Dear friends of WMF Nepal,
We, as a community, would like to share with you an overview of the work that we do, as well as an update on the changes and transitions occurring here in Nepal. Listed below are the ministries we are currently involved in:
Karuna Ghar – Home for Girls
Gautam and Rekha Rai are the parents of this family of girls. Karuna Ghar (Home of Compassion) provides a hope-filled future for girls from backgrounds of abuse and neglect. Karuna Ghar has been running since September 5, 2001. The Rais currently have twelve children.
Prem Ghar – Home for Elderly Women
At Prem Ghar (Home of Love) Jyoti Bhattarai and her family care for elderly women who have been widowed or abandoned by their families. Jyoti serves the ammas (mothers) diligently, and the ammas have found love and life at the home, where they occupy their time raising vegetables and being grandmothers to the Bhattarais’ four children. Prem Ghar opened December 18, 2000 and is currently home to five ammas.
Street Ministry
The WMF Nepal staff continue to spend time on the streets with children, young men and women. The staff act as “social workers” for the street children, providing counseling, first aid, home visits, family reintegration, jail visits and hospital visits. After the closure of Kripaa Sadhan (Home of Mercy), a rehabilitation center for men, Raju Thakuri, who completed treatment there, began serving as an intern with WMF. He is currently working alongside staff member, Top Magar, in our street ministry.
Updates:
In late November, 2007, Gautam and Raju made the five day journey (two days by bus, three on foot) to Gautam’s home village in a remote mountain district near Mount Everest. They returned with two young girls, Shanti and Christine, who were welcomed into the Karuna Ghar family. Since their arrival, we have discovered that Christine is suffering from a congenital heart disease which has also affected her lungs, liver and physical development. Although she is eleven years old, she is only the size of an average 3-4 year old. Aside from this, Christine’s right hand bears two striking deformities. Her ring and middle fingers are webbed, with skin bonding them together, as are her index finger and thumb. Over the next several months, Christine will undergo heart surgery as well as cosmetic surgery for her hand. In addition to Christine’s needs, Bhawani, the first girl to come to Karuna Ghar in 2000, now age 13, is also in need of oral surgery and braces. Please keep Christine, Bhawani and the rest of the Karuna Ghar family in your prayers.
When Gautam and Raju returned from the village they also brought one amma, Shakal Shoba Rai, who was carried in a basket during the three day trek. In early february, Shakal Amma slipped and fell in the bathroom and broke her leg, making us aware of the need for renovations to provide better care for the ammas, especially those with physical limitations. Prem Ghar also is expecting to receive two new ammas in the next few months.
Since the closing of Kripaa Sadhan last year, Brook Birch continues to be involved in relationships with the men who went through treatment there. In addition, Top and Raju are developing relationships with a group of young boys on the street. As a community, we are praying for new direction and vision for this area of ministry.
Transition:
Our community is in the midst of a great many transitions. In January, Field Directors Silas and Kimberly West’s eldest son, Jedidiah, was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome. In order to provide the support that he needs, the Wests will have to leave Nepal this fall. The Wests have served with WMF in Kathmandu for the last ten years. In addition to serving as Field Directors, they also serve as the South Asia Regional Coordinators. Silas and Kim will be moving to Omaha where Silas will be taking a position with WMF at the US Office as Coordinator of Community Care, Emphasis on Mental and Emotional Well-being.
Other transitions include new and returning staff. Jesse Heirendt and Andrew Ulasich began their three-year staff contracts, joining the community in January and February, respectively. At the end of April, another staff member returned after a ten-month leave of absence from the field, and Calvin Smothers began his first staff contract as Servant Team Coordinator.
In light of all this transition, we have found it necessary to rent an office space. It is our hope that this will foster structure, stability, and creativity within the community.
Financial Needs
As can be imagined, caring for more women and children, welcoming new staff, and pursuing new initiatives comes with greater financial needs. The field account, supported solely through individual donations, is used to fund the above ministries and pay our Nepali staff salaries. For the last 18 months, our field account has been running over a 40% deficit. The cost of basic necessities such as rice and cooking fuel has increased as much as 35% in the past year, while the value of the dollar has declined nearly 20%. So, each dollar that is given is worth less than it was a year ago for things that cost more than they did a year ago. The following is a summary of our financial status and needs:
Our current monthly need is approximately $3000.
Donations that currently support the field are monthly averaging $1500-$1800.
Additional needs include:
Surgeries for Christine and Bhawani – about $1200
Renovations for Prem Ghar – $5000
The additional cost of our office – $100/month
Offsetting the monthly field account deficit – $1200-$1500/month
With these needs arising, we invite you to prayerfully consider how you might partner with us. We deeply value your prayers and support for us individually and would like to connect you to our ministry as a community. It is our hope that even as the Wests leave, those of you who are connected to them would remain connected to the work you have been supporting in Nepal for the past ten years. For those of you who are new to WMF Nepal, it is our desire for you to be more aware of our work and to have a deeper sense of partnership with our community. One way we are attempting to do this is by creating a community blog (website), in addition to our personal blogs, on which we hope to regularly share field updates.
To visit our community blog log-on to: www.wmfnepal.blogspot.com
Much gratitude and love from Nepal,
WMF Nepal Community
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