Riding an Elephant with an Oliphant

We went to south central Nepal to the Chitwan area. The purpose of the trip was to attend the closing ceremony for a water project. While were there, we went to Chitwan National Park. This is a park and nature preserve that has a number of rare and endangered species. Below you will see some of the animals that we saw. And yes, we rode an elephant to tour the park.

We rode an elephant with the Oliphants. We were surprised at how quietly the elephant can go through the forest.

We saw a rhinoceros and her baby.

We saw a crocodile resting on a bank of the river. We were sure glad we were on an elephant.

Sindhupalchowk Distribution

On Thursday, January 28th, we accompanied one of our NGO partners to two remote locations in Sindhupalchowk  to make a final distribution of the emergency relief supplies (50 lb. bag of rice, blanket, towel and tarp to each family) that LDS Charities had provided following the April earthquake.  Efforts to complete the distribution of these goods has been badly hampered by the shortage of fuel over the last few months. 

Our first stop was in the village of Jalbire.  This area was one of the hardest hit in the quake.  On the way, our driver who is from the Sindhupalchowk area, told us that there had been another 4.6 magnitude quake in the district at 9 PM the night before.  We were delayed in arriving at the village, as our truck carrying the supplies had to wait in line for fuel after loading early Thursday morning.  When we arrived, a small group of villagers were waiting patiently.  The mood was subdued.  However, as we began handing out the supplies, the mood changed dramatically.  The people began smiling and chatting as each family was called forward to receive their items.  After the earthquake the Nepali government determined which areas has been the most affected and identification cards were given to each of the families in these areas.  Individuals must present their cards to receive disaster relief supplies.  We asked one of the women who was waiting if they had received any help since the earthquake.  She said that they had received some aide immediately following the quake at the end of April, but nothing since then.  202 families were given supplies at this location.

This young woman has obviously worn her best clothing to the distribution. 

She is receiving her tarp, blanket, towels and 50-pound bag of rice.

Here she is ready to make the one-hour walk to her home from the site of the

distribution.  She will carry her supplies on her back supported by a strap that

goes around her forehead in the front and around the bottom of the rice bag

in the back.  When we travel, we often see people walking along the sides of

the road carrying VERY heavy loads this way!

Here are the first group of villagers starting the one-hour uphill trek back to

their homes.

This gentleman has just walked to the distribution from the village nearby.  He

is 82 years old and this is as straight as he is able to stand. 

We left Jalbire and headed straight up the mountain on a steep, dirt track heading for the extremely remote village of Hagam.  After about a half hour, we stopped on one of the switchbacks to wait for the truck carrying the supplies.  We had been unable to keep in contact with the truck and the road was rough enough and narrow enough, we were concerned that they might be stuck somewhere.  We soon saw them and let them precede us up the road.  We finally reached a spot about two switchbacks from the village, where the truck could go no further.  The villagers had to come down to meet the truck.  125 families received assistance here. 

The villagers wait patiently at the very edge of the switchback to receive their

supplies.

Here are the villagers beginning their trek home up the steep, dirt track.

Even the children must help carry the supplies back to their home. 

While we waited for the supplies to be distributed, we were approached by a young man who spoke some English.  He told us several times how difficult things were for the people of his village:  all homes were demolished in the earthquake, there is no electricity and all families are living in temporary quarters.  He teaches in a local secondary school about 3 kilometers from the village, but he is the only child in his family who has had the opportunity to be educated. He has completed what Nepali’s call 10+2 meaning 10^th grade (high school) plus 2 more years which qualifies him for a teaching job. He also told us how happy they were to receive our help, but stressed how much more help the village needed to truly recover from the effects of the earthquake.