Nepali friends forever

Friday....Dedication Day and Closing Ceremony

A highlight for every team as they share the joy of turning over the newly built home, to the family. It was a special day for every family.

A special day for Habitat Nepal, too, as the milestone 50,000th house finished in the country was dedicated. On hand was the global building team, plus Habitat's CEO, Jonathan Reckford, who came from Atlanta where he worked on House #24. (photo from Habitat Nepal)

JONATHAN RECKFORD, CEO HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, ON THE WORKSITE IN NEPAL.

At three p.m., all teams, local volunteers, scouts and families headed to the large lunch tent for a closing ceremony. Scouts were on hand to make sure everyone had a seat.

NEPAL GIRL SCOUT HELPING AT LUNCH.

The New Zealand guys put on a Hakka for all and an Amercan team, headed by Larry and Tina performed a song they wrote in honor of Habitat Nepal.

Reckford gave thanks to the to the international volunteer teams for their travel, time and building efforts. He announced that with this Build, Habitat Nepal has reached the halfway point in the 100,000 house campaign.  

As it all comes to an end, the village is quiet, and we walk out with thoughts of the good we have done here and our new friends in Nepal. Friends forever.

Be prepared anywhere

An American living in Thailand, has been instrumental in bringing Habitat and Scouting together. A scoutmaster as well as an avid Habitat supporter, he foresaw a good partnership. Both Nepali Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts participated in the pre-build activity of readying the site for the arrival of volunteers.

During the week of the Build, 75 scouts, mostly from Kathmandu, camped out in tents and offered support. On Thursday evening, they held a campfire for all, with programming, song and dance. 

A global village

With so many countries represented here, this village was a true "Global Village." The largest contingent, about 230, came from the U.S., followed be New Zealand, 114 volunteers, and then Australia. Identifying flags flew from many houses. And in the space between our 2 rows of houses, excited volunteers dug holes and planted 25' flagpoles. 

As we talked with other volunteers, it seemed everyone had a story:

....An American couple living in Switzerland and recently married, raised money with their wedding gifts to take their honeymoon on this Build.

....Ann (left below with Nancy) from Australia came, after a granddaughter's wish to join the Build. The Mom was quickly recruited and next Grandma said, "Me too!" Three generations.

....House #26 and House #27 each had mother/daughter pairings. Maraka, Mom Suzanne, Mom Mary and Stephanie.

....And back home, newly born baby boy, Miles, made his first-time grandpa proud.

Norma with help from Donna, visited several teams to find more background stories.

FROM New Zealand, they came because they believe Habitat, "provides a key base for changing lives."

FROM Ireland, team leader, Simon, showed his County Donegal flag, which Donna loved because her family's roots are there. Simon said this was a life changing experience for him. "I had no idea how much I would be impacted. We cannot change the world, but we can change it for somebody." His team was a conglomerate of folks from Ireland, North Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, and Australia.

FROM the house flying a Singapore flag, Joseph said this was a "wake-up call to fill his bucket list with meaningful things. He wants to take photos home to show his kids how some of the kids in the world live. His team also had volunteers from Hong Kong and Canada.

FINALLY, last visit was with the team from Texas. Naturally, they would be flying their state flag. Team leader, Don, said he got started on Habitat Builds because his daughter needed service hours for high school credits. He said, we can't do everything but, .."we can make a little part of the world better." 

 

Two great bamboo houses

Our two houses:

House #26 team....

The team on House #27....

Teary eyes and red checks

Excitement reigned in the housing community all morning as volunteers hastened to wrap up their work, and anticipated the afternoon dedication of each house. For the dedication, we decorated our two houses in a blue theme with balloons, crepe paper and ribbon.

After lunch, ceremonies began. In typical tradition, a ribbon was stretched across the entrance which the homeowner would cut and then invite his family into the house, followed by the invitation to the team volunteers. A memorable moment, with throats choked with joy for this family. 

ON HOUSE #26:

Rajkumar B.K. cut the ribbon and his wife, Mangalmaya B.K. then joined him on the front porch. Sons Nabin, Sabin (not present) and Prabin (a young boy of 5 years) followed.

We are glad to recognize the local Nepali volunteers who worked alongside us all week: Archana, Prabin, and Abir. Thanks to them for their help and for their translations.

Mangalmaya applied the honor of tiki, a swath of red on the forehead, and she then draped the customary yellow scarf on our necks. A joyful time. Rajkumar thanked the Paterson volunteers for coming from so far away to help his family. And, we shared that we also had children and grandchildren.  

Nancy shows off the honor tiki and in the background, Mangalaya and volunteers receiving the tiki.

ON HOUSE #27: 

Silimilarily, the family gathered. Kancji cut the ribbon and invited her husband, Jafat Miya Khatun to enter the house, followed by the volunteers. There are two children, Roshani and Roshani, in the family, but they were not present.

Norma poses between homeowner, Kancji Tananj Khatun, and her mother.

 Norma presented a painting framed in bamboo by Manny.

Friday . . . half day working

It was a rush with only 4 hous to finish what we could before lunch break and the house dedication. The "A Team" so named by themselves, completed weaving the interior walls. Self promoting, they recruited much appreciated help from Ken and Rich.

"A Team", Shenelle, Jean and Stephanie".

Continued bamboo cleaning plus plastering work. A good day.

Doug and Rich take a well deserved break. Job well done. Soooo tired.

Celebrating on the last day...

Sanding iron window frames which will be primed, painted and then installed with hinged shutters. Donna, on left, and Nancy.

Friday conferencing....co-leaders. A quick check-in meeting in front of their two houses, James and Nancy.

James  working on House #27 with 3 of the Paterson members plus additional people from another team, and Nancy working on House #26 with the other 11 from Paterson.  

Birdseye view

A drone flew over and captured this. Rooftops of the 35 houses being built this week. Our house is third row from the back. Photo, courtesy Habitat Facebook page.

Another beauty

As we walked to the bus at day's end, this young girl wished us, "Nameste" and was happy to pose.

Special evening for Paterson

The room was full with about 150 volunteers attending. Thursday evening was the "Appreciation Dinner", recognizing more than a dozen countries who had sent volunteers for Everest Build III. Also being honored were what are called the "affiliate " teams, such as Paterson. 

As at any dinner, we were treated by speeches. Aruna Paul, Habitat Nepal, spoke first, followed by Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat International who had flown in the day before from Americus, Georgia. Reckford welcomed all and announced the just released impressive achievement, that Habitat has completed one million homes worldwide.

Dinner was typical Nepalese, toned down somewhat for palettes unfamiliar with foreign spices.

Nancy and James accepted Paterson's recognition honor and award from Reckforf (center).

Informal pix of the evening....

Thursday on the worksite

'We have a recognition dinner this evening and our complete team has been invited. We represent Paterson Habitat, who will be honored for their support of Habitat Nepal. During the day we continued so-called "bamboozal" work of cleaning, stripping and cutting bamboo for weaving the house walls. Homeowner husband was working alongside. 

Photo: Jean, Homeowner, local Nepali volunteer on site for the week, and Rich.

Plastering instruction from an attractive and professional plasterer at our house #26. Photo from Habitat's Facebook page.

Scenes from a day on the job site...

On the bus....

Traffic ahead...

Hump day on Wednesday

Manny was appointed "house " leader due to construction experience and work on many past Habitat Builds. With a jovial attitude, he is friend to all and has managed the work flow and kept supply and materials on hand. He even diverted a truck load of sand to our site today.

At dinner he related how he originally got involved with Habitat. After the tsunami in 2004, his young son Tommy wanted to help the hundreds of people affected. Manny said he would send money. Tommy said, "Dad, anyone can write a check." The rest is history as Manny went to Sri Lanka two months later. 

This a story like this for everyone here.

With the sand arrival, we began sifting through Doug and Mary's standup screen. Mix sand 4 parts, 1 part concrete and add water. The mix is difficult to apply and our plasterers are going through a learning curve, getting it to stick and make a smooth application.

First step is that Mary applies the wet slurry, a mix of concrete and water, to prep the bamboo panels.

Jason shows how the next step is done. Let the plastering begin....

Meanwhile, more bamboo cleaning, measuring and weaving and David keeping the knives sharpened.

Habitat Nepal website post...

Three friends

A rare moment, captured when the ladies were unaware of the camera. They loved seeing this pix when shown to them on the LCD screen.

Showing the photo.

Second day, Getting back the flag

Early morning photo, with American flag proudly flying. Doug, Jean, Stephanie and Jim cleaning bamboo.

Bamboo measuring and sawing with Shenelle and Ken.

Rich weaving....

Our homeowner working with us, house #26...

Lunch every day is a short walk away in a large communal tent. During that hour, our house, unattended was "raided" by the kiwis who stole our American flag. Retribution was in order and it wasn't until later that James stalked over and managed to retrieve the flag from the roof of the kiwi house.

This is what they left:

By day's end we accomplished the goals for the day. On both houses, Nancy's and James'. Much effort was once again focused on cleaning the bamboo and filling more panels with its weaving. Loaded wheelbarrows were rolled up a handmade ramp to add fill to interior base. So, shoveling, and as Sue cogently said, "What would a Habitat Build be without shoveling?," 

Super Manny at work....

We were a popular spot today, with visits from the homeowner family members, a baby goat, a chicken and the raiding kiwis.

Work ends at 4:30, followed by cleanup. With no brooms, rakes or other implements, cleaning up is a challenge. Making a rake of bamboo and duct tape was Donna's idea and Jim put it together. The result was so original, that Habitat people came to our house to photograph and post on their Facebook page.

End of day...a complete wall of weaving. yeah!

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