Tuesday, December 5, 2000
Last E-Mail Adventure Journal IV: The Prison
NOTE: I have a new computer into which I have entered your address for the Of
Global Interest mailing list. Either you have come to one of my talks about
customized trips to Nepal, shopped in the Himalayan Bazaar in my Garage, or
stayed at the Trekker's Lodge.
The following is the last episode of my Fall 2000 Adventure Journal (stories
from my travels in Nepal). Let me know if you would like to be taken OFF the
list. Usually, I don't send such long e-mails, but I think this one is worth
it.
This happened a few weeks ago in November.
After trekking and visiting the rhinos in Chitwan, I was on my own. Joanne
left for the United States and I continued the adventure. Well, I wasn't
exactly alone. I was with hundreds of other tourists and thousands of
Nepalese.
I befriended Sabine, a 23 year old woman from Holland, who had just graduated
from college and was on a big adventure traveling through Asia by herself.
She and I rented bikes one day and went to a famous Hindu Temple north of
Kathmandu. A few days later she was on her way to India, stopping in Pokhara
for a while. I decided to join her there.
While in Pokhara, it was Sabine's birthday. We celebrated in Sarangkot, at
the top of a mountain on the edge of the city. It was only a day's trek to
get there. On the way, a little dog adopted us and followed us to the top.
We named him George.
The sunrise the next morning illuminated the Annapurna Mountains to the north
in a dramatic display. George wagged his tail the whole time. He was so
glad to see us, for he was not invited into the Trekkers' Lodge the night
before.
Sabine continued on to India and I returned to Kathmandu. I thought I could
finish my Adventure Journal, go shopping, and have a rest. Instead I met
Rowdy, another amazing woman in her 40's, traveling alone. She was from
Canada and we were instant friends. Her real name is Marian but 'Rowdy' fits.
Before going to Nepal, I received a letter from Joe Connaughton in Ann Arbor.
He had come to one of my talks and was almost signed up to go to Nepal on
this trip. His plans changed, however.
I opened the letter to find two fifty-dollar bills taped to the paper inside.
In neat handwriting Joe wrote, "Since I am not going to Nepal at this time,
maybe you can do me a favor. Please use this money to take some homeless
kids out to lunch, or buy them some clothes or anything they may need. I
just want to brighten up their lives in some way. If you don't have time,
you can donate this to a shelter or something in Nepal."
I immediately called Joe when the letter came. He humbly said, "I try to do
one good thing a month."
The whole time I was in Nepal, I was plotting and planning how to spend the
money. I gave $50 to a British organization that was helping children in
rural Nepal. They owned two Trekkers' Lodges that generated enough income to
cover administrative costs. The literature said that 95% of each donation
goes directly to the children.
But what should I do with the other $50? My mind kept returning to the
Nepali prison. Often there were notes from western prisoners on bulletin
boards in the tourist restaurants in Kathmandu. They requested visitors, a
little conversation, powdered milk and good books.
In 1998, I went to the prison with my friend Michele. We met a Canadian
prisoner who was in jail for staying in Nepal without the proper visa. His
name (as written by a Nepalese guard) was "Cloud".
Cloud told us a little about the conditions inside. It was strange to see
that he seemed happy. He smiled a lot. He said that there were about a
thousand inmates. Together they shared a common area about the size of a
basketball court. There were no cells, just hallways lined with wooden beds,
one right next to the other. Cloud said that if the man next to him were
sick, he was sick too.
The prison was overcrowded. The guards were nasty. Because they were so
awful, Cloud couldn't mention the crimes he had seen them commit against
other men and occasionally against women admitted to the women's prison next
door.
Cloud said there were innocent children in there too! If a child's parents
were in prison, and there was nowhere for the child to go, then they had to
live in prison with their father. They had to share a bed, and they often
had to share food. The fathers didn't want their kids there. Not only were
they a hassle, they were treated horribly by the other men AND by the guards.
It was sickening to learn about this. Was there any way I could use Joe's
money to help those children? Could I take them out for a day, go shopping,
take them to the zoo?
I asked Rowdy if she would help me. She was great and even dedicated her
last day in Nepal to this project.
The guards told us there were 28 kids in the prison. They said they would
have to ask their supervisor if we could meet them. I told the guards also
to ask if I could video tape the kids and take photos. They said if we
wanted to take the children out of the prison, we would have to take guards
with us. And if any of the children ran -- we were responsible.
Rowdy and I decided it would be best to buy them gifts. We had almost $2 for
each child. The next morning, after we received approval, Rowdy and I went
downtown to shop. For $50 we were able to buy SO much! We were very proud.
This is what we bought: 28 pairs of socks, 28 pairs of gloves, 28 blank
notebooks, 28 Nepali language workbooks, 28 kids' magazines with articles,
games, and puzzles, 56 pencils, 56 pens, 28 sharpeners, 28 erasers, and 28
pieces of candy!
At the prison, the guards looked through all our gifts to make sure we
weren't giving the kids metal files and weapons. Then, one by one, the
children came out of the main door. Each walked across the dirt to where we
sat under a tree. We loaded their pockets and arms with gifts. Many smiled.
Some had no shoes. Rowdy commented on the fact that they looked
considerably good. We didn't know what to expect. They were all ages. Some
were only three feet tall.
We met seventeen children at the central prison. Then the guards led us to
the maximum security section where there were three more small children. And
finally, we walked around the block to the Women's Prison where, we were
told, there were eight children. When we got there, the guards said that
actually there were 21 kids! He said, some hadn't been "registered" yet.
(It is common in Nepal to loose paperwork or never get around to it.)
Cloud told Michele and me in 1998 that he didn't know how much longer he
would be locked up. "They probably lost my papers," he said. "No one really
knows who is actually in here and who deserves to get out."
It was difficult dividing gifts for 8 into 21, but we managed. We gave the
socks to the kids without shoes. We gave the magazines to the older kids.
We gave pencils and pens to everyone and split the erasers and sharpeners.
We tried to explain that they had to SHARE. (A word I didn't know in Nepali.)
As the little ones crowded back through the prison door with their new
treasures clutched in their arms, we could see their mothers receiving them,
smiling and waving to us.
The two guards wanted a picture of themselves when we were finished. The
handcuffs were hanging on the wall next to them as they stood smiling. One
had a rifle at his side with a bayonet attached. They wrote their address,
"The Woman's Prison, Kathmandu, Nepal." I promised I would send a copy.
A few days later, after spending eight hours delayed at the Kathmandu
airport, I was on my way home.
I stopped in Thailand for four nights. The busy streets of Bangkok filled my
spirit. On one day, I was at the edge of the Gulf of Thailand on an
unpopulated beach three hours south of Bangkok. I sat alone, smiling. I've
never been happier. I love my job.
Now I am home. Tomorrow I will give Joe Connaughton the video tape, photos,
and a brochure about the British organization. He has inspired me. It's
amazing what $50 can do. I want my company, my tours, and my trekkers to
breed random acts of kindness.
I'll start "The Of Global Interest Random Act of Kindness Fund" today.
<$5) for a gift exchange and a snack
or a drink to share. The Himalayan Bazaar in my Garage will be OPEN for your
last minute stocking stuffers or just for pure entertainment! Stop by even
if it's a busy night for you. I hope to see you HERE.
Anyone interested in Christmas Caroling around the neighborhood Sunday,
December 17 PM? Let me know.
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