Contrasts in Kathmandu

We are in the San Francisco airport after a quick night's rest in Singapore Airport and then two flights from there. I think we all four are looking forward to being home.

Kathmandu was an experience of contrast. There is as much warmth and graciousness as there is pollution and chaos. The air pollution was thick and irritated my throat. Mohan said that there are four major problems in Kathmandu: poor roads, poor water, trash removal, and air pollution. We saw a pile of trash on the side of the Bagmati River in Kathmandu that was the size of a warehouse. Mohan explained that the landfill is 20 miles outside of town and villagers frequently stop trash trucks from going there in order to extort money and so many trash truck drivers simply dump there trash next to the river in Kathmandu. He said that there needs to be police protection of the trash trucks so they can do their job.
He explained that they must get a smog check on their vehicles but that the standard is so high that even new cars cannot pass the test, so it is common to bribe the smog check place $15 to get a certificate. He explained that the traffic jams are so bad (I didn’t see a traffic signal in Nepal) that he can easily spend “all day” if he attempts to drive a car from Patan (a suburb) to Kathmandu (about 8 miles).
In contrast to these severe problems, Kathmandu is as full of gracious, loving people as anywhere I’ve been. Isaac and Binu, who have served as our translators on this trip, joined us on a walking tour we did in Kathmandu and then had us over to their apartment for tea. Their warmth felt more like connecting with a good friend for many years than visiting someone you’ve just gotten to know. Sujit and Rajesh, the local travel agents who arranged our hotel and Nepal flights, treated us to dinner two nights ago at a restaurant that features entertainment of traditional Nepalese music and dancing. They and their wives, Shwaya and Beni, also treated us with great warmth. We laughed and shared about our families. It’s hard to feel alone in Nepal.
Mohan came to Kathmandu to shop for items for us to sell for a fundraiser. He went with us to the traditional restaurant. Then he came to see us off at the airport. All of this was above and beyond what I would have expected. I think that the ways Mohan and Sangeeta have poured their time and energy into serving us and our mission the past three weeks, reflects how they serve their FMC staff. God has blessed us greatly on this trip. We are grateful.
Tom Olschner