A Joyful Celebration

Saturday, November 12 was the happiest day yet in the 10-year history of Ama Ghar! We celebrated both our 10th anniversary and the Grand Opening of our beautiful new home in the meadows of Godavari.

Dick and I came at this time specifically to help our friend Bonnie get ready for the event - and it was a logistical miracle to pull this off, particularly in a Third World Country... the intention was that this was a day to celebrate our children, their friends, and all the Nepali people, from dignitaries to local brick carriers, who helped to make our new home possible.

There was a children's tent, featuring face painting, Legos, Play Doh and lots of silly games and prizes, so the children invited their school friends and children from other homes around the Valley. The program itself was short on speeches and long on fun - the children sang, danced and entertained while they honored Ama Tika Basnet, our inspiration, as well as Bonnie Auntie and the Ama Ghar staff.

There were 400 people in attendance, laughing and clapping along with the program and then enjoying a generous buffet of Nepali foods and chai. After the luncheon, some people drifted off to their homes while others stayed late into the date, dancing, drumming and singing in the beautiful tent.

A special thanks to our friends who helped to fund the building of the suttal, the traditional Nepali stage which was the background for the festivities. Plaques with their names have been affixed to the suttal, and we'll send photos to each of you when we get home.

I, of course, was teary-eyed much of the time, as it's astonishing to see these beautiful children perform with poise and grace - their joy and pride on their home was palpable. At the end of the day, I watched in amazement as the teenagers danced - a mixture of every caste and class of Nepali... dark, light, boys, girls, Brahmins and untouchables... the new Nepal, the new world...