Happiness and a Hug

I have a dear and respected friend who has worked in the field of international development for decades all over the world. He told me of a time when he visited a friend in Africa and was taken to orphanage in the country. Despite all his experience in development, he had never worked at an orphanage, and this was just a friendly visit. However, he said the surest sign to him that this orphanage was doing good work and taking good care of the children was that as soon as he showed up, the children ran up to him with big smiles on their faces and surrounded him for a group hug. They did not ask for anything nor want anything from him, they were just happy and loved, and expressed that joy with their warm reception. I have remembered that story very clearly ever since, and so I was struck by this one photo in particular shared by our partner in Nepal, Joining Hands Nepal family orphanage. This is a photo of the greeting and reception given to the most recent foreign volunteer who stayed at the orphanage on the day she arrived. It was not a forced or planned thing, but a spontaneous and genuine display of affection captured on camera. And though you cannot see it with their heads turned, it is clear from other pictures that all of the children are happily smiling. As my friend would surely agree, it is clear from this simple image that the children are well taken care of and loved.

Volunteering in Nepal

By Maya (Meike), Netherlands
Volunteer, Joining Hands Nepal

When I searched for a destination for my gap year, I chose Nepal. And when I decided this, I knew almost immediately that I wanted to do volunteer work at an orphanage. Volunteer work would be the best way to explore the country for me. I love to travel, and besides that there are thousands of orphans in Nepal, so it would be nice if I could roll up my sleeves and help. But where to start? I preferred a natural surrounding, fresh air and a peaceful environment so I did not feel much for staying in Kathmandu while volunteering. The people from Travel Active were telling me that they had just visited an orphanage in a littler place than Kathmandu, called Panauti. Kevin was so enthusiastic about this place and the orphanage, that he really wanted me to go there. I agreed. And I’m so happy! It is unbelievable how much someone can do in one year. The orphanage Joining Hands Nepal in Panauti is the best place you could wish for a child needing help. I still don’t know all of their stories, but I could already see from the first moment on the kids here are very happy now. I left Kathmandu on Monday morning with Himal, the leader and founder of Joining Hands Nepal. We had to drive by bus for only one and a half hours to get out of the busy city, into the wonderful fields and mountains of Panauti. What a difference! We walked for about 10 minutes from the bus parking lot to the orphanage. A small, but impressive orange building with a lot of balconies raised up in front of me. And surprise, surprise… Eight smiling faces were laughing and waving at me, walking up that hill with Himal, into the hot sun of Nepal.

“Hello, Sister,” they yelled, “How are you doing, sister? What is your name, sister?” James, Johnny, Clara, Maria, Louisa, Brian, Christina and Rachel. They were smiling and talking to me. It was amazing, they looked so glad to see me! It felt good from the first moment on. We had a welcome ceremony and then we played games, till the daily English Conversation Class at half past six. After that, around eight o’clock, we ate Dal Bhat for dinner. Then Clara, the youngest, fell asleep while eating our evening Dal Bhat, tired of another happy day, judging by her face. How sweet. It was bedtime. At ten o'clock it was almost silent in the orphanage. And so ended my first day in Panauti, “I think I can make something out of my time here,” I thought happily. And it seems to be true so far. Panauti is great, you guys rock!

The mornings here always start with morning tea at 6, a little bit early for me. At seven the kids start doing their homework: girls in the girls' room, boys in the boys' room. At 8 o’clock we play games and do a warming up for the morning exercises to get warm and stay healthy. Then we have our first Dal Bhat of the day and with a full belly of rice we get the kids ready for their school day. At half past nine they leave in a duck-a-like walking line to the school. How sweet! Around 5 o’clock you can prepare to hear all of the sweet little voices again. Singing, playing, asking, laughing, talking, until bedtime. It’s almost unbelievable how much life and good spirit you will find in this family! Yesterday I baked pancakes and today I will help Sarida to cook Nepalese food. I opened my eyes and saw how much there is to learn and exchange! I will only stay here for two more weeks, but I certainly will learn, teach, play and help at the Joining Hands Nepal Orphange as much as is possible. Just because it feels so good!

Archives: Life At Arm's Length

By Eric Roache, Founder

Back in the days when I was a volunteer myself, traveling all over the world and experiencing different cultures and becoming a part of different people's lives, I kept a personal travel blog to share my experiences with friends and family. I continued this online journal up until the opening of Joining Hands Nepal orphanage. I thought it would be fun and enlightening to occasionally share an old post with everyone. With the first full year of the orphanage just completed, no post is more relevant than the last one I wrote before the first children were taken into the home to commemorate the experience of Himal (director of Joining Hands Nepal) and myself setting up and preparing for their arrival. Enjoy!

End of an Era

In a few shorts days this house that was once so quiet will become filled with the sweet noise of children laughing, playing, learning, and growing. From 2 will become 12 and a new era will begin. I cannot help but take this moment to say goodbye to the era that is ending, and even lament a little its loss. For though all we have been working towards is about to be thrust upon us and we will embrace it with open arms and hearts, there has been something special about these last 5 weeks. It has been the two of us living alone, cooking, eating, washing, working, in the house we have made together. These days of planning and dreaming, merely imagining the day when our efforts would finally bear fruit, have been some of the most memorable of my life. It is in the journey, and not the destination, when our true character is revealed, and when we learn the most about ourselves and those with whom our lives have become intertwined. Despite the minor setbacks and frustrations, victories and errors, we have made our way together and become the closer for it. We have created our own inside jokes and spent countless hours laughing at them us two. We have developed our own language mash-up of Nepali and English that nobody knows but us and provides us endless entertainment. We have set our sights high like dreaming men are apt to do, and can only hope we shall not soar so high so fast as to meet Icarus’s fate. Today I allow the sadness for these days gone by to enter my heart and flow through my spirit freely, for tomorrow a new era begins, ready to refresh my spirit and refill my heart with love.

Celebrating the Children of Joining Hands Nepal

We acknowledged the 1 year anniversary of our wonderful partner project in Nepal, the Joining Hands Nepal family orphanage, last month and congratulated them on their milestone. However, I think this month an even more momentous and emblematic milestone was achieved: the completion of their first full year at an English language boarding school. All 6 of the children who were taken into the care of Himal at Joining Hands Nepal had never attended an English medium school, and several of them had never attended school period. At the end of 1 year, each one of them, in addition to Himal's two nieces, who are also a part of the family at the orphanage, is at or near the top of their class and passed their year-end exams with high marks. Here is the news directly from Himal via a facebook post today:

"Congratulation to Rachael, Christina, Brian, Louisa, Maria, James, Johnny and Clara. We got final result of children from school last year. They have done very well and all the children passed with good marks! We are so happy.... thank you so much to all our volunteers who helped to us and especially for my brother Eric who managed everything for us and to his mom Joan Roache for supporting us and sending books to the kids"

We are so proud to be a part of their lives and their success. A special thanks goes out to the more than 15 international volunteers who helped tutor the children throughout the year and opened their hearts and their minds to the children. And of course, none of this success would be possible without the tireless dedication and love of Himal Waiba, director of Joining Hands Nepal. I knew from the first time I met him he was born to do this work, but it never ceases to amaze me the passion and joy he puts into it every day, and it shows in the happiness of the children. Here's to a job well done for everyone involved!