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It was wonderful that Hope & Home had arranged for me to
stay with a very nice host family. Throughout my stay with
my host family, I was able to observe their local cultures
and traditions as well as I enjoyed eating Nepal’s national
food, Daal-Bhaat.
I was placed to do my volunteer service at “Orphan Disable
Destitute & Dalit Preservation Child Home” with 49 children.
My first impression of “Orphan Disable Destitute & Dalit
Preservation Child Home” was shocking. I regret to say it
has very poor facilities yet it has given me a better
insight and a valid reason that I could do something to help
the local volunteers and children there.
Romy and I were honour to be their first batch of foreign
volunteers at “Orphan Disable Distitude & Dalit Preservation
Child Home”. To be honest, although both of us are
inexperienced in volunteering and caring the children, we
did our best to teach and play with the children. I should
mention here that communication with the children is a HUGE
problem as most of them are young and do not know how to
speak English. Nevertheless, when there’s a will, there’s a
way.
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Christina with
Orphnage Kids |
One of our biggest project or achievement in “Orphan Disable
Distitude & Dalit Preservation Child Home” was to
brighten up the gloomy girls’ and boys’ room.We
had a wonderful time in painting some cute
cartoons in each room, including the kitchen.
The end result was beyond words to describe. We also discovered some
kids are talented in drawing and crafting.
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I truly hope these kids will be given an
opportunity to explore whatever talent they have been
blessed into a skill which will come in handy when they grow
up.
Secondly, I also had an opportunity to visit another
orphanage home. Such visit gave me an idea how other
orphanage homes are run. To be honest, it broke my heart to
see “Orphan Disable Distitude & Dalit Preservation Child
Home” and “Spare Child Orphans Support Centre” (located in
Budhanilkantha ) are in very poor condition. Due to lack of
financial support and space in the home, 3 to 5 kids have to
share and sleep on one single bed/mattress. In addition, I
noticed the children are not getting enough nutritious. Most
of them only get to eat meat or fish once or twice a month.
In fact, I don’t remember they are getting enough
vegetables, too! As a matter a fact, the children are not
getting enough food to eat. I remembered when I served them
lunch; the ratio was very small and pathetic. If I served
too much food to the older kids then there won’t be enough
food for the other children. It really broke my heart. As
such, from time to time Romy and I would share to buy some
green vegetables and bread for the local volunteers and
children at “Orphan Disable Distitude & Dalit Preservation
Child Home”. I’ll never forget the smile and laughter of
Tikamaya, housemother of “Orphan Disable Distitude & Dalit
Preservation Child Home” when I brought the food to the
kitchen. They were genuine smile and laughter that comes
from her heart. It was PRICELESS!!
Although I’m back in Singapore now, I never stopped thinking
of the children and people I met in Nepal. May all sentient
beings in this world are blessed with loving, kindness and
compassion.
Christina Song-Tan
Singapore
Email : love.the.children@gmail.com
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