Follow us on our journey of volunteering and self discovery somewhere between the chilly mountain wall of the Himalayas and the steamy jungles of the Terrai.
Stick with us and discover snow peaks and Sherpas, monasteries and monks, ashrams and prophets, temples, tigers, rhinos, deer, monkeys, elephants, leopards, sloth bears, wild boar, yaks and yetis, magic and mystery.
Boudhanath is a UNESCO world heritage site and is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Kathmandu. The ancient Stupa is also one of the largest in the world. It was on an ancient trade route from Tibet which entered through the Kathmandu Valley. Tibetan merchants have rested and offered prayer here for many centuries. The Stupa is also said to entomb the remains of a Kasyapa sage venerable both to Buddhist and Hindus.
What better place to have Cody blessed by a Buddhist monk! Granted it was the equivalent of the express lane in a supermarket, however, he has finally been blessed and now may call himself a Buddhist should he so wish.
Yesterday I was blessed by a Buddhist monk, so now I am a Buddhist like Mum and Taiga. It doesn't feel much different, but I do feel quite good inside. I really liked looking at the huge Stupa's eyes and ringing the bells and moving the prayer wheels.
Yesterday a Monk blessed me and said a prayer and gave me a prayer to wear around my neck. Mum says I got a top up of blessings, since I am already Buddhist. I want to become Hindu, Christian, Jewish, Muslim (everything) as well, but Mum said I have to be born Hindu. I liked ringing the prayer bells and moving the prayer wheels. Stupa's eyes were awesome.
Pashupatinath, a UNESCO designated world heritage site, is the centre of faith and religious piety for the Hindus and Buddhists of Nepal. It is a place of prayer and meditation. The first dated inscription, Shaka Samvat 381, which corresponds to 459 A.D., is found in this area. It also happens to be the area where the Hindus cremate their dead. The boys' thoughts about our day are as follows:
We went to Pashupati today. I saw dead people burning. I saw them cut out a lady's eyes before they burnt her. Then they put rocks on her chest, so she wouldn't sit up during the burning. They put a lit candle in her mouth, then hay on her, so she could light her own fire.
There were wild monkeys everywhere. I saw one with no hands and one with no tail. I also saw one steal a ladies handbag.
We climbed all the stairs and saw the entire area. It was quite dirty. There was a heap of rubbish in the river.
We saw lots of Sadu Babas. Mum met one who was 110 years old and Cody took a photo of them.
Today we went to Pashupati and we saw someone's wife get burnt. It wasn't private like it is in Australia. We saw people take her eyes out.
We saw lots of monkeys.
We also watched a man being burnt. All the men in his family had to shave their heads. So we guessed it was someone's father and brother. It took five hours for the body to burn. Then they collected one bone and wrapped it in white cloth and then put it in the river. Then the men put white cloth on themselves hoping their father and brother would go to heaven.
From Cody.
A cute monkey we liked.
The boys wrapping their dad's bone to throw in the river
As a mother who has welcomed two beautiful boys into my life, I know what it is like to look into their eyes and imagine the bright future in the 80 years or so that lay ahead for them.
I too have looked into the eyes of the children from the orphanage here and wondered the very same thing.
In our very limited experience we have only dealt with orphanages that take children from 6-18 years of age. This naturally posed the question 'Where are the babies?' and 'What happens when they leave?'
From varied and sad beginnings babies up to the age of 5 are taken to a baby orphanage, where the hope begins that they be adopted out or reunited with family. Sadly due to the unreliable and unstable Maoist government international adoption agencies have begun to stop their adoption relationships with Nepal. This means in the years to come there are going to be even more children in need of orphanage care.
The babies that are not adopted end up in orphanages like the ones we have been involved with. However, orphanages vary greatly in their ability to care well for the children. Some self funded orphanages are small rented dilapidated buildings in rice fields that are only able to send their children to a government school.
Government schools are given no credence here in Nepal. Classes hold well over 60 students and are run by untrained teachers.
Then there are the orphanages that have private funding and own their own land and are in the position to send their children to a private school.
Whatever their start, the children are without a doubt better off in a safer, healthy and more caring environment. That's their beginnings, but what of their future?
What happens to the children when they reach 16 or 18years and they must leave? The ideal situation for any child would be further education; this depends upon scholarships, donations or sponsorship. However, without this funding the children are assisted to find a job and their own accommodation.
The children may choose to go back to their village of birth or choose to stay near where they have been living or schooling. Provided it is safe, the children in the cases we have come across are encouraged back to their village on the month long break they have in October, in order to maintain some ties and roots with their heritage and culture.
Whatever their decision, these children are at risk and more vulnerable of being taken advantage of due to their lack of family support and friends to look out for them. The girls in particular are at a real risk of sexual predators.
Assuming all goes well with further education or finding a decent job, my third and final question comes to mind. In a society that relies upon arranged marriages, who arranges their marriage?
Apparently there is nobody to fill this role for them, so I wonder what is to become of these kids in their future. It would appear they must find love in order to eventually be part of some type of true family unit.
x Lisa (thinking too much Mum)
The Front Entrance to the Private School the COTS kids attend
The Private School Playing Oval where the COTS children attend
As I sat wondering what our next step would be, I reflected on my disappointment that the boys decided against returning to the COTS orphanage. We all really miss the children. However, I understand their decision and support their need to make a stand. Good for them! We have made a commitment though, to help with the education and well being of the children, where possible. I have no doubt these children will be a part of our lives for ever.
However, it had left me feeling a little 'projectless.' I'd hoped for some sign in the days that followed, but nothing had appeared. My original plan was to head way out North West, to a rural area. However, after much discussion with the boys, I felt that may not be in their best interest.
Serendipity is a propensity for making fortunate discoveries while looking for something unrelated.
In walked Denish, Mary and Sally, three beautiful and inspiring people affiliated with the Ten Friends NGO and the Hopeful Home for Orphans and Helpless Children.
The orphanage owns their own home, which houses 35 clean and well kept children, aged between 5 and 16. The orphanage was bright and cheery, warm and homely. It had a really lovely feel. However, much to the boys' disappointment they still only served Dahl Bhaht at meal times.
Hopeful Home for Orphans and Helpless Children had been the brainchild of two wonderful women with similar backgrounds, Bhubaneswori and Gopini. They were in need of many things, one of which was school supplies.
On behalf of the Hopeful Home for Orphans and Helpless Children, I humbly thank The Southport School community for donating all the school supplies. I can guarantee they have gone to a very worthy place.
x Lisa (proud Mum)
Taiga handing out pencil sharpeners.
Cody giving out erasers.
Thank you Emmerson and Josh. Your donations will be given to the students who try their hardest.
The kids from the Helpful Home for Orphans and Helpless Children
I had chocolate cake and got a t-shirt of my choice, gloves, stickers and trekking poles. I also got to choose where we ate for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
For dinner I chose a The Pilgrims' Feed and Read vegetarian restaurant that is at the back of a cool Nepalese bookstore. You have to take off your shoes and sit on the floor. It has lots of old Nepalese artefacts everywhere and some pictures of Buddha, some people meditating and some Hindu gods.
I ordered a vegetarian cheese burger, chips and a lemon soda. I also ate half of Mums pokoras.
