SEARCHING FOR THE YETI

There is a lot going on in my life!  There is a new grandchild on the way and a daughter getting married before our next mission. In the mean time, I have to pinch myself to be sure it's not a dream that we get to go to Nepal to set up a new mission AND trek to the Base Camp of Mt. Everest all in the same trip.  To that end, I've been reading (in all my spare time) about Nepal.

Since I don't have much information about the mission, especially since it's not even established yet, I've decided to share some interesting things about this country.  This is VERY different from any place we've been before. Poverty is a huge problem due to changing governments and instability, but things have been improving over the last few years, so it is encouraging.

This is a summary gleaned from http://www.lonelyplanet.com/nepal about the Yeti. It is paraphrased to save time and space.

'Along with the equally slippery notion of Shangri La, the Yeti is one of Nepal's most famous cultural exports, occupying a hotly debated biological niche somewhere between zoology and folk religion.
..... The word yeti comes from the Tebetan yeh-teh, or "man of the rocky/snowy places'.  First hand accounts describe it as 'abominal snowman', having reddish fur, a conical head, a high-pitched cry and strange body odour that smells of garlic. There are various descriptions, one says it moves on all fours and preys on goats, sheep and yaks. There are more than one type of Yeti. Worst of all is the man-eater, 6ft to 8ft tall and a very bad temperment.  Consider yourself warned. '
"Trekkers to the Base Camp can still see the yeti scalp at the Khumjung Monastery (actually made from the skin of a serow (type of goat/antelope). The regions's Yeti pelts' actually belong to the Himalayan blue bear. "  Image result for yeti image

I guess I'm more afraid of the altitude than the Yeti, but I'll keep a lookout!

NN

NEPAL TREK TRAINING

We are getting lined up to travel to Nepal.  Our team leader is Dr. Harold Pine from Galveston, TX. The group is up to 11 people now, mostly ENT doctors and friends.  We will be looking at establishing a medical mission in Kathmandu.  I have been reading up on Nepal.  It is a fascinating country with a fascinating history.  While part of me feels like I should focus on one location, there is a wanderlust that keeps calling me from every direction.  Three members of our team from Haiti last year are heading there again in April while we travel to Nepal. The Nicaragua group is also going back to Puerto Cabezas.  They are blogging from Global Passion Ministries.

There are more opportunities than a person can count for doing missions and I''m finding more every day.  I've become involved in the Humanitarian Section of the AAO HNS who sends Otolaryngologists all over the world and is committed to training the locals in addition to providing care.  The goal is to eventually make ourselves unnecessary.  The mission this year will not involve so much work as just planning and deciding how it could work.  We have a contact ENT physician in Kathmandu who we will work with.  The other object of our trip is the hike to the base camp of Mt. Everest, so it's much different than our usual missions, and although I'm feeling a little guilty about trekking more than working, I see this as the opportunity of a lifetime and just couldn't pass it up. I read the book "Into Thin Air" several years ago and decided this was the most exotic place in the world.  We are not looking for donations for this trip as it is more 'vacation/adventure' than work, but bear with us and follow the adventure.  We will be back at it next year with anticipation of DR Congo.

In the mean time, John and I have been hiking in preparation for this trip.  Stay tuned.