September 2006

Dear friends,

What an experience. I spent a few days in Namje village. It is in Dhankuta District in eastern Nepal. I had come from the Terai (plains) where I had been for three days at over 90 degrees and 90 percent humidity, and most of the time with no electricity — reminded me of the old days in India. So what a treat as the vehicle climbed, the hills and it became cooler and cooler. Namje is at 6,000 feet — even higher than Kathmandu at 4,500 — so nice and cool. Namje is primarily a Magar village. The Magars are indigenous and therefore outside the Hindu caste system — which means they are very low caste, as are you and I. We are all outcastes. This was a treat for me, because I could be less concerned about committing “juto.” Juto is the serious error one commits when a lower caste person contaminates a high caste person by touching them or their clothes or possessions, particularly their food or dishes. When I was in language and orientation, I spent two weeks staying with a high caste family and it was fairly nerve-wracking (and in fact I did commit juto — but that is another story).

I was visiting Namje for PC(USA)’s Self Development of People Program. A Peace Corps volunteer had been in Namje as a school teacher for one year five years ago, and somehow got them linked to PC(USA). The principal and one of the teachers are extremely socially minded, and really got the vision to help their community. There is a county-wide women’s association that is applying to PC(USA) for funds to build a small training hall. It is so exciting to see what they have done until now with just an injection of some resources from outside. The women used to have to walk five miles to get water. Hard to even fathom that. About four years ago they were able to get funding to build a water supply system that includes two water pumps that brings water from a river several miles away. Now each household has a metered tap. The community hires two meter readers and someone to make the bills and keep the accounts. If people don’t pay ($1 for 3,000 liters) their tap is cut off. The nearby army camp is their biggest consumer — but doesn’t always pay the bill. Their taps have been cut off. They have enough money saved up in the bank to purchase a new pump in case one fails. Now that’s impressive.

They are also building four primary schools in four townships that did not have any. They were able to get funding for that also through the Peace Corp volunteer, but the community is providing much of the labor. This means that very young children will not have to walk miles to go to school every day.

My visit there started with a meeting with the women’s association, about 30 of their 100 members, plus other interested members of the community, another 30, and children and of course a few dogs. There were the usual welcome speeches, a small gift, and then a dialogue with the women about the training hall — why they wanted it, what they were going to do with it, how they were going to help to build it, what they were going to contribute. Next was a visit to the land site for the training hall and to meet the land owner — he is giving it at half price and the women are raising the other half by themselves. The women walked around and lined the periphery of the site to give me an idea of the area that they were purchasing for the building. Then back for a “cultural show” which meant I had to dance — and a snack. Then more discussions with the executive committee. I also visited the office of the association — it was one room built on to the end of the school. The entire room was lined on the inside with plastic to make it waterproof and probably a little warmer in the winter — the walls of the building were so crudely made.

I spent the night with one of the executive committee members. Uma is one of a handful of the women in the whole county who has graduated from 10th class. She runs a small store from the front of her house. Her husband is one of the teachers at the county high school. Their house has three rooms — plus a separate kitchen and an outhouse out back. The kitchens are typically separate because they cook on a wood fire and this way the house doesn’t get smoky — even though they do use a special “smokeless” fireplace, there is still some smoke. I slept in one of the two rooms, which had beds — I think it’s where the kids (ages 4 and 7) normally sleep. I sat in the kitchen on a mura (small basket stool) watching Uma cook — such a treat to be able to sit in the kitchen. In the high caste house, low caste people can’t enter the kitchen. As usual, though, I was served at the table as a guest along with Uma’s husband — there was no room for the kids — they sat on muras, being served just after we were, and then as we finished, Uma ate. I stayed with her as she finished up.

The next morning I met with the “mistri.” Mistris are the village artisans — the carpenters, potters, bricklayers, etc. This mistri has had no formal education, but had designed and built the water system, and has drawn the training hall architectural-like plans including a drawing with perspective, plus a detailed budget. Quite impressive. I had morning tea with another executive member, in her tea shop, chatting with the local folk, and then dhal bhat (rice and lentils)—their traditional breakfast meal which they have about 10:00 a.m. (they only eat meals twice a day) with another Executive member — again not special, just fitting in to their routine. That was what was nice. It was just so good to sit and talk with people — I even ended up correcting some math homework!

Why am I describing this to you in such detail? Well, because churches are more and more getting involved in a one to one relationship with mission partners overseas. And so often you don’t get to visit the places you fund so I wanted to describe what a ‘site visit’ is like. I also wanted you to see through my eyes and ears some of the things I look at and listen for when I make a site visit.

Evidence of sustainability:
Water project is still functioning well; payment system and savings in the bank.
They use money frugally: not a lot was spent on me — no big present, meals; and their office is very basic.

Serve a wide community:
The water project serves the whole community.
Schools are being built for the more remote townships.

Evidence of community contribution:
A landowner and the women are providing the land.
The local government and community will provide materials for compound wall, septic tank and toilets.
The women will provide the bamboo (used for scaffolding).
The mistri is contributing his time for the drawings.
The women will provide all of the unskilled labor.
The women will manage the project and do the accounts.

I hope this was interesting and gives you food for thought,

Beverley

The 2006 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 118