It's a wrap....

All good things must come to an end, I'm told... so must a good adventure to far western Nepal. I can hardly believe how fast these last 9 weeks have flown by! But we have accomplished a lot, really, when you look at the overall picture.

The second level on the building is well under way. They poured cement pillars and then poured a cement layer connecting them that is the roof of level two and the floor of level three! It took 3 weeks for this 8 inch thick cement to dry and set up. We have been looking at posts placed every 2 feet supporting this "lantern" or ceiling for the last few weeks. The wooden posts came down yesterday and today so it looks like a big open tent now. We were able to track down the Tharu mistri/ contractor that did the work for us last year. He did a good job and we want him to build the stairs for level 2, build the pillars for level 3 as the rebar is sticking straight up. We have 22 bags of cement and some sand and gravel left over from construction. He will also build 2 more retaining walls at the back of the building for level 3 and the foundation for level 3 with this.

 I have been advised by many here to use up these materials now before they are washed away by rain and wind. I have also been  advised to fill in with the brick work and windows later as we have more funds. It seems prudent so I am going with it after considerable prayer.

Tomorrow Bhaggi, a neighbor will start digging the hillside of the back wall. We need to go another 12 feet back into the hill to pour the remaining foundation of level 3 and the 2 remaining retaining walls. Pray the neighbors , (Jeet') wall can be negotiated as he built his retaining wall without mortar or cement and the water has pushed the mud and stones onto our property about 8-10 inches too far. Either the whole thing will collapse onto our new "lantern" or we will be able to push it back into place where it should be so our wall can be straight and properly supported.

Pray Bhaggi will find a suitable place to throw all that mud an dirt and haul it away. He is asking $600 to manage all that!

We hired Lila to come fix all the little things the Dharamsala girls felt they needed: extend a faucet so Rama can reach it, cover every conceivable surface with "carpet" (vinyl linoleum stuff) because it all gets wet... they had 2 layers of dilapidated "carpet" and a layer of cardboard box over perfectly good tin surfaced cabinets. They set their gas cooking stoves on top of all this. And all three layers were continually soaking wet. Should this ever have dried, it would be the fireman's freakish nightmare! So I got all that off of these wooden cabinets and tried to convince them it was a fire hazard. But NOOOOOOOO they had to have more "carpet!" I laid down the law at more cardboard under there and Lila and I used my new staple gun and fixed them all up... for now. They are happy. and dry.. and now that the weather is cooperating... warm.

 Digri is her old self again...s till weak and doesn't want to try out her new wheelchair ye,t but is smiling and able to knit when she wants to. She does this laying on her stomach in a waterbed mind you!

We got the jail to open up one Thursday and allow us to install the new "library" shelving and books donated by Prison Fellowship! Some of the big wigs from the gov. offices, including the CDO, attended the opening ceremonies and Pavitra had a chance to share in Nepali what this was all about and the love that accompanied it. P-ray the seeds that were planted will sprout.

Speaking of seeds, I was given a lot of Moringa Olefera seeds this week by a good friend and I have felt like Jonny Appleseed distributing them to everyone I meet. When I was in Senegal the 2 times I had the chance, we called this the "miracle tree" there as  the leaves are very powerful nutrition/vitamins and healing agents! I am hoping they will grow at this altitude. I also sent a lot down to Sheshia to the Hansen's disease colony there as I know this is a tropical tree and has a better chance of producing down in the terrain.

I had a chance to teach a session at a YWAM DTS last week! That was really a treat and the class was so attentive. My 4 points: You matter to God, He already loves you to the maximum so you don't have to try to impress Him or get Him to love you more, On the flip side... You cannot get Him to un-love you so don't test Him, An He has a plan and a purpose for you ...it is unique to only you... so just be yourself and discover how He has wired you.

Last week for 5 days, Sundari and I put in 15 to 18 hour days at the bakery as she had a class of 20 taking "tallim" ( training) at the church and they contracted with her for 3 meals a day plus chia at 4 PM for them all. On top of that she had several NGO's send groups to he bakery for meals or pizza or soup of the day. One was the Finnish water works team of 12.  And then there is the usual 7 men from the UN plus our large extended family! So Thursday night we served 48 people dinner!

That was the night I had to pack as well, (took me till midnight!) as Debbie Martin was leaving the next morning and there was a possibility she could get one of my bags in her vehicle headed for Kathmandu.

Turned out she could only get my small bag in but not the suitcase. A few prayers and bagels the next am, Jukka on the finish team offered to take my suitcase with him as he had a flight to K-du the next day!

So great how our big God, worked that all out for me!!!!!!

The last few days I have spent paying all the laborers in the OON ( yarn) factory. We had 18 women making woolen goods and 2 men making handmade wooden buttons! These were all so grateful for the work and pay for these last 9 weeks!

Well I'm packed and ready for leaving dodge tomorrow! My friend Khem, will pick me up about 1 pm at the bakery and we'll head over the next 6 ridges and down the mountains to Dhangadi. I plan to spend the night with my good friend and brother, Balwa and his adorable family. I have a flight on the Yeti tin can ( twin otter... hold 19 passengers I think) at 1420 on Thursday to Kathmandu.

I have 3 days to wrap up all my work there and have a flight booked to Seoul, Korea on Monday. I'm looking forward to the Regency Hotel free stay as I have an 18 hour layover there and then the 13 hour direct flight to Seattle on Tuesday, April 1st. Funny... I arrive in Sea Tac before I even have left Korea!

I am so looking forward to my own bed, an actual shower vs a pour bath and a really amazing salad! and maybe a treat of a little ice cream!

Funny what you miss after a steady 3 meal/ day diet of dal/ bhat! 

So I'll see some of you next week and can take phone calls after I recover from jet lag about Thursday!

Thanks for seeing me through to the end of this adventure! You prayers continue to sustain me!

I'll try to keep you posted of any high adventure.

Blessings... It's a wrap!

Dawn Didi