Autumn 2005

If…

If everyone were to plant a tree,
Everyone in the world,
And danced instead of shooting
And paid with smiles instead of with money –
If everyone were to warm someone else,
Nobody would continue to rave about their strengths,
Nobody would hit another anymore,
Nobody would become entrapped in lies,
If the old were like the children,
Would share the burdens,
If this "If" could be lived,
It would still not be paradise –
But human time has started,
That which by argument and war
Is almost lost to us.

Peter Härtling

Dear friends of the Shanti-family

I was in Nepal for four weeks in August. On my return I once again felt how the feeling of deep gratefulness is coming up to me after the stop-over there.
Gratefulness for the clean water that I can use at any time – even hot.
Thankfulness for our healthy and contaminated food.
Gratitude, in particular, for a life without constant fear of hidden bombs, of terror attacks, being kidnapped, street wars etc.

General situation

The life of the people in Nepal was much harder this summer than in earlier times. The monsoon comes four weeks later than expected. Many wells have dried out. The queue of waiting people was up to three kilometres, who want to fill their canisters with greyish-yellow, ugly water. The poor who have, of course, no money to buy drinking water in bottles.
We had, therefore, again considerably more cases of typhus, amoebiasie and other diarrhoea diseases. Dr Singh appeared grey with exhaustion on many days, because so many patients needed help. Our 105 beds were occupied with 137 persons most of the time!

As far the rest of foodstuff…
In Germany we take it for granted that they are controlled regularly. Our demands in hygiene are high and are continously monitored.

I read in the Kathmandu Post three weeks ago: 64% of all chicken meat is contaminated with salmonellas. Other kinds of meat have the same fate.
In fact, Shanti people eat vegetarian meals, because its cheaper. Many of our patients save money for a chicken meal on holidays. How bitter it would be, if they had to pay their fest meal with sickness.

The third reason for my thankfulness is obvious for me every day: to live without fear of perfidious and brutal violence.

Especially in the western parts of Nepal the Maos repeated their cruel attacks over and over again. A group of roadmen, soldiers and civilians were attacked by approximately 5,000 Mao people, who killed and disgraced them and the survivors were kidnapped. According to the UNO, Nepal is currently the country with the highest kidnapping rate.