Bhimphedi CH

New kids, new year, life continues in Balmandir

Five days before of the Nepali new year I (Surendra, center chief of Bhimphedi Balmandir) went with Kamal (one of the elder kids of the children’s home) to Naxal Children’s Home Central Office to take new children to be taken care in Bhimphedi. Every year the elder children get out from Balmandir after finishing the secondary education and some small children get in to start a new and better life.

This year four girls were going to be transferred to Bhimphedi Children’s Home. After completing the administrative work and collect all the necessary documents of the girls, we went to the Children’s Home where the girls were already ready to move.

At 2pm we all 6 left Naxal to go to Balkhu where we can find the jeeps to go to Bhimphedi. Rojina Magar, Bishika Balika, Binisha Khadka and Grishma Magar were talking a lot with Kamal and me, they were explaining about their school and one of the girls, Grishma, was saying “I will be the doctor”. After a while, we realized that the girls didn’t even know that they were going to live in a new place, they just thought they were going for Hospital, they didn’t know that they were travelling for Bhimphedi Balmandir! Although they first were sad to leave their former school they were happy they would meet some old friends (kids that came to Bhimphedi last year) and that Bhimphedi was a very good home with much place to play and good new friends.

In Balkhu we had time to have a snack and some fruits and even have a nap at the jeep station. After more than two hours, we could finally leave on a jeep to Bhimphedi. After a while, the girls were all sleeping.
In Bhimphedi all the children and caretakers of Balmandir were very excited and impatient to meet the new member of the family. But the trip takes more than three hours, so they had to be patient.

At 7:30pm we arrived to the Gadi (half hour far from Balmandir, from where there are good views of Bhimphedi Children’s Home). After having dinner, I could show to the girls all the lights of around Balmandir area and explain many stories about Balmandir to keep them awake till the arrival. But maybe it was not a good idea because before arriving Bishika said “vomit-vomit” and before I could move her to to the window window she vomited all over the seats. We had to stop the jeep and clean.

We arrived in Bhimphedi at 8pm and some the Balmandir elder kids were waiting for us at the station. The elder kids carried the young tired girls on their backs while asking me if they were boys or girls because of their short hair and boys clothes.

In 5 minutes we arrived in Balmandir all the children and staff of Balmandir came together to welcome them. Everyone was very excited and noisy, the new kids were also very happy to see the welcoming. Everyone was asking their names. All kids went to their bed and old and new kids keep talking till they fall to sleep. I also went to my bed.

This was my second experience of taking children from NCO to Bhimphedi. Last year we took six small boys. They have been two really amazing moments and I will never forget them.