Well, we have been back in UK for about 5 days, especially for the CMS Ireland event last night in Co Down...it went off quite well, there was a good turn out for being held 'out in the country'...CMSI hold this annual event called 'Impact' to reflect on what impacts our lives, this year focussed on Mission Partners who have served with CMSI over the last decade and more. While all the Mission Partners were not able to attend, alot of familiar names appeared for thanksgiving and prayer.
So what is going on in Nepal? I have been going out and in to our new site in Ilam from Kathmandu, so I have got to know the road quite well.Usually see something new everytime...last time it was a Large Coucal, a large crow like bird with navy body feathers and dark tan wing feathers. Talking of birds, I have seen quite a few others: the white breasted Kingfisher and Indian Roller are prolific in our area, then there is also: Mallards, Black Kite, Kestrel, Red Wattled Plover, Crested Serpent Eagle, Spotted Dove, Barred Owlet, White Capped River Chat, Barn Swallows, Lesser Pied Kingfisher, Woodpecker, Pied Stonechat, Magpie Robin, Little Egret, Yellow Wagtail, Hornbill and a few other noises in the jungle I have yet to identify. Mai Khola (river) is a nice valley. Quite young in its age and quite flat with wide sweeps in its flow pattern, working its way down to the plains to eventually join the famous Ganges.
Our work has started well with mobilisation of all the infrastructure we will need to construct the job. We are building two small villages to accommodate the workers, so we have to build everything from scratch: water supply, roads, sanitation, housing, workshops, stores, fencing, offices and other support facilities. As wse approach the end of mobilisation, we start the permamnent work and thus, 3 weeks ago we started to excavate the tunnel portals, planning to stabilise them and get the tunnels started before the monsoon. It is always a race to beat the monsoon in some way, this year it is the tunnels, next year it will be the river work of building the dam. The words of King Canute, 'time and tide wait for no man' can be applied in Nepal and changed to, 'monsoon and floods wait for no man'.
We have had a number of interesting events in Gunmune, the name of our village, one of them a football competition involving 8 local teams. Our local team, who I was able to sponsor, got to the final, but were beaten 5-4 on penalties after 1-1 at extra time. Quite a few turned up for the games, played daily over a 10 day period, with about 3000 there for the final. The games were inaugurated by the Speaker of the Nepali Parliament, Subas Nemwang, so while he was on site, we were able to explain the project to him.
We have one road into Gunmune which we just finished building recently, so it was interesting to see buses arriving for the first time, loads of motorcycles. Someone with entrepreneurial spirit had cordoned off an area for parking, charging 20 rupees a session!
Another recent event was an ordination in one of the local churches. Three days of prayer, study, worship and fellowship brought many believers together for the occasion. Some of the church founders visited to lead the event. Of course the kitchen was busy preparing food for all, dalbhat twice a day with snacks and tea...
During the third week in March I was with the MA program facilitating another cohort in their studies. Another interesting week seeing the students stimulated and being stretched in their learning.
I return to Nepal this coming week, so more updates after that...
So what is going on in Nepal? I have been going out and in to our new site in Ilam from Kathmandu, so I have got to know the road quite well.Usually see something new everytime...last time it was a Large Coucal, a large crow like bird with navy body feathers and dark tan wing feathers. Talking of birds, I have seen quite a few others: the white breasted Kingfisher and Indian Roller are prolific in our area, then there is also: Mallards, Black Kite, Kestrel, Red Wattled Plover, Crested Serpent Eagle, Spotted Dove, Barred Owlet, White Capped River Chat, Barn Swallows, Lesser Pied Kingfisher, Woodpecker, Pied Stonechat, Magpie Robin, Little Egret, Yellow Wagtail, Hornbill and a few other noises in the jungle I have yet to identify. Mai Khola (river) is a nice valley. Quite young in its age and quite flat with wide sweeps in its flow pattern, working its way down to the plains to eventually join the famous Ganges.
Our work has started well with mobilisation of all the infrastructure we will need to construct the job. We are building two small villages to accommodate the workers, so we have to build everything from scratch: water supply, roads, sanitation, housing, workshops, stores, fencing, offices and other support facilities. As wse approach the end of mobilisation, we start the permamnent work and thus, 3 weeks ago we started to excavate the tunnel portals, planning to stabilise them and get the tunnels started before the monsoon. It is always a race to beat the monsoon in some way, this year it is the tunnels, next year it will be the river work of building the dam. The words of King Canute, 'time and tide wait for no man' can be applied in Nepal and changed to, 'monsoon and floods wait for no man'.
We have had a number of interesting events in Gunmune, the name of our village, one of them a football competition involving 8 local teams. Our local team, who I was able to sponsor, got to the final, but were beaten 5-4 on penalties after 1-1 at extra time. Quite a few turned up for the games, played daily over a 10 day period, with about 3000 there for the final. The games were inaugurated by the Speaker of the Nepali Parliament, Subas Nemwang, so while he was on site, we were able to explain the project to him.
We have one road into Gunmune which we just finished building recently, so it was interesting to see buses arriving for the first time, loads of motorcycles. Someone with entrepreneurial spirit had cordoned off an area for parking, charging 20 rupees a session!
Another recent event was an ordination in one of the local churches. Three days of prayer, study, worship and fellowship brought many believers together for the occasion. Some of the church founders visited to lead the event. Of course the kitchen was busy preparing food for all, dalbhat twice a day with snacks and tea...
During the third week in March I was with the MA program facilitating another cohort in their studies. Another interesting week seeing the students stimulated and being stretched in their learning.
I return to Nepal this coming week, so more updates after that...
