As Day Fades to Night

As I sat on the rooftop of our home away from home, my mind wandered into the fading light as day slowly turned to night. I began to think about the differences that I’ve experienced here in Khahare, a small village on the outskirts of Kathmandu, Nepal. My first impressions here were filled with overwhelming capacity as I inhaled the burning plastic of the streets, paid witness to the crumbling homes of the old Newari villages and struggled to see the mountains beyond the thick, dense clouds of smog. “This doesn’t seem like the place I’d want to spend a significant amount of time in,” I thought to myself. My heart was pounding, my head was aching from the fumes and my mind was spewing thoughts of regret. In a short 3 weeks, these feelings have been suppressed by even more powerful ones; emotions of selflessness, of kindness and the importance of having an open heart and an open mind. The best way to describe this transformation is to simply state that Nepal is a dirty country, occupied by the most beautiful people.

We’ve actively engaged ourselves within the community, spending time with the children and the elders – experiencing life from a new perspective. Most Nepali’s live on less than two dollars a day. They occupy dismal structures, with no heat in the winter. Most don’t own vehicles, and some take a commute walking for hours up some of the most treacherous terrain, challenging enough to put me laying flat on my back gasping for air. Sanitary bathrooms are one in a million, rivers are filled to the brim with garbage and human feces and the smell of this place alone is enough to send people packing. You’re probably thinking, “how can anyone live this way,” or, “how can you be happy living like this?” I’ve had the same questions, but the one thing that convinces me that these inquiries are of no importance are the smiles that are contagious here. Their complacency radiates from their surroundings, and a sense of community is ever present around each bend in the deteriorating road. Community is the mud that holds the walls of their homes together. Community is what they have and community is what they thrive off of.

During our time here we’ve been getting our hands dirty cleaning garbage and building a bus shelter for the community; we’ve been getting our minds dirty brainstorming projects based on NEEDS, and not WANTS. But most importantly we’ve spent time getting to know members of the village. We’ve keyed in on what it is that they feel is necessary for a healthy community and a positive lifestyle. During a random survey of needs, it was shocking to see how many of them all wanted the same things: a shelter from the rain, a bridge that doesn’t flood, a bathroom and most importantly a clean village. Even more shocking was the fact that not one voice emerged to do something about it after all these years. That’s where we come in. We’re merely a catalyst for the reaction; every project we start is shortly taken over by community members wanting to make a difference. We teach what we know – pass on the techniques – and let others empower themselves to make the difference.

As I laid on the roof and stared into the sky I began to think.. Day doesn’t turn to night in the blink of an eye. It’s a gradual change. As the sun sets and the moon rises it makes visible one star, followed by the next, and the next, and the next, until eventually the entire night sky is glimmering with thousands. I see our role here as the moon – to give birth to one shining star after another until eventually there are thousands of stars working as a team to illuminate the darkness.

Cheers to being a catalyst for change.