In the wake of the earthquake everything changed for those who call Kathmandu home - dreams put on hold, lives shattered in an instant, plans made had to be put aside in order to take care of the more immediate problems at hand. I had originally planned to spend my summer in Kathmandu; working with Chogyal Rinpoche on a project for his amazing program BIA Bodhisattvas In Action, developing a media team and eventually a photo/video training center school for its differently abled members.
It was an idea that filled me with hope and excitement, what an incredible opportunity to both teach and learn from such an in depth and almost outlandish and unique environment such as the one Rinpoche was proposing. I have always believed that in order to teach you must understand more than just to do - you have to be able to explain, direct, to reinvent an idea to present it to someone else, we all see things in different ways. You have to know it inside and out, and as this kind of activity is still somewhat new to me I was really eager to get into the nitty gritty, to delve in and see what we could learn from each other. The difference here was that this was to be for a group of talented, smart and extremely dedicated people, but with physical disabilities ranging from moderate to extreme. I was to have some challenges, perhaps even needing to reinvent the wheel in order to find the best way we could have our project succeed, for our new BIA Media members to become fully functioning, active, self motivated, happy and truly successful members of society holding their own. With the earthquake everything changed, our priorities had to be temporarily reappointed, and our BIA Rescue Relief team was born from necessity. Now that things have calmed down BIA is starting to look inwards once more, to take care of their own, and I am so happy to report that today I took a tour of the new Jorpati complex and things are brimming with activity, and back in full swing!
The new complex, a now freshly renovated hospital building is huge, now housing four BIA programs: Statues, Tailoring, Pashmina and Bamboo Making, with more to be moved here in the near future. These are some of the same people I had the honor of meeting when I was here in January, though the environment and building has changed their smiling faces and positive demeanor haven’t budged at all. As we walk into the room we are greeted joyfully - a Namaste and a giant grin from ear to ear, a wave and a smile, a deep bow even from one, and all happily come to greet us and say hello, shaking hands and expressing how happy they are to have us in their workshops with them. They are such an inspiration to me - despite their immense physical difficulties you couldn’t find a warmer smile or a more prominent grin anywhere. Deeply courageous, kind, shy even, but with such great hearts I am so happy to see them again, and to meet the new additions as well. Grasping a paint brush or a sewing needle, threading a knife through bamboo, carefully carving away on a metal statue; these activities are extremely technical and difficult for anyone to do, and this is all being done with physical impairments that most of us would shy away from, convinced that there was simply nothing to be done and our lives were to be spent in depression and lackluster activities meant only for those with nothing to live for. Forget all that - their work is beautiful. While many here are still in the learning phases of their training, working alongside their teachers is part of the idea, I am very pleased and deeply impressed with what is happening here. The statues have progressed even more than I had imagined in just the past few months, and the newly started Bamboo workshop is well underway to completion and beginning to produce work. The tailoring ward is beautiful and wondrously colorful as the long grey halls with their big windows of light pouring in are beautifully accented by the rows of brocade and cloth ready to be made into someone’s next special gift hang on the walls. We had the chance to visit the new site for the BIA Organic farming as well, in Sankhu, still in the buildup stage, three fields are already in place and the greenhouses and some structures have already been built. As the sunny afternoon turned to rain we all took shelter underneath the greenhouse roof, admiring the fields of lush green in all directions, and rejoicing in how much work has been done in such a short time. Things are really taking shape here!
What Rinpoche has started here is a wonderful gift - for those who now call this home they are learning a craft that not only brings them a living, it allows them to personably hold and nurture their history and culture, giving them a respected trade that creates something beautiful for all to enjoy. Despite their handicaps and difficulties they have risen above expectations to become artists. They have decided to live a life full of promise and possibility, and to leave behind the dark and oftentimes dreary existence many of them had been living before. So, after two months of relief missions BIA is back on track doing what they do best - bringing hope and possibility to the differently abled people of Nepal. These programs are still brand new, but the immense positive feedback we have received and the huge amount of forward progress already happening here is fuel and motivation for the future. Rinpoche’s vision, his idea for a social work based NGO that brings help directly to those who need it most is more than a reality, it is a living breathing organization of people hell bent on doing all they can, and now that the worst of the earthquake and its remnants have passed this work can continue again. Volunteers from all over the world have graciously given their time and energy, the new complex in Jorpati is a great sign that we have already outgrown the buildings and setup we started with, we have moved on to bigger and better. I have realized there is no need to reinvent the wheel here - we just need a dash of courage and some determination, both of which we can find in endless abundance here. The best way to learn is to try, and then try again, and I know in my heart that in my time spent here I will be learning more than I could possibly teach. Endless possibilities, and a chance to grow inside and out for all of us. The new digs are great, and there is space to grow - for BIA things are just getting started.
It was an idea that filled me with hope and excitement, what an incredible opportunity to both teach and learn from such an in depth and almost outlandish and unique environment such as the one Rinpoche was proposing. I have always believed that in order to teach you must understand more than just to do - you have to be able to explain, direct, to reinvent an idea to present it to someone else, we all see things in different ways. You have to know it inside and out, and as this kind of activity is still somewhat new to me I was really eager to get into the nitty gritty, to delve in and see what we could learn from each other. The difference here was that this was to be for a group of talented, smart and extremely dedicated people, but with physical disabilities ranging from moderate to extreme. I was to have some challenges, perhaps even needing to reinvent the wheel in order to find the best way we could have our project succeed, for our new BIA Media members to become fully functioning, active, self motivated, happy and truly successful members of society holding their own. With the earthquake everything changed, our priorities had to be temporarily reappointed, and our BIA Rescue Relief team was born from necessity. Now that things have calmed down BIA is starting to look inwards once more, to take care of their own, and I am so happy to report that today I took a tour of the new Jorpati complex and things are brimming with activity, and back in full swing!
The new complex, a now freshly renovated hospital building is huge, now housing four BIA programs: Statues, Tailoring, Pashmina and Bamboo Making, with more to be moved here in the near future. These are some of the same people I had the honor of meeting when I was here in January, though the environment and building has changed their smiling faces and positive demeanor haven’t budged at all. As we walk into the room we are greeted joyfully - a Namaste and a giant grin from ear to ear, a wave and a smile, a deep bow even from one, and all happily come to greet us and say hello, shaking hands and expressing how happy they are to have us in their workshops with them. They are such an inspiration to me - despite their immense physical difficulties you couldn’t find a warmer smile or a more prominent grin anywhere. Deeply courageous, kind, shy even, but with such great hearts I am so happy to see them again, and to meet the new additions as well. Grasping a paint brush or a sewing needle, threading a knife through bamboo, carefully carving away on a metal statue; these activities are extremely technical and difficult for anyone to do, and this is all being done with physical impairments that most of us would shy away from, convinced that there was simply nothing to be done and our lives were to be spent in depression and lackluster activities meant only for those with nothing to live for. Forget all that - their work is beautiful. While many here are still in the learning phases of their training, working alongside their teachers is part of the idea, I am very pleased and deeply impressed with what is happening here. The statues have progressed even more than I had imagined in just the past few months, and the newly started Bamboo workshop is well underway to completion and beginning to produce work. The tailoring ward is beautiful and wondrously colorful as the long grey halls with their big windows of light pouring in are beautifully accented by the rows of brocade and cloth ready to be made into someone’s next special gift hang on the walls. We had the chance to visit the new site for the BIA Organic farming as well, in Sankhu, still in the buildup stage, three fields are already in place and the greenhouses and some structures have already been built. As the sunny afternoon turned to rain we all took shelter underneath the greenhouse roof, admiring the fields of lush green in all directions, and rejoicing in how much work has been done in such a short time. Things are really taking shape here!
What Rinpoche has started here is a wonderful gift - for those who now call this home they are learning a craft that not only brings them a living, it allows them to personably hold and nurture their history and culture, giving them a respected trade that creates something beautiful for all to enjoy. Despite their handicaps and difficulties they have risen above expectations to become artists. They have decided to live a life full of promise and possibility, and to leave behind the dark and oftentimes dreary existence many of them had been living before. So, after two months of relief missions BIA is back on track doing what they do best - bringing hope and possibility to the differently abled people of Nepal. These programs are still brand new, but the immense positive feedback we have received and the huge amount of forward progress already happening here is fuel and motivation for the future. Rinpoche’s vision, his idea for a social work based NGO that brings help directly to those who need it most is more than a reality, it is a living breathing organization of people hell bent on doing all they can, and now that the worst of the earthquake and its remnants have passed this work can continue again. Volunteers from all over the world have graciously given their time and energy, the new complex in Jorpati is a great sign that we have already outgrown the buildings and setup we started with, we have moved on to bigger and better. I have realized there is no need to reinvent the wheel here - we just need a dash of courage and some determination, both of which we can find in endless abundance here. The best way to learn is to try, and then try again, and I know in my heart that in my time spent here I will be learning more than I could possibly teach. Endless possibilities, and a chance to grow inside and out for all of us. The new digs are great, and there is space to grow - for BIA things are just getting started.
