News
Read stories and updates from our work with the children of Nepal. To find our old newsletters from 2003 to 2018, visit the archive! Otherwise, click in the search bar below to locate blogs on a topics you’re interested in.
The pendulum swings again: Our hike to Australian camp
After hectic but joyful days in Kathmandu, we endured a ten hour drive to Pokara that cannot be described on a public blog except to note it should have taken six hours and we learned a lot about Nepali road repair and driving habits! After a quick overnight at the Lakeside Retreat, we were back in the van for another hour to Kande. I was beginning to lose my sense of balance. A walk in nature was just what I needed.
Zootopia, Fashion, and Holiday Traffic
Once again we were treated to the contrast that Nepal offers. Skies were blue as we met the younger children at the pungent Kathmandu Zoo. They were dressed in their holiday best as they collected to sing for us and then take us by the hand, bounced around happily, and used English names for their favorite animals. Some of them met the elephant up close, and the hippo was a big favorite. It showed off its enormous mouth and tongue for everyone before its carrot lunch arrived, and many of the children stood by fascinated while it ate a big bag of carrots. Then we all feasted together on human food of mo-mos and pizza. It is so heart-warming to share their joy and their appetites, knowing they are being cared for and fed and loved by the wonderful staff at the Contact Center.
Shopping with a Purpose
Armed with an extensive shopping list and a strong sense of style, brave shoppers Mamta (a former Mitrata sponsee) and Stephanie (Mamta’s sponsor from 2002-2013) had a marathon (9 hours!) shopping session. Slaphappiness set in after 7 hours. Exhaustion hit soon after. They bought so much that kind Prakash, a wholesale shop owner, had to load his motorcycle with all of the goods and make two deliveries to the hotel.
Testing My Heart, Mind and Body
Each day in this country builds on the last, forming relationships with people who have a vision for the children they seek to help, by exposing us to the culture and people of Nepal. Today, we visited 2 historical sites. We were taken to the scenic temple perched on the hill, surrounded by monkeys that stole the show: Swayambhunath. It was a blend of the religions of Hindu and Buddhism, the huge bronzes of the various deities and magnificent temples, the colors of the trees and then the backdrop of the city with mountains in the distance. Truly a visual treat for the eye!
Overwhelmed and Grateful
Early this morning, seven of us left the hotel at 5:30 am to take an airplane tour of the highest peaks in the Himalayas, including Mt. Everest. It was awesome, beautiful and left me with a sense of how small I really am in this immense world. Maybe some day I’ll post some of those pictures, but not today.
Later in the morning I and several other Mitrata sponsors visited the Contact Center, where the youngest and most severely impoverished children are provided with education, nutrition, health care, and when possible, continuing participation in the program when they are sufficiently prepared to attend school.
Sights, Smells, Sounds & Emotions
Our first day in Nepal was emotional. Nepal is a sea of color with saffron, indigo, marigold and emerald. The colors hit your senses at every turn, as does the sheer size of the crowds, vehicles and motorbikes on the streets. As for the smells, think rich Asian spices, exhaust fumes and incense. In Kathmandu, the sounds are a cacophony of horns from every conceivable kind of vehicle.
Kathmandu Bound- Missed the Typhoon
We were so lucky to miss Typhoon Mangkhut! We made it to Hong Kong on time and are on our way to Kathmandu.
We had a great day at the Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery. Facts learned- Fact One: 5 people do not fit in a Hong Kong Taxi. Fact two- Hong Kong cleans up quickly after a typhoon that did a lot of damage to trees.
Strategic Planning 2019 - A Long Productive Day
Last weekend we completed our 5 year strategic planning process with our Mitrata Nepal Foundation for Children board and staff members and Leena and Yogesh Satyal from BSF, our partner in Nepal. It was a long day starting at 8:30 am and followed by a great dinner and celebration hosted by long time sponsors, Arlene Miller and Hewie Powell.
We focused on a specific plan for growth by adding 25 more children and another Contact Center, making some improvements in our current programs and relocating our current Contact Center to a larger space. It was a day of high energy, good discussion and brainstorming.
"The Eldest Son" Documentary Shows in Saint Louis!!
Documentary filmmaker, Amy Benson of Nonfiction Media, came to Saint Louis and showed her newest film “The Eldest Son” focusing on the Darnal family in Nepal struggling to lift themselves from poverty. This showing was attended by 60 sponsors and donors of the Mitrata-Nepal Foundation for Children and was a big success. Leena and Yogesh Satyal of BSF, our partner organization in Nepal, were also there to answer the many good questions about life in Nepal.
The audience asked a lot of good questions and everyone was able to see first hand what it is like to grow up in a village in Nepal and try to get an education to improve family life. The oldest son went abroad to make money to support the family and get them out of debt. He returned downtrodden and in even more debt than before he left.
Welcome to Leena and Yogesh From Nepal - Meeting with Sponsors
Leena Satyal, Executive Director and Yogesh Satyal, Board President of BSF, our partner in Nepal are in Saint Louis, Missouri for 2 weeks of meetings with sponsors, our annual strategic planning, and some fun times with donors, board members and staff of Mitrata Nepal Foundation for Children.
Leena has a lot to communicate about the updates on our 124 children in Kathmandu, our sponsorship programs and the Contact Center. A special thanks goes to the hosts of our many local Sponsor Coffee meetings this week, Sandeep Nema, Pam Hughes, Rick Hendin. All sponsors who attended received an update on their sponsored children. Leena and Yogesh also had time for tea at Margaret Gaal's house.