Time to Say Goodbye… For Now!
After two wonderful weeks that were spent trekking in the Annapurna range, exploring Kathmandu and Bhaktapur, and most importantly meeting and enjoying time with their sponsored children and the children in our sponsorship program and at the Contact Center; it was time for the Mitrata Child Sponsors to head home. Three members of the Mitrata leadership team remained behind to finish some important work. Executive Director Dr. Christine Schutz, Advisory Board member Stephanie Recht, and Sponsorship Committee Chair Danny Williger settled in to tackle serious business. And they did. They tackled it Mitrata Style!
Stephanie was given the arduous task of shopping for the items that will be available for purchase at this year’s Holiday Bazaar on December 3rd and 4th at the Webster Groves Masonic Lodge. After spending some time searching for the best new shops and contacting the fair-trade vendors we have worked with many times in the past, she and her trusted advisor (and former sponsee) Mamta put on their serious bargaining faces and got to work securing the very best deals. Deals that will be passed on to you at the Holiday Bazaar! Seriously, they got some great merchandise, and they had a blast doing it!
Christine and Danny worked with the staff of our NGO partner, BSF, to arrange meetings with all sponsored children, from the youngest primary school children to the university students. Since she has not been able to visit Nepal since 2019, Christine had her work cut out for her. She met with each sponsored child individually, gathering information on academic and personal progress, social and family challenges they faced throughout the pandemic and in the return to school, and reconnecting with each of them personally. Meetings were often joyous and emotional, occasionally challenging, but always fruitful. They renewed the bonds that are part of the strength of the Mitrata program. Danny also met with each child, taking photos and videos that will be sent to sponsors, along with updates, so they too can connect with their sponsored children. Some meetings took place at schools and the Contact Center, so there was plenty of time for play and laughter!
Coming to Nepal is not just an important part of Mitrata’s mission. It’s an integral aspect of the personal approach to child sponsorship that puts the needs of the child first, while fostering lasting personal relationships between the kids and those who support their education and well-being. It’s a time for serious reflection, for raucous play, for examination of goals and dreams, and for finding ways to make those goals and dreams a reality. And for all of us, there’s no place else we would rather be. We’re sorry to be leaving, and wish we had more time.
Big thanks to the BSF staff for their guidance and help in doing our work, and for the fun we all had doing it. We miss the kids, BSF staff, and all our dear friends in Nepal already!
