Scheer Memorial Hospital News

Fall 2011

1/30/2012 6:20:00 AM

To read and see the photos of the Fall 2011 edition of Scheer Memorial Memories, please go to the Photo Series section of the website. Thank you and may the Lord bless you and your loved ones.

Summer 2011

11/5/2011 11:52:00 AM

To view our Scheer Memorial Memories Summer 2011 Newsletter, please click on the "Photos" link on either the top or bottom of the website main page and then click "View all Photo Galleries." Thank you and may the Lord bless you and yours.

May 2011

8/14/2011 12:15:00 PM

Hello! Please click on the "Photos" link either at the top or bottom of this page, and then click, "Back to Photo Galleries" to find our May 2011 Scheer Memorial Memories newsletter. May the Lord bless you and yours.

April 2011

7/11/2011 8:08:00 AM

To view our newsletter, Scheer Memorial Memories April 2011 edition, please click on the Photo Series link either at the top or bottom of this page and then click "View All Photo Galleries." May the Lord bless you and your loved ones.

March 2011

5/16/2011 9:09:00 AM

Please find the March 2011 edition of our newsletter, "Scheer Memorial Memories," by clicking open "Photos" either on the top or bottom of this page. Then click "View All Photo Galleries." Thank you and may you have a blessed day.

February 2011

4/26/2011 1:06:00 PM

Please look in the "Photos" at the top or bottom of this page to view our "Scheer Memorial Memories February 2011" newsletter. Click "View all Photo Galleries." Blessings to you!

January 2011

4/4/2011 9:56:00 AM

To view the January 2011 Newsletter "Scheer Memorial Memories," please click open the Photo section of the website at the top or bottom of this page. Then click the link entitled, "View all Photo Galleries." Thank you. Have a nice day and thank you for your prayers!

Scheer Celebrates 50 years

10/26/2010 2:49:00 AM

This year 2010 Marks the 50th Anniversary of Scheer Memorial Hospital. It was Started in 1960 by Dr Stanley Sturges. He was listed in LIFE magazine in 1962as one of the Leading 100 professional young people of his generation, for his service as the only medical doctor for over 500,000 people for 5 years in Nepal. What a legacy! Through the years many other dedicated and eager medical professionals have followed in his foot steps. Scheer has gone from being a small clinic to a 150 bed modern hospital, with many specialists and community out reach programs. In 2005 the college of nursing was added and has graduated 2 batches of lovely young professional nurses who are prepared to serve their country. I am proud to say that I have been a small part of this wonderful hospital and I hope and pray God has many years of service to Nepal planned for Scheer Memorial Hospital.

Walking Again

9/3/2010 8:44:00 PM

Laxmi , a 25 year old mother and house wife, started off the day like any other day, making tea for her father-in-law and heading out early to get leaves for the family's cow to eat. She joined her friend as they set out into the jungle with their empty baskets hanging loosely over their shoulders. They climbed a few trees trying to get enough foliage to keep the livestock happy for the day. The best leaves were high in the trees and Laxmi struggled to reach some of the better branches when she lost her footing and dropped many meters to the forest floor. She lay there gasping for breath for a few moments and then checked her arms and legs. No blood, but she realized she couldn't move or feel her body below her waist at all. Suddenly, blood started gushing from her mouth and soon she lost consciousness. Her friend dragged her back to her home, where she lay for 5 hours before miraculously regaining consciousness. She felt weak from the blood loss and cried out in pain because of the stabbing feeling in her back. Her family rushed to bring the village nurse and to ease her pain with the only pills they could find. The next day, the nurse arrived and was able to catheterize her, a procedure which saved her life. Laxmi was carried to the closest clinic, where the attendants quickly realized her condition was far too serious for their outpost clinic, so she was driven to Scheer Memorial Hospital. This entailed a drive over rough dirt roads for over 8 hours. From there, she was sent to Kathmandu for an MRI. This diagnostic test revealed a lumber burst fracture, that was compressing her spinal cord.

Upon returning to Scheer, she was cared for until the swelling subsided enough to allow Dr. Rupesh and Dr. Abhay to operate, stabilizing her spine and decompressing her spinal cord. The surgery was a great success and within a week she could feel all the way to her toes. Within the next several weeks she was able to move her legs. After being fitted with a supportive brace and spending six weeks on bedrest, to recover, she started intensive physical therapy and is now walking, slowly with forearm crutches.

During her months as a patient at Scheer she became interested in Christianity. She is able to attend church now and because she needs to stay near the hospital to complete her therapy, her husband and children have moved to Banepa to be with her. Sabin, 3 and Sabina, 5, her adorable little boy and girl, have begun attending ESA Memorial School on Scheer's hospital compound.

As her therapist for the past 4 months, I got to know Laxmi quite well. She is strong woman with a big heart, she is always ready to encourage other patients and to share her story to help them feel better. Her love for her children and concern for their future is heart warming. Please pray, with me, for Laxmi and her family. They have endured a lot and Laxmi still has to depend on others for many things. She cannot work like before the accident. God is longing to reach this precious family with His love and peace so that they can be a part of His loving and supportive family, forever.

The Sydney Adventist Volunteers - From PH December 2009, Used by permission

3/17/2010 10:38:00 AM

Over 2800 lives have been transformed by Sydney Adventists humanitarian aid programs and more programs are planned. Nepalese boy Agani Kathariya was eight years old when a kerosene lamp set his bed alight and despite local treatment for his burns, slow contraction of the skin in subsequent years led to horrific disfigurement. Fijian baby girl Ikinesi Lewase was only one year old when a heart defect was detected that if left untreated, would have killed her. Thankfully both Agani and Ikinesi were treated by members of the volunteer medical and nursing teams co-ordinate under the humanitarian aid program of Sydney Adventist Hospital.
HealthCare Outreach, the name adopted to cover the various programs developed to meet international medical needs, first started in 1986 as Operation Open Heart to treat people dying of rheumatic disease in Tonga.
The program soon expanded and more than 95 trips have now been made by more than 1500 volunteers, with more than 2800 surgeries on men women and children in other countries including Fiji, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Vietnam and Rwanda. Volunteers come from hospitals across Australia and New Zealand. Programs include Operation Open Heart, Cambodia Orthopedic and Nepal Reconstructive Surgery with plans to extend to gynecological surgeries in Nepal in 2010.
The programs aim to diagnose, do surgeries, provide training to local medical, nursing and allied health staff, improve equipment and contribute to the preventative health program of the country. Volunteers provide their expertise free of charge and contribute towards their own travel expenses. The programs are supported by AusAID, Rotary, the Royal Australian College of Surgeons, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency, and other community service organizations, medical companies and individuals.
Dr. David Pennington, Senior Plastic Surgeon at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Sydney and long time member of the Nepal Reconstructive Surgery team, says he was originally drawn to the program through friendship with Dr. Charles Sharpe, the founder of the program.
I found the huge need of the Nepali people for reconstructive surgery in the area of burns scarring and contractures to be a void which I felt we could help fill, and also to bring some training and new techniques to the surgeons in Nepal to assist them in their own efforts to help these people. Says Dr. Pennington. Some of the more memorable times included straightening the limbs of many patients who had severe contractures which had prevented them from walking and straightening elbows, shoulders, wrists and fingers and hands that were impairing normal function, he continues.
One lady whose face was almost completely burnt away was an extreme challenge. We made a start by correcting severe contractures of her eyelids, hopefully preventing the likelihood of future blindness.
Pediatric cardio-thoracic surgeon Dr, Ian Nicholson operates in Sydney at both the San and Westmead Hospitals and has volunteered for more than 15 trips since 1992.
The most heart wrenching thing for me is to have to choose one patient over another for treatment in countries like Fiji, says Dr Nicholson. We have to make a medical assessment as to who will benefit most. As a parent of children myself, my greatest joy is watching a previously sick child, running from the hospital after their recovery.
Pam Reid a cardiac theater nurse at the San is a veteran of Operation Open Heart having completed multiple tours of duty to Fiji, Nepal, the Solomon Islands, and Papua new Guinea.
One of the great satisfactions is that I've passed on the skills and knowledge I've acquired, says Pam. The Fijian nurses can now work independently in surgery with visiting surgeons and the Fijian medical teams are becoming totally self-sufficient.
Teams can be up to 40-odd strong with specialized medical and health personnel including surgeons, anesthetists, physiotherapists, intensive care and operating theater nurses and bio-medical technicians.
In normally just two weeks a team might perform anything up to 60 operations. Cardiac teams can do open and closed heart surgeries, the implantation of permanent cardiac pacemakers, treating patients suffering from congenital heart defects such as hole in the heart to severe conditions such as â€˜blue baby syndrome, caused by multiple holes in the heart. Another major component of the Operation Open Heart surgical program is the treatment of rheumatic heart valve diseases such as valve repair, the opening of narrowed valves and the replacement of severely damaged valves with artificial valves. The local patients if forced to travel to Australia for their treatment could face bills of over $25,000.
Heart disease is one of the most common birth defects globally, affecting millions of children around the world, â€œ says Melanie Windus, veteran of many Operation Open Heart trips to Fiji. It is estimated that a third of these children will die before their first birthday because of lack of appropriate care. The whole operation is an intense logistical effort often requiring the transport from Australia of more than two tones of medical equipment and supplies, including syringes, dressings, painkillers and the state-of-the-art heart and lung machine. Generous sponsors including Air Pacific, St Jude Medical, 3M, Kimberly Clark, and the Sanitarium Health Food Company make it possible.
Sydney Adventist Hospital Nursing Executive Officer Mrs. Annette Baldwin is a veteran of 15 of the more than 95 trips made during the last 23 years. She says: I am constantly amazed at the generosity of the people of the people who travel across the world to save the lives of people the have never met. What they achieve is truly inspiring. Up to 50 patients can commonly be operated on in one 14-day trip.
Manoa Rokotovitovi had life-saving surgery when he required a replacement heart valve. His family considered themselves lucky that he was chosen for the surgery by the visiting team.
I give thanks, says Saimone Ravivi, Manoa's father. Manoa is very lucky because we would not have been able to afford to send him for surgery. Without surgery, Manoa's heart would fail and he would die. Going on a HealthCare Outreach Trip changes life forever. says team member Cathy Nolan. It makes you realize the things you think are important are not. When you see the struggle they got through everyday, they have so little yet they are so happy, it makes me very humble. What they give back to us is more than what we can do for them.
John Sanberg, team Leader, Nepal Reconstructive Surgery Program says: What keeps me going back? The camaraderie of the team members; the meals together sharing the experiences of the day; learning about the lives of each patient how they walked for days to get there, or how they manage poverty. How we arrive to see 60 patients with deformed faces and bodies and 10 days later we leave as they wave to us as a group of normal people for some, they have never known what normal means, and we all have tears in our eyes. That's why I keep going back!
The Altruism of volunteers in the Sydney Adventist Hospital's HealthCare Outreach Program is inspiring. They transform and save the lives of people they've never met, and share their skills with local medical and nursing teams in the hope they can leave a legacy of self-sufficiency. They are great ambassadors for Australia. said Dr Brendan Nelson, the former Education Minister and Federal Member for Bradfield.

This years team will be arriving at Scheer Memorial Hospital on the 21 of March! We look forward to working with them again this year.

Sanga Leopard Story - By Dr Welch

3/17/2010 9:44:00 AM

The Sanga Leopard

Last Spring I treated an eight yr. boy who was literally pulled from the jaws of a leopard by his 13 yr. sister less than 100 ft from the front door of his house. With several bad bites on the neck and one on the left arm he was brought to SMH where he was treated and recovered without complications. At that time the family was very busy and we were not able to get the whole story first hand, especially from the sister who was the real heroine of the event. Quite recently hospital personnel were able to find the family and bring them to the hospital so the whole story could be told. It happened in March of 2009 and with our administrative staff translating this is what we were able to piece together.

Kumar Lama and his sister, Sajana, were playing just outside the house trying to knock down the bats that came at that hour with long poles as the light was fading in the evening. Kumar ran a little further from the house, probably not more than 30 ft., just behind the woodpile, right where the leopard was waiting. A moment of silence, then suddenly his sister heard a desperate cry, and only once. Immediately she ran for her little brother who by that time had already been dragged down three levels of terrace (all farming is done on terraces in the mountains of Nepal). But in seconds she reached her brother and mindless of the large animal gripping the boy by the neck she grabbed his feet and continued screaming leopard, leopard! Unfortunately father was away in another village but mother and neighbors came running. No doubt her heels were dug in but she was no match for a full grown leopard and she was being dragged with her brother further down the mountain. How long the tug of war continued Sajana cannot remember, probably less than a couple of minutes and with the all the noise the leopard relented and disappeared into the night.

Now the bleeding boy was gathered up and with the help of neighbors carried up and down the hills at least 45 minutes to reach the main road. From there is was only a fifteen or twenty minutes to the hospital. In the ER it was quickly established that in spite of the ordeal, vital signs were stable and preparations were made to examine his four neck and one forearm wounds in more detail in the operating room under general anesthesia. In the operating room it was determined the leopard bites, deep as they were, had somehow missed all critical structures and after cleansing they were closed.

Recovery was uneventful, but as more questions were asked the seriousness of this single attack was magnified several fold. At least three other children, ages 8-11 have been attacked and killed over the last two or three years, all in this same vicinity, the last one was just last week. Going back a few more years there was also an unprovoked attack of a 28 yr. male.

The obvious question is what to do. Common folk are not allowed to carry weapons, Leopards are extremely crafty and are believed to detect poisoned meat immediately, and there is no public resource to call upon to track and trap or kill the leopard. Amongst Hindu peoples there is a definite reluctance to kill any animal unless required by a religious rite, but clearly this animal has overstepped his privileges. Appeals to the regional government have resulted in permission to kill the animal but no help in doing so. When absolutely required, soldiers or policemen are usually called on to kill an animal but they are not skilled in tracking and trapping. Attempts to lure the animal into a trap have proved futile. The village leadership has requested the forest service recompense any family hereafter that loses a child to the leopard with 150,000.00 rupees (about 2000. USD).

One of the interesting features of this problem has been the attitude expressed by various Nepali persons, some from the Sanga area and another from further away. I was seeing a child in the ER for unrelated minor trauma whose family happened to be from the town of Sanga. I asked the father several questions about the leopard problem and it seemed he was really not all that concerned. He personally doubted anyone had ever gotten permission to kill the leopard. He insisted if permission were granted the police would be used to conduct a hunt and with 30 or 40 persons they would go into the area, find the leopard and kill it. A personal acquaintance of ours living in the hills surrounding Banepa insisted the problem was with the people of Sanga. He said they didn't respect the environment and unnecessarily antagonize the wildlife, comparing the leopard to a dog which bites only if you irritate him. He felt the leopard could easily be poisoned if it had clearly become a preferential man eater.

The bottom line seems to be this. The rural people of Nepal must contend with many hazards and leopards attacking children is just one.

Scheer Hosts Diabetes and Hypertension Camp

1/26/2010 11:15:00 PM

Dr Vivek Sharma, from Scheer Memorial Hospital and guest lecturer, Dr Subedi from Patan Hospital organized a Diabetes and Hypertension Camp on Wednesday, January 13, 2010. It was well attended by 39 local persons who suffer form these conditions and their families. Each participant was given a free blood test, blood pressure check and a basic routine evaluation. The participants were also provided with a tasty diabetic lunch which was sugar free! The doctors presented an educational lecture and provided personal counseling on lifestyle modifications and other medical concerns for patients with diabetes and hypertension. Scheer is happy to be extending these services to the community, Health is more than the absence of disease, it is learning to life to the fullest even if you have a condition such as diabetes. Thank you to all organizers, please have a look at the Photo Gallery for this event.
Details provided By Ram Chandra Bhattarai

SWAP Students In Nepal

1/19/2010 11:39:00 PM

A group of students from an organization called SWAP (Students With A Purpose) have arrived in Nepal for their third year. In the previous years, the students have done a lot of work with the muscular dystrophy kids. Some of the projects included building beds and putting railings on stairs.
This year the students are building undercover areas for motorbikes and a place to do laundry during the monsoon season.
This is my first trip to Nepal. The scenery is spectacular. I have been on a couple of walks and have done a lot of sightseeing. I have done a couple of trips into Kathmandu and into some of the other towns. I was amazed at the traffic. There are no road rules, people drive all over the road beeping horns so the other drivers get out of the way. The other thing that took me by surprise was the bus system. To get on or off the bus, people bang on it.
The group from SWAP is out trekking to Pokhara. I stayed behind and I am helping out at Sheer Memorial Hospital.
During my time in Nepal, I will be working with the muscular dystrophy kids. I myself have cerebral palsy and I have noticed that there is not a lot of awareness or understanding of people with disabilities.
We are all thoroughly enjoying our time in Nepal. I am enjoying the culture, food, people and the sightseeing.
By Sarah

Coming Soon to Nepal Centura Health Care Team

1/16/2010 7:29:00 PM

15 dedicated members of the Centrua health care team will be arriving at Scheer in February, consisting again of a GYN surgical team and a community health team. There will also be two orthopedic surgeons coming!

Participants planning to participate are Dr Robert Westermeyer, Dr Jordan Wright, Alexandra Janson, RN, Sean Jasnson, as a volunteer in the community health team. In the surgical team Dr Cher Moseman, Dr, Lorri Fulkerson, Dr Tom Helpenstell are the 3 surgeons, Leann Coenen and Kimberly Thompson are nurse anesthetists, Lynda Kithil, Tiffany Alley and Catherine Hearne are nurses on the team and Mary Jo O'Connell the surgical technician. The team is lead by Greg Hodgson and Jan Lovelady will be volunteering with them as well.

The GYN team plans to treat at least 25 women with uterine prolaps and The orthopedics and community health teams will be kept busy as well. Thank you so much for your interest in serving Nepal!

Women for Women Project at Scheer

11/27/2009 3:58:00 AM

The Netherlands Team working with Women for Women is here at Scheer performing Uterus Prolaps Corrective Surergy for disadvantaged women for two weeks. We will be adding more on this story. We thank them for their years of service here giving Nepali women a new lease on life. Scheer is very proud to be the venue for this oustanding project.

Nepal: Where a Christian is not allowed to die

11/12/2009 10:19:00 PM

Nepal: Where a Christian is not allow to die

News with views by Bhaju Ram Shrestha, Nepal

We the Christians in Nepal should be allowed to burry our dead pleaded the master of ceremony of the Christian community on December 25, 2008 in front of the President Dr. Rambaran Yadav, Mr. Subash Chandra Newang, the speaker of the Parliament, Mr. Sujata Koirala (present deputy priminister), Mr. Mohan Kiran Vaidya, the powerful Maoist politburo member and other government leaders in a Christmas program hosted by several dozens of Christians leaders of Nepal amidst about 5000 audience in Royal Nepal Academy. Since Adventists are not regarded as Christians in Nepal, we were not represented there, however, I was in the audience. The MCs plea was the echo of the entire Nepali Christian community in Nepal except a few.

The MCs voice was the reflection of the nightmare as one of our Gospel Workers, Mr. Amber BK of the Kunta village (about 60 miles from Kathmandu) died in Dhulikhel Hospital a few weeks ago.. He was a young and energetic man with no other problem except he wanted to remove a patch of skin from his arm. The treatment paralyzed him and he died of blood cancer within three months of treatment. The sad death gave the SOS call to our brethren in Kathmandu and Banepa. Pr Naseeb, Pr. Umesh, Pr. David Tamsang, Elder Kapil, Elder Kuber, Pr. Puri, Elder Ramchandra from Banepa, and others took the body to cremation place in Banepa because there was no burial place available. But at the cremation place, a controversy between the villagers, the relatives and the church members arose. The non-believers challenged, You people claim to be Christians, but you don't dare to burry your dead.

It was the nightmare for our people. The burial place in Kathmandu was frozen by the villagers, the burial place that was bought by the Banepa Christian group was frozen, the burial place that the Adventists bought was frozen, and the challenge from the villagers and the non-believing family members of the deceased was not just a fiction. Fortunately, at that moment when people were trying to play a game with dead body, and not wishing our people to end with scuffle the lay Brother Jit Sing came to rescue. He had bought the burial ground with the help of his sister Hira, her husband Jhank and Danny and Devika Moktan in Kunta village. Since no one was dead since the land was bought, no one foresaw the trouble that might occur. The funeral procession rushed from Banepa to Kunta which is about 40mils from Banepa. Several dozens of people followed the dead body that was to be taken in the burial ground, and then the people of the village did not want the dead to be passed by their houses. Nepal is a country where death rules more than the living. So the villagers were more afraid of the dead Christian than the living Christians, they tried to stop the funeral procession going further. After some argument and agreement that this would be the first and last body to be passed by the village, the villagers finally agreed. The burial place was not easily accessible. We had to go down over 1000 feet steep below the road. It was just a few meter above the river. Officiated by Pr.Umesh Kumar Pokherel assisted by Pr.Naseeb Basnet, Pr.Puri, Pr. David, Elder Ramchandra and Elder Kapil, the dead was rested in the ground peacefully.

What will happen when the next death comes to our believer is the question mark that we the Adventists are carrying. (While I was writing this, a promising young Nepali man passed away in Darjeeling, India. He was taking the Bible training classes under Sandra Horner. The family left from Banepa to burry him there as it would be nearly impossile to bring the body to Nepal because of the complications of burial or cremation) Though I came to know that the separate path will be built to access that burial ground, the question remain the same, will the SDA Christian dead be buried safely? There was a time when we were afraid to bury the believers in the water in the baptism ceremony, now baptism is not a problem but the death is.

From the parliament, Nepal has been declared a secular state, and even declared December 25 as a national holiday. But in the absence of a constitution and the law to protect the Christians, we continue to feel we are the third class citizen, women being the second class. We can not register churchs or mobilize our faith freely (of course the government has the advantages over the disunity among Christians); neither the government has time to give heed for the Christians who die, due to the AIDS (acute interrelationship deficiency syndrome) that the custodians of the country suffer. Now with the Maoists declaring almost the estate of war with the present government, we have a reason to be afraid that our demand to breathe and die freely as Christians would be frozen further.

I would like to request the Brothers and Sisters of family of God to pray for the Adventists in Nepal so that when we die we do not create complication to the church. There was time when we have to be afraid to take baptism in Nepal, but now we have to be afraid of our death. Though to cremate or to burn continues to remain a controversial issue among believers, the need for the proper burial ground has been a grave concern to all of us. Until the constitution is made to guarantee the freedom of religion, we will continue to experience the chaotic right to live as a Christian and die as a Christian. I came to know that many Adventists left the church either to join other churches or own family religion because of fear of disturbance at death. Please pray for the family of Amber also who was the breadwinner of the family having no land or house. Amber was a hero as far as I am concerned. He was cheerful till death. He had commanded his children to remain loyal to the Seventh Day Adventist church. My heart was touched as I saw their spirited countenance as I took the last weeks Sabbath service in the small congregation that they were leading. Please pray for Nepal, the most beautiful spot in the world but filled with question marks.

May God bless you,

Free Plastic Surgery at Scheer Memorial Hospital

11/12/2009 9:13:00 PM

PROVIDING FREE PLASTIC SURGERY TO CLEFT LIP AND PALATE PATIENTS IN CENTRAL NEPAL

Banepa, Nepal. November 8, 2009 Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Nepal, ADRA Japan and Scheer Memorial Hospital is providing free plastic surgery service for the Nepali cleft lip and palate patients at Scheer Memorial Hospital November 8-21, 2009. ADRA has been carrying out this project since 1995 and 700 people have been served by skillful Japanese plastic surgeons and medical team who volunteer their skills and time.

Due to poverty and poor access to medical facilities, many cleft lip palate patients in remote hilly areas of Nepal do not receive medical attention. ADRA Japan has provided financial support for Nepali patients and their guardians. The patients and guardians do not pay any expenses related to the operation including cost of antibiotics, medical supplies, food , accommodations and transportation to and from Banepa.

ADRA Nepal staff visit all over Nepal and let the residents know about an opportunity for free care. ADRA Nepal manages all the information about patients as well as coordinates for all necessary support for patients and their guardians during their stay in Banepa.

This year marks the 14th event for helping these patients. A total of 50 cleft lip and palate patients are expected to benefit by the joint effort of ADRA Nepal, ADRA Japan and Scheer Memorial Hospital . In addition, hypospadias, syndactyly, and burn contractures are expected to benefit during this visit.

ADRA is a non-government organization present in 125 countries providing sustainable community development, health and disaster relief. ADRA Nepal has steadily grown over the last 21 years and now has a diverse program in 31 districts of Nepal. ADRA Japan has been working with ADRA Nepal as a partner for 20 years and contributed in the areas of primary health, education, economic development and disaster relief.

Scheer Memorial Hospital is proud to be the venue for these much needed services and to assist in the care of these patients. Clink on these links for more information on the wonderful work the SAN’s outreach program including Nepal or their annual report .

Happy Teacher's Day

8/3/2009 11:32:00 AM

On July 6, the pupils of upper grades prepared a special program for their teachers to celebrate Teacher's Day on July 7. Teachers could enjoy watching dancing and other performances. But they were not passive audience at all! The teachers were requested to dance & do some acting too! What a fun it was to see how teachers played a game called, musical Chairs trying to get 5 chairs for 6 people finally 1 for 2. Some girls Performed Maiti Ghar dance so beautifully that they were called out twice ! so we have some good talents for the stage. Everybody was happy and especially in the last part where kids & teachers could joyfully dance together.

Pathfinders Comes to Nepal

5/5/2009 3:02:00 PM

The First Official Pathfinder Club is established in Nepal

As Mrs. Lavona plays the music in the keyboard, about 48 young people of Pathfinder Club and the Master Guides along with the instructors carrying the flags of Nepal, Pathfinder and the Adventist Youth march through the hall way of a school building hall located in the Scheer Memorial Hospital, Banepa, Nepal. The beautiful national anthem in which Nepal is made of bouquet of many flowers was song by the club, the whole audience stood reverently.

The energetic Cardona family that constitutes Dr. Fernando, his wife Sonia and musical daughter Madeline from Puerto Rico came to Nepal about a year ago. Seeing the young people who need to find the right path to God, made them restless till they wanted to find rest in God through the young people. As a result, several young people ranging from 9 years old to over 15 were inducted to Pathfinder club on April 18, 2009 amidst the solemn ceremony. "Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth" from Eccl 12:1 echoed throughout the program. Stating the vision of the Pathfinder Club by Pr. AM Puri opened the program by welcoming the participants as well as the audience in which friends and relatives were present. He invoked the Lord to bless the sacred task of orienting the mind, body, and soul of the young people to serve God and the community. Expressing the joy of having the privilege of being in the initiation of the Pathfinder Club for the first time in Nepal and defining the Pathfinder, the Bagmati Zone Church Pastor Umesh Kumar Pokherel called the young people to find the right path to God through this Pathfinder Club, raise the standard of Jesus Christ and utilize the God given life to serve Him and the community. Led by Madeline Cardona, the Pathfinder Club gave the special music. The young preacher from the senior Pathfinder Club, Paul Dangal, preached sermon focusing on Jesus Christ challenging the young people to be like Jesus who was humble enough to be humiliated for our sake. Then there were unit presentations by Smiling girls, Bible warriors, Jazmines, Annapurnas, Angels and Orions- the various age group that constituted the Pathfinder Club. A special message to remain faithful to God was given by Pr. Charles Shultz the newly appointed secretary/treasurer of Nepal Field. He and Pr. Umesh initiated the Pathfinder Club by presenting scarf to the club members. Dr. Prameed, Dr. Fernando, Yoonne Gray, and other Masteguides along with the instructors helped the initiation ceremony. Each participant lit the candles and sang the song, "Shine Jesus shine" that invited the Lord's presence. Beaming with joy, the Master of Ceremony, Sonia Cardona, praised God for giving the opportunity to bring the young people to the awareness of His presence and their duty, commended the Pathfinder young people and the leaders for their willingness to pursuit the goal with their hard work, and thanked the audience for giving their moral support by their presence. The ceremony was adjourned after her prayer.

According to Rakesh Lamichane, who is one of the leader, the groups that constitutes both Adventist and non-Adventists, meet two Saturdays and two Sundays in a month.

Like the song, "If any little word of mine, may make the dark life brighter", the young preacher and the captain of senior unit, Paul Dangal, a local boy, told this reporter that because of Sonia, he was encouraged to bring himself closer to the Lord and invest his energy to let the young people pursue the happiness by focusing on soon coming Jesus. He is 11th grade student of the local Nepali school.

"I love it said' the 9 years old Usha.

Living in the days when there is no king and everyone did what is right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25) and people are driven into darkness because instead of focusing their life on God but to themselves or earth (Isaiah 8:22), Sonia, Dr. Fernando, their daughter Madeline, Master Guides and the instructors are to be highly commended for their effort to start this Pathfinder Club. We hope this club will not only be the shining light among the restless local youth but also be a daring example for the rest of the Adventist Churches in Nepal to follow.

An eyewitness account by Bhaju Ram Shrestha-bhajupurna@gmail.com
NAN-Nepal Adventist News.