It is with an extremely heavy heart, that I tell you Mann Badhu has passed away, peacefully, from this earth. He died quietly on Saturday night, at 10:50 p.m., Kathmandu time, with Shaha by his side. I was on my way back from Beltar, exchanging texts with Shaha all the way. The stories I share…
I know what you’re thinking… and it wasn’t me. Those of you who’ve read the book know my history with the Ministry of Women, Children, and Social Welfare (now the Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens). I didn’t have to hunt Bishnu Aama’s son down and drag him by his hair to the elder…
We get by with a little help from our friends. Mann Badhu’s story really struck a chord with many of you last year. A recap of his story: He arrived home after living and working in India for 40 years, only to discover that his brothers had had him declared legally dead so they could…
Hello, everyone! Greetings from a hot Kathmandu! Here’s a little update on one of the elders you’ve come to know and love. Bishnu Aama is the woman you know as “Black Aama” from the book. She’s moving around better this year than last year. When I arrived last year, she’d just come back from a…
Shaha sent me some videos of Cheerful Aama during a recent therapy session. Here are some screen captures from those videos. Keep in mind she was paralyzed on her left side the morning they found her after her stroke. First up, practicing her arm and leg raises: Next up, practicing standing against the bed. Notice…
The woman you know and love as “Cheerful Aama” has had a stroke. For those who know her as Cheerful Aama, you’ll know she’s a bit of a princess. Oh, who am I kidding? She’s such a princess only one of her three daughters has been to visit her at the elder care home ever…
Madre Vilma’s newest resident has an especially heart-breaking story. As I mentioned in a previous post, this man has been blind and mute his entire life. Now, because of his old age, he is practically deaf as well. This photo is one that Madre Vilma took when volunteers arrived to rescue him. This man had…
Please meet Doña María Elena Zetino Herrera One look at this photo, and you can see that this 93-year old woman has seen a lot in her years. Madre Vilma says that Doña María is quite cheerful but often restless as well. She doesn’t remember the names of her children — and perhaps for a…
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be introducing you to some of the lovely elders at Hogar Betania in Esquipulas, Guatemala. First, we have Doña María. Doña María was abandoned in her home by her two daughters. We don’t know why they left her without any care — perhaps they felt overwhelmed with her care…
Let’s do a quick review for those who are new here: At the end of September, 2024, raging floods and landslides swept through areas around and in Kathmandu. They wiped out hundred of acres of crops, destroyed homes, killed livestock, and wiped out mountain roads leading to remote areas of the Kathmandu Valley. Across the…
Now, please meet Shahadev Balami I first met Shahadev nearly seven years ago, when I stayed at the elder care home in Pharping during my first trip to Nepal. His nonprofit started this elder care home in conjunction with a nurse’s organization in Kathmandu, and he runs it now. (You may recall a woman named…
Today and tomorrow, I’ll introduce you to three more of my heroes: Two new friends, and one of my brothers whom you’ve heard me speak of frequently. First, please meet Chhultim Sherpa and his wife, Sita Bhandari. Okay, don’t ask me why we were leaning in this photo…we’d only been drinking coffee, not liquor…but somehow…
A homeless elder sits on the side of the road, near the garbage dump. Photo taken 2017. Here’s a quick story about the beggar who didn’t beg. Before I leave for Nepal each trip, I usually check in with a few friends to see if they have a particular souvenir in mind which…
More than ten hours outside of Kathmandu, the village elders are plugging along in building the new coops and pens for their chickens! (Warning: This is a long one…so put yer feet up for a spell.) Here, a Tamang village elder in Sindhuli Beltar stands by her coop. She is on the list to receive…
This is Padmal Singh. Last week, I mentioned Padmal Singh during my introduction of Mann Badhu (the resident at the elder care home in Pharping whose brothers had him declared legally dead while he was living in India) and said that he’d become friends with Padmal Singh. This friendship gives Padmal’s wife, Sahrda Tamral Kar,…