September 2001

Dear Friends,

A lovely interlude. Mary, a friend of mine, is home on leave. A friend of hers, Ganga , is building a house here in Kathmandu. Mary has organized friends in Canada to help Ganga and her family build their house. Ganga has leprosy. My small part was to hand over some cash when asked. I received a telephone call and the next day at work had a call from the gate that I had a visitor. I went to the gate to collect Ganga. There was a small Nepali lady, obviously dressed in her best sari. She walked a bit oddly and you could tell why. People with leprosy lose their toes: Ganga’s specially made-to-fit shoes were short and stubby. But she walked with such dignity. Here she was meeting a memesahib doctor in a fancy office complex and she held herself up with pride.

People with leprosy are so shunned in this society that her behavior was striking. The guards at the gate were trying to figure out who she was and why she was visiting me. We walked to my office, first greeting the staff along the way; she smiled each time she was introduced. We chatted a bit—I was relieved that she speaks Hindi—my Nepali is not very good. And she, too, was obviously relieved that we could communicate. We chatted awhile and then I gave her the money which would be used for the roof of their two-room house. As we talked I became more and more struck with the strength and dignity of this woman. But then, as the visit came to the end, my opinion of her was shattered when she asked for change for the bus. I thought to myself, you have just been given Rs 38,000 and you are asking me for Rs 20. I was greatly saddened. But then she started fiddling in her purse. And I do mean fiddling—you see as with her feet, so with her hands. She only has stubs for her fingers. I had misunderstood her. She was asking for change for the Rs500 note that she had so she could have change for the bus fare. It took a few minutes for her to find the safely hidden, crumpled-up R500 note. I gave her change, and a hug, and a smile on my face and in my heart. And I walked Ganga back out to the gate.

Continue to pray for the people of Nepal—a cease-fire has been called by both sides. Also please pray for us in UMN. Some very complex issues are in process and we need great wisdom and discernment.

Love,

Beverley

The 2001 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 153