Nepal One Year On: The Light On Your Path Journey

Me and the local Nepalese volunteers undertaking school rebuilding work (By Hazel Chow)

(Article translated by Elaine Ng)

In February this year, our “Light On”  school rebuilding work finally started. In connection with this, the “Light On Your Path Journey”, in which international volunteers are led to do the rebuilding, also began officially.

The long delay was due to the coming of the rainy season shortly after the 7.8-magnitude huge earthquake in Nepal on 25 April last year, making the laying of foundation impossible. While we planned to start the rebuilding in September, the fuel crisis arose and last for half a year, leading to a surge in the costs of materials and transport.

In January this year, the school located in Gorkha (the epicentre) and which Light On had been planning to rebuild, suddenly received donations from other large international organizations. We therefore transferred the project to another school that was more in need – a secondary school in Lamjung.

This secondary school in Lamjung became a dangerous building after the earthquake (By Hazel Chow).

Meanwhile, the Light On Your Path Journey, taking place in February during the lunar new year, commenced at the same time as the rebuilding work. The first batch of volunteers helped to pull down the school damaged by the earthquake. They also mixed with the children, sharing happy times playing games. They helped the villagers weed the fields as well; and were lucky to have been able to take part in a wedding in the local village and experience Nepalese traditions.

Pulling down the dangerous building (By Hazel Chow).

Volunteers took a break and mixed with the children (By Hazel Chow).

During this time, Light On made an agreement with the school and the Village Development Committee to pay only for the “bricks”, while they will take care of the costs for labour and transport themselves. My many years of volunteering in Nepal has taught me that, “giving” may only create the opposite effect in terms of truly empowering the local people. The best way is to let them make use of their own abilities to obtain what they deserve to have, and to establish their sense of belonging, so that they will treasure what they get.

At first, both the school and the villagers expressed concerns. I understood that it was because they were used to being dependent. I was not worried but felt assured – I knew that they would come up with a solution.

Just as expected, our paying only for the “bricks” unleashed their potential. Not only did the villagers secured free big lorries to transport the materials, they also mobilized the villagers of the entire village to make time to be volunteers. In April, when we ran the second “Light On Your Path Journey”, the volunteers and the women of the village “hammered stones” together. Not only did the women not complain about the hard work, they enjoyed it and livened things up, mixing with the volunteers.

The Light On Your Path Journey

American volunteers “hammering stones” with the women.

Hong Kong volunteers using a shovel to flatten the rubble at the original site of the school.

Volunteers of “Light On Your Path Journey” and the local women volunteers.

“The Light On Your Path Journey” emphasized on personal internalization – we hope to make use of rebuilding Nepal and immersing in Nepalese lives to let participants attain real internal happiness.

I myself am a volunteer of “The Light On Your Path Journey” project, with no income, and sometimes even had to contribute. “Why do something for no money?” I do something wholeheartedly because just doing it makes me happy! And when I saw the smiling faces of the school children and villagers, and the exchange of love between the volunteers and the villagers, I deeply felt the values behind doing this.

(Remember to turn on the subtitle function in youtube to get the English subtitles)

Leeon, Volunteer of “The Light On Your Path Journey” in April, shared on Facebook:

“It rained in Nepal; tried wearing the specially made raincoat and it felt interesting. The weather changed quite a lot in the village, perhaps because of the high altitude. The rain was often heavy, and then it hailed, the hailstones hitting the bed in the middle of the night. According to the customs, if someone worked the day after hailing, the whole village would lose the god’s blessings. So, we could not return to the school for the rebuilding work the next day, but went to the villagers’ homes to plant corn.

I felt better and better in Lamjung. I really liked the villagers caring for each other here, and even the loud coughs of the man across at 5a.m. each morning. I also liked the sheep, the cows, the chickens, the dogs, the cats, the flies at lunchtime, the mosquitoes in the toilet of the house at noon, the trails, the horrifying shortcuts, the dim lights in the house, or even the nights without electricity, watching the stars at night in the village with everyone else – all these I liked.

Actually, when I came here to be a volunteer, I did not think of helping others, but believed that coming here would be eye-opening. I tried to have an open mind, and did not bring any presents (you all, on the other hand, became my dears). I did not have any particular expectations, and only thought of figuring out each step after having booked the flights. I had neither plans nor preparations, and it felt silly. There was a small accident on the way, and was a bit disappointed at myself, but I trusted that the difficulties made me learn to persevere. Luckily I got to know friends who always cared about child education and school rebuilding, and so I went to the village.

What I encountered today made me learn so much – I have learnt to appreciate, to encourage, to put aside my ego, and to regain love.”

What is “The Light On Your Path Journey” all about? Please watch this short video: