It’s not often that I find myself showering naked under a public tap on an exposed hilltop, but this was just part of my daily routine for three weeks in April. My new home was the terraced village of Bihunkot in Nepal, and with nine others from Eastbourne (Wellington) I found myself challenged daily by life without electricity and clean water, or in fact anything that resembled our life of luxury in New Zealand. Working closely with Wellington-based Global Volunteer Network (www.volunteer.org.nz), we spent time in class each day helping their government funded teacher provide English tuition to a school of one hundred pupils. After school we worked with the locals in the construction of a toilet and water filter facility for the pupils, and in the evenings hosted English language classes for adults in the community. Our contribution seemed minimal, however, when compared to the life changing lessons we have learnt from this community. Living with different families, each of us struggled to come to terms with an overwhelming generosity and hospitality from people who materially had so little.
In retrospect, three weeks is a frustratingly short period of time to spend in a country like Nepal, which is why our time spent before and after seemed of equal importance. With the wrong attitude or inadequate training, three weeks could easily have become a missed opportunity. We were very fortunate to benefit from the wisdom and experience of many from our community, spending six months preparing for our departure. Health discussions, Nepali dialogue, an overnighter with Urban Vision in Berhampore, and learning to eat dhal bhaht with our right hand were all key parts of our preparation. Our attitudes and expectations were also shaped through the input of others with experience in short term mission – important in preparing us emotionally and spiritually for the things we were to encounter.
We are now back into our comfortable routines in Wellington, but we have challenged each other to remember the lessons we have learnt from this experience. Through letter writing, financial support, and sponsoring another aid worker, we hope to continue to make small difference for those who impacted us so significantly. And for our community at St. Ronan’s Eastbourne, we hope it is just the beginning of future opportunities for mission abroad.
Jono Ryan
Jono has served young people in the Wellington region for years, for the past 18 months, as youth worker at St Ronan’s Eastbourne. We wish him God’s blessings as he goes to Vancouver in Canada at the end of July to study a Master of Divinity at Regent College.