Mahendranaghar

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Mahendranagar,+Far-Western+Region,+Nepal&sll=28.962228,80.147743&sspn=0.069389,0.143852&g=Mahendranagar+Airport,+Mahendranagar,+Mahakali,+Far-Western+Region,+Nepal&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Mahendranagar,+Mahakali,+Far-Western+Region,+Nepal&ll=28.796546,80.101318&spn=2.223801,8.789062&z=7

Visiting a friend's family from ENPHO. So awesome to be in the presence of a local family and getting to know the life of a local in the far-west. Very different than the rest of the country.

Arrived after the overnight bus ride. It's hot here, but definitely enjoying a break from the chaos of the valley. Lots of time to think and digest all that has been going on.

To be honest, my original goals have kind of been altered drastically as I came to realize limitations of infant flow CPAP compressed air sources in Nepal. That being said, I've also been able to see the endless possibilities of development through a different approach in starting bubble CPAP at various locations through spare parts brought over.

I've also refocused a lot to focus on relationships with people as the primary objective - so that continued support can happen while on the other side of the world. It's been a very fruitful time in Nepal learning a lot about how other people are living without electricity and water. But most importantly indulging in the community spirit in all things. E.g. at post office, stamp seller involves me stamping envelopes to increase efficiency (so we work together). After leaving my water bottle behind at the post office, the customer is found drinking out of it. With water in shortage everywhere, it seems that if there is a need people just fill it. Other examples are on buses, old lady just asks for water from a younger teenage boy and he gives her water. They really know how to stick together and endure the hardships that they face together.

Also being in close quarters makes conversations with your 'neighbours' a necessity. It's quite different than in Canada where it often feels weird to strike up conversation with the person sitting next to you on the bus...

Nepal is a beautiful place and lots learning here. OK, gotta go, hopefully, this goes through... electricity has been cutting out very often here..

update

Heyo people,

Sorry for the delay in writing.

Lots happening in the last little while.

The last week was perhaps the busiest and most fulfilling wk of my time in Nepal. Had been scheduling talks/labs/etc on mechanical ventilation at 2-3 hospitals per day from Sunday to Th when I was scheduled to return to Tansen to put together the final touches on a CPAP unit for them.

Lots of teaching and many positive responses from physicians, residents and med school students who all very new to mechanical ventilation. Don't realize how privileged we are to have all these conveniences.

Then TH came and while upstairs seeing some pts my laptop got taken. Unfortunate as the circumstance was, I really saw the community lifestyle that people here live. I think people at the hospital were more concerned than I was about the stolen laptop. I think they believe that it reflects on the people and the hospital. I also didn't realize how much information I had on it. Pretty much everything I've been working on in Nepal was here along with contacts. Nevertheless, I was reminded that I should be more careful, but that information is temporary and that relationships matter most. The ironic thing is that that morning I had written a email that morning about how I really find it hard to blog, because most of the things I have to share are personal and in relation to certain people. I was going to send this out to people so that they might not just read about issues, but react to circumstances. 

I hope that in reading this update that you might be able react in whatever way you feel prompted.

lesson from the laptop takage: information sharing is valueable, but relationship sharing is invalueable.

My next supercool event happened that evening with some expat missionaries inviting me over for dinner to refocus my time left in Nepal. Then as I cruised home in the dark, my chain broke. And again testament to God's watching over me, I was able to coast literally to the hospital where I was spending quite a bit of time. The security guard recognized me and quickly helped me figure out what went wrong. I'd need a new chain link so he helped me package it. As I was going to walk home, the receptionist came out to tell me they called the ambulance to bring me home. I decided to walk though, cause I actually like walking back.

5 lessons from 5 boys on the Sabbath

The bike posed further problems even after they put a new chainlink on it. The chain tension was a bit off and it kept on slipping as I was riding to church on Saturday. As I fustratedly got off my bike, 5 boys came running toward me and without hesitation pulled the grease covered chain back on. They continued to follow me down the road where it happened again and then told me I'd need to get my wheel set back a bit in order to increase the tension in the chain and to ride slowly. I now realize why Nepalis ride the bike the way they do. but the 5 lessons

a) They knew their gifts

b) They were in their 'mission field'

c) They ran to the need

d) They humbly and sacrificially drove right in dirtying their hands 

e) They followed through - provided advice and made sure I knew how to permanently fix the problem. 

I often wonder whether or not these 5 attributes are in my life. If I know what I'm gifted in, if I actually spend time in my 'field', if I run to the need, if I act humbly and sacrificially and if I follow through...

Praying for all you at home as well!

Off to Mahendranaghar in the far west after 2 days in Palpa tomorrow. Back in valley on 10th for more demonstrations.

in the race,

e

hebrews 12

Back in the Kathmandu

So after a week at the United Mission Hospital (UMH) in Tansen, Palpa, Nepal, woke up early this morning to catch the UMH buck (half bus, half truck - a bus whose back 4 rows was converted into a storage area to transport goods). To my surprise, the bus took off promptly at 0600 not waiting for anyone. Reminded me of the GO trains back at home and refreshing to know that I had not been late for this one. The buck does a weekly round trip leaving Wednesday morning for Kathmandu and returns the following day. Got to see a fantastic sunrise as it slowly crawled lazily over the hills and illuminated the beautiful landscape that surrounded. A noticeable haze filled the air from small garbage fires and crop fires as locals prepare for the monsoon season soon to come.

 

The thing I love about travel is that there is always something interesting to see. As soon as we started to leave the relatively smooth pavement of town, all passengers were issued a small black plastic bag. Passengers took this readily in the expectations of the undesired. Only a few brave souls declined. And so the trip began at first on newly paved roads that twisted and turned along the narrow ridge leading down the hills toward the Terai (lower 1/3 portion of Nepal where the land is flat and sun is unrelentingly hot). It was as if we were playing a game of hide and go seek with the sun. As we careened down around another hill, we'd loose the sun only for it to find us again just in time as we made the next turn. Despite the blind corners our skilled driver would unleash our comic polytonic horn to alert the world that we were coming around the corner at break-neck speeds and not going to stop for anything. I think drivers here to more reckless when they drive on the mountain side of the ridge, cause if someone will get bumped off, it'll be whoever is driving cliffside. I didn't think much of this at first, but before our 10hr ride back into town was complete, I saw, 1 bus tipped over on it's side, 1 truck halfway down a steep hill (how it stopped I know not - although, when we went by, there were 3 steel cables leading down to the marrooned vessel), and another half truck on the road with it's tail embedded into a roadisde house. And I was only awake for 2hrs of the entire ride...

 

On the bright side there is lots of development going on around here. Although it's arguable whether if that is best for rural Nepal. Most of the roads seemed like they have been paved within the last 3yrs, cause they really didn't look that good last time I visited Nepal. That being said, much of the roads in the hills had sunk in sections or were totally obliterated due to landslides. Roads in the Terai are actually quite decent. About 1hr east of Butwal, I saw a procession of a sweeper, followed by 2 stencil holders and then a painter with a yellow brush painting a dotted yellow line on either side of the roadway. A white dotted centreline was already present but hardly acknowledged by everyone from pedestrians, cyclists, rickshaws, micros, cars, buses, trucks, motorcycles overtaking each other with just inches to spare. I wonder whose I idea it was to paint the lines... Things run very differently here but they do function. I think that's part of the excitement in travel - seeing how people live. To an outsider, the transportation system seems chaotic but it functions; and they don't traffic lights, which would fail whenever there is a powercut.

 

Anyway, our driver skillfully maneuvered the traffic and roads to return us back to Kathmandu.

 

At home now. We hit up a flower shop with Sandip, potted some plants and now hanging out. The electricity came back early so we're getting an update on news and cartoons. Apparently the Maoists are planning a bandha (strike) of some sort but so far no one knows when yet.

 

Teaching hospital is back at full tilt after practically not seeing patients for 2 weeks. Although reading the paper the other day it seems that they are still having issues with the unclaimed bodies of 20% of all the atopsys they do...

 

Time at UMH was encouraging to see that people were trying to make the best of the situation. A constant stream of expatriate physicians and surgeons are always there to share their expertise and passion to serve the people. And it's affecting local medical officers and interns as they realize that there is more to life than the pursuit of material wealth. And with that, continue to live each moment as if it's your last. Carpe Diem. Soli Deo Gloria

 

 

update from Tansen

So been here for just over 24hrs and I think I've been regenerated as I feel as if I'm actually contributing. Today started with a ridiculously good rest (as always indicated by drool)...

 

0700 up and got some reading and praying in.. was actually up earlier too

0745 doctor's group devotions at the hospital followed by doctors rounds with a paediatrician from the states. Helped with inhouse NRP training and running through scenarios was fun and refreshing seeing people gain skills and understand the reason for doing what needs to be done in an effort to save lives best - as we know so far.... Day was done @ 1715 and went out to the city to explore and roam with my aunt. dinner for cheap and good...

 

coolest reading today: Mark 5:21-43: presents a medical case of and lady with idiopathic symptomatic hemorrhaging persisting for 12yrs. The text says that she endured much at the hands of physicians and had spent all she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse. This comes at a fitting time where I am seeing a lot of people with diseases that persist far beyond any reasonable time. Nevertheless, this lady is instanteously cured through her physical act prompted by faith. Make me wonder whether my faith or belief in what I do can help address the hemorrhaging that is going on in the world today. Is that what it means to have faith?

 

The other interesting thing is that this story is encapsulated in a larger story of a 12yr old child who is 'resurrected'. Interesting how the use of 12yrs is used again. For as long as one person was alive, another was hemorrhaging. So while we may seem to be hemorrhaging for a lifetime, there is still hope. 

 

Thank you to all who have written words of encouragement as I try to make sence of all that my senses are trying to process. It's tough, but finding so solice being away from the craziness of Kathmandu in a quieter place where I can breathe and begin to think a bit more. 

 

Hope you are all well... 

 

peace,

e