Dusty Roads and Majestic Mountains

Dusty Roads and Majestic Mountains

We loaded in two (or maybe three?) taxis that Chase and Lacey had waiting for us outside of the airport.  After shy hugs and greetings, I was put into a taxi with Lacey and my grandchildren.  Lacey would periodically speak to the driver in Nepali, making sure he took the most efficient way home.  We were introduced quickly to the “dusty road” which was full of holes and bumps, people and animals, shops and homes… Lacey was pointing out places of importance and chattering away, answering questions and directing the taxi driver.  It was awful and delightful at the same time!  So far, Kathmandu looked much like I’d expected.  Having visited both a small village town and a big city in India before, I knew there would be harrowing vehicle rides down unpaved streets where vehicles of all types are driving harum-scarum down the road, honking and dodging one another.  I knew there would be dust and unusual smells and many things at which to gawk.  There would also be many people going about their daily lives.  I was not disappointed.  Ajay loved it all!  Having lived most of his young life in this city, he knew his way around as well as Lacey.  He was proud and excited to show me his school as we passed by! 

House of Children - Ari and Ajay's School

 It wasn’t long until we turned onto more crowded, narrower city streets and wound our way through Boudha. 

The streets were cobblestone and dust.  We passed by homes over little shops, dogs lying lazily in the streets, and high walls that separated the street-life from Monasteries.  We squeezed past other vehicles and pulled up to the green gate that would soon become very familiar.  It opened to a beautiful green space that was the courtyard and outdoor dining area for the hotel where we would stay. 

Pronounce - Seedy Monica + mana

Beautiful green courtyard as you enter hotel

Hotel entrance view - Moores apartment top floor straight ahead
with rooftop to the right of the picture

As the other taxies arrived and we began pulling off our 18 plus bags, we realized what I already was aware of, but had not thought about until then…this was the home of the Moore family and they lived on the fourth floor!  As the team checked in, they were pleased to know they would be staying on the first floor!  But we had nine suitcases that were to be picked up by families in just a short while that we didn’t want to carry up the four floors and then bring back down!  Thankfully, out of courtesy for their customers, the hotel worker allowed us to leave them on the first floor.  And it was time for Mickey and me to make our way up to see where our children and grandchildren lived and called home. 

The hotel is really beautiful.  It is owned by a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery.   It is new construction of brick and mortar – one reason it held up so well during the earthquake, but is decorated with Tibetan Buddhist symbols and artwork.  As you enter the lobby, there is a huge sculpture that leaves no doubt about worship practices of the proprietors.

As you turn to the right and begin up the stairs there are wheels readily available to be turned for the purpose of koura and more wheels at every landing.  On some of the floors there are large wooden sculptures that appear to be ancient – and they are a work of art, for sure.  Finally, huffing and puffing, we came to the fourth floor apartment.  There is a large marble tile exterior room, which leads onto the rooftop.  From the rooftop, there is a beautiful view of Boudha, and if it is a clear day, a peek of the Himalayan whitecaps. 

We stopped and took off our shoes.  This is always done in Asia – no matter where you are.  To wear shoes indoors is considered unwholesome, disgusting, and rude.  So, our shoes joined the pile of shoes in the interior room – one that would be considered a “bonus” room in America.  It had been used over the years as a storage area, a bike-riding space, a place for a dryer, and the entrance/exit to the apartment.  Because the apartment is on the top floor of a hotel, it has a bank of windows in the living room, which provide amazing sunshine, and heat in the winter months.  Each day the floor to ceiling curtains are pulled back to fill the room with light and reveal the city below.  The bedrooms are opposite to the bank of windows, each with their own balcony over-looking the courtyard and the city on the other side.  The bathrooms (of which there were actually three) were upscale and would rival any you would find in a nice hotel in the US.  They have Western toilets and actually have glass shower walls and a shower door!  The apartment is really nice and comfortable.  I would recommend anyone visiting Kathmandu to stay at Hotel Siddhi Manakamana.  The team was served a complimentary breakfast each morning with their rooms in the courtyard outdoor dining area.  It was reportedly, delicious. 

We were responsible for our own food during our stay since the Moores were not considered guests of the hotel.

Everyone checked in and settled down for a moment - but time was fleeting.  We arrived in KTM around noon and Chase was bound and determined to help the team begin to adjust to the time change.  He gently pushed everyone to keep moving until 8 pm that night so the team could rise early and head into the mountains.  Supper was served at a local favorite restaurant that satisfied everyone. A small tour of Bouhda, the neighborhood, and the Stupa helped acclimate the Westerners to life in Asia.  At first glance the third world system of electrical wiring was jaw dropping, the smells of spices and dirt was overwhelming, and the honking of horns from motorcycles close behind walkers a little frightening.  It made me smile to walk down the cobbled road beside a cow that was otherwise being ignored.

 

The tired troupe finally gave into exhaustion one by one and everyone settled in for a few hours sleep anxiously looking forward to the Himalayan sunrise!

NEPAL - READY, SET...GO!

NEPAL – READY, SET…GO!

Our team developed one by one and two by two.  Bill and Susan Green and David Campbell were in almost immediately.  Cindy Rossetti quickly made a decision to be a part of the team after the information meeting.  (Cindy is a “ponderer”.  She asks questions and considers the options carefully.  She is quiet but has mad thinking skills!)  Finally, Autumn Hunter made the decision to join the team when the Lord would not leave her alone!  He intended for her to be a part of the team and she submitted without regret.  Mickey and I were excited about leading this team.  Not long after information was dispensed about the trip, I got a call from Chase’s Aunt Fran, from Gilmer, TX.  I was so pleased to know that she wanted information about the trip and that she wanted to be a part of the team.  Her twin sister, Jhan, was persuaded to join the trip, too, which brought our team to 9 bodies! 

OK, so here I will digress a little.  Kathmandu is not an easy place to get to or from.  It is a small land locked third world country about the size of Tennessee with a poor infrastructure and no reliable, cost effective shipping or mailing routes.  It was my hope to be able to send a couple of small packages for my grandchildren each year, specifically for birthdays and Christmas.  Those hopes were dashed quickly.  Out of two very expensive small packages, one got there and out of two Valentine cards, one arrived.  Apparently, 50% of the time, packages never arrive.  It wasn’t long until the Moores canceled their postal box and there was only one way to get precious packages to my Asian grandchildren – suitcases carried by others.  This was my routine…find someone going that way, fill a suitcase and mail it to them for them to check at the airport and thank them profusely for helping me connect with my overseas children in such a significant way.  Over the years, we lost only one suitcase – but that is a different story.  This time it was my turn to do the same for others and I was so blessed by the opportunity.  There is a precious little community of ex-pats who think of each other as family that live and work in Kathmandu.  Lacey got the word out that anyone wanting a suitcase of goodies from their US family should let her know.  Every box that arrived at my house brought floods of tears and mounds of joy!  As I looked at the little shoes, Legos, books and jewelry meant for a happy overseas Christmas, I was overwhelmed – over and over.  What fun for those waiting on the other side and what a thrill for those sending it and I got to be a part!  Our team would choose a suitcase, go through the contents and each would carry one bag that would bless an overseas worker on the other side of the world.  Everything had to be carefully planned out.  We carried some very unusual items – lots of holiday cooking items and gifts and even a violin! The item that was most questionable, honestly had my head spinning.  I answered the doorbell and sitting outside my house was a large box with lithium battery danger signs all over it.  Unbelievably, it was eight power tools that were lithium battery charged.  My first thought was, “We can’t…”.  I contacted Chase and Lacey to explain that it would be impossible to bring.  The overseas worker was Chase’s best friend and I hated so much to deny him this opportunity to get well made tools that could be easily charged but I didn’t know how we could bring them – especially that lithium battery pack.  He wanted us to try anyway – asking if we could leave it packaged and explain that the battery had never been charged when checking it.  I knew we had to try.

We met and planned and Skyped and planned and prayed and planned!! We didn’t want to be unprepared or to be ill equipped for such a momentous journey.  We decided on a team scripture.  We found comfort for the weeks and days leading up to the trip in the words of Joshua 1:9. “Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be frightened.  Do not be dismayed.  For the Lord your God will be with you where ever you go.”  We also read Isaiah 55 in preparation for our trip.  The words were of great comfort and encouragement to us.  We cast vision for the trip using this scripture as a base.  We shared daily devotions and prayed for one another.  As we all acknowledged our personal fears to one another, we found comfort in sharing the things that were bothersome in our spirits.  (My personal fear was – and always is – crashing on the airplane flight!  A funny about that later, as I share about our flight home).  We met together to go through our suitcases and claim one that we would personally carry to Nepal – a blessing for an overseas worker.  We brought our luggage and carry-ons to Compass and did a “trial run” for packing everything.  We were ready to go!

Early morning on October 14, one by one, we trickled into Compass, packing “one last thing” and moving one thing from one suit case to another to balance the weight, we could hardly contain the excitement!  Cindy bravely kissed her three year old son and husband goodbye and maybe even shed a few tears – but she was ready to go.  Autumn hugged her mother tight and threw her toothbrush in at the last moment.  David had a picture made with his wife and young teenage son before they had to leave for school that morning.  Vickie was there – as always – ready to pray and give us all a traveler’s goody bags, filled with all manner of snacks, gum and hard candies for the long journey.  The time had finally come and seven sleepy but giddy people piled into the luggage laden two vehicles and headed in the direction of Dallas for the first leg of the journey. 

Our Compass Team - David, Mickey, Betty Gail, Autumn, Cindy, Susan and Bill

                

Vickie's Snacks!!

The suitcases - Blessings from Home! (Note the big red one in the middle)

We began our journey at 7:00 am from CompassChurch in Batesville, Arkansas, driving seven hours to Dallas, carrying 14 suitcases and 7 carry-ons. We met the rest of our team, Fran and Jhan, on the ground in Dallas.  They also carried suitcases to bless others bringing our total cargo to 18 checked bags and 9 carry-ons.  Check in was where our first test of faith was displayed.  Bill Green stepped up to the counter and confessed that his bag contained tools with lithium batteries that had never been charged and were still in their original packaging (This is where the big red suitcase in the above picture comes into play).  Big eyes looked across the counter and Bill was asked to open the suitcase in question.  Additional airline personnel was called and the consensus was that the batteries would have to be unpacked and carried on.  Quickly Bill and others sprang into action, ripping apart the packing and searching for the offending item! It was identified and the checked baggage, minus the battery and packing materials, was approved.  The tools would, indeed, make the flight and there was a bonus – the suitcase had been over weight by five pounds and would have required an overage fee, but without the packing it came in under weight! Later I will tell you the whole story of the need for the tools and you will agree – God always wins! 

Compass Team meet Fran and Jhan in Dallas to complete our team!

We were already a tired, but happy crew facing a 15-hour flight across the ocean to our first stop, Qatar, in the Middle East.  Our plane, Qatar Air, has one of the best reputations in the world for safety and service.  We found our seats and settled in for a long winter’s nap, and movies, and airplane food…and swelling ankles, and close quarters with people you don’t know!

Some of us slept.  Some of us were too excited (or nervous) to even think about sleeping.  For me, it is a strange sensation to be flying in a large heavy object, which should not be able to be propelled into the sky over the ocean and then Iceland and then Iraq and even close to Syria with strangers who look as concerned as I do about the prospects.  We had been promised a wonderful experience at the world famous Qatar airport and it certainly delivered! 

Qatar (pronounced Cutter by we Southern Americans) Airport in the Middle East

Odd Teddy Bear "sculpture" featured in the airport

Quiet Room at Qatar Airport

As we de-planed and entered the fabulous mall – I mean, airport – we found every high-end store and duty free shop that one could possibly think of…but who has the energy to even look around after the grueling fifteen hours on such a plane ride, right?  Oh, we looked!  We spent 12 hours in Qatar sleeping in a quiet (and then also, a not so quiet) room, eating and trying wonderful new things (Turkish coffee – not so much!!), and exploring all of the eye-candy each store and shop afforded.  AND free Wi-Fi (take that, America!).  Time passed rather quickly and we were ready to board our final flight to Nepal!

Qatar Airlines to Nepal was quite different.  Tarmac boarding in Qatar and deplaning in Nepal.  

The plane to Nepal wasn’t quite as big, was full of trekkers and at least nine anxious trippers, ready to reach their destination.  As we landed, five short hours later, at noon on a Sunday, we discovered the airport in Kathmandu is small.  It is always an adventure when you follow the stairs from the plane onto the tarmac! We joined the growing line to present our papers and receive our Visas.  We had our first taste of Nepali life here.  There was one little old guy examining and stamping everyone’s passports and the line moved slowly.  Of course, we were the last in line. 

Feet on the ground - long journey's end!

Our first glimpse of Kathmandu, Nepal!

WELCOME TO NEPAL!

Autumn tried to find a faster way to move, but was sent back to our station promptly.  Finally, passing through one more security station, we were ready to collect our 18 checked bags – the only 18 left except one stray that someone else had forgotten – and it was time for me to see my grand babies!  I could see their little cotton top heads popping up and their hands waving enthusiastically and my heart leaped with joy!  Ari had prayed every day for a year that God would send Nanna and Dundee on an airplane to see her and her prayers had been answered!  Hello, Nepal – it is nice to meet you!!