Anyone still reading?

I received an email today from Lynn Topham. I want to post an excerpt of the email so that all who donated money for Bharat can hear the good that it is doing. There is much more that can be done in Nepal, so if you have money you would like to donate let me know.


Dear Eric,

We just returned from a visit to Pokhara Banjyang and you will be happy with some of the news. First, the little girl with club feet is in her third week and the casts look straight. She seems to have adjusted to the casts well. It is amazing but this little girl has bright blue eyes. Can you imagine. No one in the village has anything but dark dark eyes. Second, we spent quite a bit of time with Bharat and his wife. The store is partially built and they already have some items in a box. Ramesh and I bought some barrettes and then a little village girl came with her 5 rupiya and bought another one. The expressions on Bharat's face would have made you glow. He seems a different man. He is motivated, smiling and has a purpose. Since your visit he has had no infections, his bedsores are healing, and he is working out with his hands and arms. Left arm seems to be improving. They have mounted the bar very strongly and remove it when he doesn't need it so it doesn't bother him; not gorgeous but strong and practical. Actually I am thrilled with them. I think some of the other villagers are jealous, they think they want to be paralyzed too.

Goodbye Nepal

This is my last entry from Nepal. It is with very mixed emotions that I head back to the USA this afternoon. The past two days have been overflowing with goodbyes which have been incredibly difficult. In fact I avoided certain face to face goodbyes in the hope of making them easier. I realize three months is not an incredibly long period of time, but I feel that some of the friendships I made here rival friendships I have had for many years. I doubt I will ever be able to explain it, but I feel a connection to Nepal that I don't have with any other country. In my heart of hearts I know that this is not my last visit to Nepal, but only one of my first.

I have learned much about myself in the past three months. I feel like I have a little more direction in my life and know that international work is where my true interest and love are found. I look forward to the next "chapter" if you will where I get to practice medicine and learn the things that will make me a good medical provider.

I started this blog in an attempt to avoid writing redundant emails telling people of my experiences in Nepal, but in the end it became more of a type of therapy for me. I have enjoyed reading back over the experiences and being reminded of both the good and the bad. There are many stories that never made the blog as either I felt to ridiculous telling them or that they were to personal for such an impersonal forum. I doubt I will keep writing as the blog has fulfilled its purpose. Thanks for following along and thanks for the many responses and emails.

There is much need and much good to be done in Nepal. There are several great non-profit organizations that do great things here. I will include the websites addresses for two of them, so that if you are interested you can look into them. The first is Nepal Hope run by the Tophams http://www.nepalhope.org and the second in CHOICE Humanitarian http://www.choicehumanitarian.org. A little money goes along way in changing the life of the Nepalis.

NAMASTE!