HVC Kathmandu, Nepal - Rhoda Agerbak

At the end of the school term and start of the Christmas break, a group of 7 families and 10 extra singles and students, set off for a very different holiday. Strikingly for a HOPE Youth Corps 17 of the 46 were not yet disciples, with some of the younger family members not exactly eager to spend Christmas in Nepal. Two of our older teens had been on HOPE Youth Corps trips before, and I admit I was just a tiny bit jealous of the adventures they were having, so when Ben and Jane Whitworth suggested the idea of a family corps I was eager to join in!
We felt so welcomed and taken care of by the local disciples in Kathmandu and were able to join them for Saturday church and communion in small groups after work on Sunday. The service part of the trip fell into four main groups, the builders (who built a new kitchen room and wall to contain a garden for the school) the carpenters ( who built nine school benches over the week) the teachers ( who taught the 7 classes of children while I delivered teacher training to their teachers) and the computer whizzes (who taught web building, blogging and computer skills at the vocational school). We also brought out clothing , shoes and new school uniforms; bought a freezer for the school; bought and delivered blankets to communities still living in tents after the earth quake and taught parenting lessons.
The media talks about sustainability and volunteer tourism being a problem rather than a help, but I am struck by the fact that the school has been running for 20 years,and is helping these children to better their economic outlook. Any help we give the school is sustainable through HOPE worldwide. My heart was moved by the plight of an elderly woman who had lost her family and home in the earthquake, living in a shelter provided by HWW.We took her a blanket and left her with shoes and a coat. Those individual gifts may not be 'sustainable' but they speak volumes about the love and compassion of Christ for the individual, and the fact we can make a difference in this world one person at a time. The fellowship and bond between the group was fantastic, a time to work together as families and for the non disciples among us to spend extra time with disciples. Helping each other with parenting issues and exposing our children to Jesus call to love and serve other people. HYC can really change hearts as well as serve the needy. Here are just a few quotes from the non Christians on the trip:

"I had underestimated the breadth and depth of the members of your church before coming on the trip." (Age 77, who last visited church 20 years ago)

"Can we get another pizza to give him tomorrow?" (Age 9 after giving their treat to another boy begging on the street)
"The children are just so happy even when they don't have anything"(Age 12)

"I wish some of the people back home could see the results of the faith I see in your lives and how you are serving here because of what you believe." (Age 77 at the end of the trip)

"I hope I will be better in the morning so I can have a quiet time with X ( one of the older teen disciples)" ( Age 13 who hadn't been that excited to miss Christmas at home!)

"Can we go on another Hope trip next year?" (Age 9)