. About six pm that evening she returned, as I had already explained my concern to Doc, he was prepared to deal with my incmpetence. Surprice, Surprise, the parents asked for the lady doctor.. imagine my reaction !! The little boy was so much bette,r his temperature was down and he immediately put his arms out for me to hold him.
IAfter the drama of being thrown into a situation I was totally unprepared for we went off to see the children we had been asked to rescue. As usual it was about an hours walk to the first house. There we met with the family, the social worker, the Doc, and the community advisor.
Manju, is about four, maybe younger, very small and extremely frail. Her mother aledgedly had a "relationship" with three men and got pregnant. The parents threw her out and she made her way to India. After Manju was born her mother met an older man who wanted marry her, but would not take Manju so she was sent to her grand parents who already had five or six children and was finding it difficult to provide for them, another mouth to feed was almost an impossibility.
Another problem for Manju was the stigma attached to her... illigitmate.. father unknown... she had no chance of an education or marraige, her only chance was for us to take her and provide all the things a child needs.
Manju is a sweet little thing, very ladylike, but rarely smiles. I had to take her to the local Doctor, she had a bad chest infection, was underweight and still is, the infection has cleared, but she still looks very thin and frail. She is now attending nursery school and seems to enjoy it and I get an occasional shy smile. She is settling in and now talks to the other children, so we are getting there, slowly, slowly.
Our other children are coming along in leaps and bounds, they are healthy, happy and working hard at their studies.
I will sign off now, you have probably had enough for one day.. but I will talk to you all soon with more stories about my little Nepali family.
take care one and all
Helen
