Dave and
I are in Kathmandu, Nepal now. I came without reading any guide book first… and
was a little surprised by my presuppositions regarding what I would find. I
imagined a small city surrounding a large Buddhist stupa with a view of the 22
- 29,000 ft peaks in a distance from any direction. The city is quite large, a
bit dirtier than I expected and often too hazy to even spot the nearby rolling
hills. None-the-less I love the beautiful and friendly people and the striking
architecture.
There
are small alleys that lead to Alice in Wonderland like miniature doors which then
lead to hidden courtyards with temples, shrines and living quarters inside.
Many of the inhabited buildings are ornate with beautiful wood carvings on the doors and
windows but are dilapidated to the point of near crumbling. Walking down some of the streets can make you feel like you are on a
miniature set design of a historic city. Even I have to duck to go through some doors and to stand inside some of the rooms. You can
imagine my delight when I bump my head on a door jam in that it is so rare that
I feel averaged height, let alone “too tall” to make it through a door
way!!!!!
Regarding
weepy and weary…. Prior to arriving we spoke with a woman that has done some
volunteer work with sex workers in Asia and she recommended the photography
book, Fallen Angels. Dave and I found it on our first day in a local gallery and
were engrossed in the tragic stories of current trafficking, child prostitution
and abuse, which frequently occur throughout Nepal and India.
That
same day we befriended four children begging at the local Monkey Temple and
played with them for several hours until they followed us down the path towards
their home in the evening. It reminded me of our friend Corrina, also a child
with dirty clothes and poor hygiene who commonly begged in the streets of Bir, (See
previous blog with photo subtitled “the most animated kid I know”). It wrenched my heart
to say good-bye after establishing a sweet playful connection over the 3 weeks
we were there. I was left with the uncomfortable feelings of… should I have
tried to learn more about her situation, could I have done more, could I have
caused harm or pain by loving and leaving? Similar thoughts to my time at the
leprosy community of what does it mean to be helpful arose.
The
next night walking the streets in Kathmandu we saw many street kids, an
increasing problem in Nepal, wandering the streets. Most of them were stumbling or slumped over and high
as a kite. The common drug of choice on
the streets is inhaling dendrite, glue used for sticking rubber. It is used frequently because it is
not illegal, it is commonly available, and it is cheap. It also slows down the body’s
function and in part kids use it to decrease their appetite. At high doses it
can severely affect your nervous system and cause death.
Dave
noticed a group of kids that were obviously intoxicated exchanging money and inquired what they were doing.
They pointed to two boys, the oldest appearing maybe 20 years old and the
youngest the size of an 8 or 9 year old, but probably 12… with lacerations on
their head and face. They were requesting money for medication and food. When
questioned, they said that there was a fight and the other people had knives.
Dave refused to give them money, but offered to get them to a doctor. The one
wound, really looked horrible and needed stitches. They were reluctant but then
hesitantly agreed. We walked down the street in the direction of the hospital,
with them stumbling, veering off and eventually finding us again multiple times.
In the end, the youngest one already dodged
off for good and the older one, who needed stitches, spoke to the most sober
boy and walked off in the opposite direction… leaving the sober boy to shake
his head and say good bye.
And as if that wasn’t sad enough, shortly after, a very skinny meek, boy wearing makeup
approached Dave begging, but in a proposition like mannerism. We spoke with him
for a little while and left feeling a bit drained and overwhelmed by the magnitude
of suffering we witnessed in just one night.
After
waking up weepy and weary I spoke to Dave about my reactions. And we discussed
the difference between experiencing overwhelm and wanting a situation to be
different with the desire to fix it, verses having an acceptance of the reality
of the painful experience, while maintaining just pure compassion. This does
not mean you are saying what is happening is alright, and that you don’t need
to try to take action. But it actually encourages you to stay present with the
reality of the sufferings that are happening in front of you and all over the
world, allowing them to burst open your heart, which as I mentioned is not
always pleasant, and let it motivate you to do whatever you can. While remaining fully aware
you may not be able to make a dent or a difference but choosing to do it anyway.
A very rewarding, but challenging process for me to say the least!!!
May
be a little long for some of you to get through… so if you did, thanks for
listening and enjoy the photos! We will be heading into the mountains soon! Much love! Jen
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| May be the most beautiful kid in Kathmandu! |
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| But then again, I would never want to be the judge of that contest! |
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| Mah-valous fake nails |
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| Porters carry unbelievably heavy loads throughout the city |
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| Pagoda style temple in Durbar Square |
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| Have you got your wires crossed? |
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| Our friends at the monkey temple |
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| Kathmandu from above |
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| Prayer wheels at Swayambhunath, the monkey temple of Kathmandu |
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| Butter candles for sale at the temple |
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The famous Boudhanath Stupa, one of the largest in the world.
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| A woman circling the entire stupa three times performing prostrations (a Buddhist prayer practice which includes a pattern of movements from standing to lying on the ground in reverence to their teacher and the teachings). |
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| Jumbo Dave reaching up to the second story window |
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| There are still political tensions with many rallies and strikes that happen frequently in Kathmandu. |
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| Pasupatinath, burning ghats in kathmandu- |
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| Peering curiosity |
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| This hard working elder is wearing a typical Nepalese hat. |
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| More hard working elders! |
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| Sona, an incredibly clever and witty friend who invited us into her home to discuss Nepalese culture. |
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| The carnival is in town and Dave is the one and only roadside attraction. |
