| Newsletter Article June 09
Lyndsay Simpkin [2009-08-13 09:34:33]
The Nepal village of Haibung is not a household name (not even in Nepal!). I certainly hadn’t heard of it till the day before I arrived there, but it’s certainly not a name I’ll easily forget.
To backtrack a little…. Remember our Sea 2 Summit expedition and the funds our 38 young participants raised for TEAR Fund this January? Well as a kind of sequel to that programme and celebration of our 25 years, a small group of our longest serving staff and families mortgaged their homes (yet again!) and headed for Nepal with the multiple objectives of trekking, climbing a peak over 6000 meters and doing some work with TEAR Funds aid partner Share and Care Nepal.
The 40 kilometres from Kathmandu to Haibung took almost 4 hours by 4 wheel drive vehicle. With a little case of “Kathmandu Belly” I felt every meter of it! We had decided, with some guidance from the Share and Care staff, to paint the Haibung School. Arriving at the school was something of a shock. The school sat on a levelled out dirt clearing and is constructed, like most homes in the area, from stone which is then plastered over. In the case of the Haibung School this was only on the outside of one building. The school has no power, lighting, or heating. There were only five classrooms in operation and as we soon discovered precious few resources for the 300 students who are enrolled.
Our time in Haibung was short but productive. We painted the outside of the main block, fixed swings and played lots of games with the many local children fascinated by our presence. Soon it was time to head back to Kathmandu and on to the Langtang National Park where we planned to trek and climb. The trekking was an awesome experience, not just from the scenery perspective but also the culture. The climbing however didn’t quite meet its potential thwarted by some unseasonable snowfalls.
With the poverty of Haibung, the chaos of Kathmandu and its filthy rivers (honestly I feel sorry for Bangledesh - the post monsoon recipient of Nepal’s rubbish) still fresh in my mind, I returned to New Zealand with two things very clear. Firstly that we live in an amazing, clean and ordered (potentially way over regulated!) country that has many good things in place to help create a fair and just society. We are, at times, in danger of under appreciating this.
Secondly it was reinforced to me how important it is for Adventure Specialties Trust to work holistically with our clients and challenge people’s thinking and values.
In the last month we have had two Journey programmes. The latest team from Aorere College battled their share of nasty weather as they traversed from Waitangi to Auckland.
As one student from the other Journey, with Henderson High School mused over the metaphorical elements of the Journey challenges, “cycling down hill is easy but the potential to get out of control and crash is much greater – my life’s been a bit like that.”
We all want an easy ride. Look how over 2 million people tried for Lotto’s recent $30 million draw. But there is really nothing great in this world that doesn’t take commitment.
Great relationships take commitment to find the best in each other. Great environments need commitment to their care whether this be the natural world or our homes or workplaces. Great health takes the commitment to feed the body and mind the right stuff. Great compassion takes a commitment to look beyond ourselves.
I am reminded about that Bible story. You know - the one about the two disciples who wanted the highest place of honour in heaven. “Want to be really great?” asks Jesus, “Then you must become a servant”.
Can what we do at Adventure Specialties Trust really achieve any of this sort of greatness in people? I believe we can. Like my Nepal reflections it starts with appreciating what we have got. Leaving the city and experiencing the wilderness can do this on a number of levels. And secondly being challenged through the environment, activity and discussion and having the space to process what is being learnt.
As for me and Haibung? I feel it’s not over yet. But in this recession gripped world where for the sake of our clients and staff I must focus some attention on our financial needs - how to help Haibung I have yet to work out.
Lyndsay
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