Making the difference
York residents share their stories of effecting change
One person can make a difference.
That was the theme of a panel discussion at the York Public Library on March 20 as part of the annual “York Reads” program, this year focusing centered around Greg Mortenson’s “Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace — One School at a Time.”
On Friday evening, Macdonald and David Lincoln of York — along with Eva Kasell of Boston and Bishnu Pariyar of Nepal — took the audience on a visit to the Himalayan region of Nepal, one of the poorest and least-developed countries in the world.
Saving the Reboche Nunnery
For Macdonald, trekking in the Himalayas grew out of a childhood dream to climb Mt. Everest. A practicing Buddhist, she has gone on five excursions since 2001, with another scheduled for the coming fall.
Five years ago, Macdonald was leading a group of friends on a trek into the region of Solu Khumbu in Nepal.
“Jinpa, our Sherpa guide, led us up a path to the Deboche Nunnery, where some 20 Tibetan nuns carry on the tradition of prayer, teaching and dedicating their lives to helping others,” Macdonald said. “Wearing traditional red robes, the nuns welcomed us, served us hot soup and lit the butter lamps.”
The nunnery, built in 1928, was dilapidated and in desperate need of repair.
“There was no heat or electricity. Sanitary facilities were inadequate,” she continued. “Smoke from the butter lamps and primitive stove filled the rooms, making it difficult to breathe. It soon became obvious that many of the nuns were sick with respiratory and other illnesses. Deeply touched, we vowed to somehow make their lives better.”
Later, Macdonald crossed Himalayan paths with well-known climber Dan Mazur who works with The Mount Everest Foundation for the Sustainable Development of Nepal and Tibet. As a result of their friendship, the Deboche Nunnery has become one of the foundation’s most important projects.
“New roofs were put on the nuns’ living quarters,” she said, “Walls and windows were repaired and a new vented stove was brought from the U.S. We provided the nuns with warm clothing and helped get medical care for those who were ill. But there is still so much to do.”
Macdonald, formerly head gardener at Arrows Restaurant in Ogunquit, now operates her own landscape and floral design company. She is using this knowledge to improve the lives of these dedicated women.
“Very little grows in this harsh environment,” she explained. “We are working with the nuns to extend the growing season and bring a greater variety of fruits and vegetables to their gardens.”
Medical aid for villagers
While Macdonald’s work in Nepal grew out of a lifelong interest, David Lincoln’s work in Nepal was sparked by casual conversation over Thanksgiving dinner five years ago.
“I heard about the humanitarian work being done in Nepal, and I was looking for some volunteer opportunities,” he explained.
Lincoln, retired from Kimberly Clark Corp. after a 35-year career in product development in the health-care division, eventually connected with Scott MacLennan, a well-known climber who founded The Mountain Fund focused on social service projects in rural Nepal. Lincoln decided to join the fund’s health-care trek that brings medical aid to remote villages in the Himalayas.
The 78-year-old Lincoln had to be checked out by physicians before he could join the high-altitude trek. Last fall, he left on a three-week trip along with four nurses and a physician. “My job was to help set up the clinics and get things done,” he said. “We spent 10 days on the clinic trek, with the highest clinic at 14,000 feet.”
Lincoln described a scene with virtually no health care and poor sanitary conditions.
“People literally came out of the hills to get treatment for parasites, eye infections and all sorts of ailments,” he said. “Through moving and permanent clinics, the fund serves approximately 44,000 people in 40 villages.”
Lincoln points out that the key to success is to ask the people what they want and need, then provide it.
“We don’t go in and tell people what we think they should have,” he said. “We ask them what they need.”
Boston resident Eva Kassel and Bishu Pariyar from Nepal described their work in helping the “untouchable” class of Dalit Hindu women establish their worth through education and micro-financing projects. The support group, called DWON (Empower Dalit Women of Nepal), is a striking example of how one person can make a difference in changing the lives of so many people.
For program information or to donate, visit these Web sites:
www.summitclimb.com (click on Foundation/Deboche project)
www.mountainfund.org
www.edwon.org (Empower Dalit Women)
(c) Seacoast Media Group 2009
http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20090325-LIFE-903250316
