| June 2004
Dear All,
The United Mission to Nepal (UMN) has just finished its 50th
anniversary festival. It was an exciting time, especially because
UMN alumni came back, including people who had been there right
at the beginning. There were many wonderful movements, but one
of the most moving for me was when a colleague read a letter from
a young man who had graduated from Gandaki Boarding School, a
school that UMN started and ran for many years but now has turned
over to Nepali ownership and management. This school provides
education for children from remote areas of Nepal. They enter
the school at 3rd grade and continue until 12th grade, after which
most go to university. This young man who wrote the letter thanking
UMN is now the political officer at the British Embassy. The moment
was meaningful for me because I realized the opportunities that
UMN had made available for so many children who otherwise would
not have had a chance.
I find it exciting that education continues to be a major thrust
of ours. Our work is progressing in setting up in our geographical
cluster areas of Mugu District and Sunsari District. We have already
done an initial needs assessment in both areas and, not surprisingly,
primary education is high on the list for both. Mugu is a very
remote area, with no road access. People cannot grow enough food
to feed themselves, so food security is a real problem there as
well. In Sunsari, HIV/AIDS is a problem, since there is a major
trucking route going through the district (and hence prostitution).
In both areas, the needs of women and children also will be addressed.
UMN had one project in Mugu before, in which training of traditional
birth attendants was a major activity. Now a majority of pregnant
women in that area are delivering inside the house rather than
in the cowshed, which is the traditional place for delivery in
rural Nepal. UMN will continue to work to improve the health of
women and children.
A real challenge for us is the growing insurgency. Practically
speaking, this complicates our work, since the insurgents control
most of the rural parts of the country where we want to work.
In addition, the entire civil situation is very unstable, with
frequent stirkes, demonstrations, violence, and breakdowns in
the infrastructure. Needless to say, this is a very challenging
environment to work in! It’s not surprising that at the
50th, we sang with gusto the old hymn, “Our hope is built
on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness!”
A few days ago the king reappointed the prime minister whom he
had unconstitutionally deposed 18 months (and two interim prime
ministers) ago. So, there is a shred of hope now that perhaps
a government can be formed (there has been none for 18 months,
since the political parties refused to participate). So at least
we may have a government soon!
My work is to guide and facilitate UMN as it moves in to a new
way of working. It is a very busy and exciting time. What is particularly
exciting during this time of profound change is when some staff
who had been very vocal that this is not the way to go, have had
a lightbulb go on, an “aha! experience,” and now are
strong proponents. On the other hand, there are still others who
wish for the old days, even though, especially with the insurgency
moving along as it has, they reluctantly see that this has been
a good way to go.
It’s particularly exciting to watch the growth of staff.
One of my colleagues, Maureen, is a Burmese physician, widow,
and mother of a teenage daughter. Three years ago, I asked Maureen
if she would take on the role of UMN’s safe motherhood consultant.
She declined, not having the confidence. Since then she has come
to me off and on with a question. Last year she was asked to evaluate
a project in India and I encouraged her to do it and also mentored
her a bit about how to do it. Now she is the women and child technical
advisor at UMN and is providing expertise to different organisations
in Nepal. It has been exciting to see her grow before my eyes!
Some prayer points
- Praise: My back is doing well!
- The first two weeks of July I will be acting executive director
of UMN as the executive director will be out of the country.
Pray for me—and that no emergency happens during that
time! It’s not a responsibility I am looking forward to!
- That as we proceed in setting up Mugu and Sunsari Clusters,
all will go smoothly, and in particular any interactions with
the insurgents will go well.
Beverley
The 2004 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 203 |
