A Homecoming

The flight to Biratnagar was extra special for Sima, our sponsored child. She's twelve and had been born blind. She attended 1st and 2nd grade at the Pruwanchal Blind School and she was going to be able to be with her good friends, Asma, Monika and Kumari.

To top it all, this was her first plane ride! Her father met us at the gate of the airport, she was dressed in her one and only dress kurta with a plaid fleece jacket on. She looked ready to travel!

As we walked into the airport and went through a series of security checks, I was telling her in as much detail as I could what was happening and why we had to go through these steps. We rode the bus that took as to the steps of the plane, walked up and found our seat numbers. After my cursory instructions, she was locking and unlocking her seatbelt, tightening and loosening it and feeling everything around her.

We taxied and then prepared for take off. The sound of the propellers and engines were pretty loud so we covered her ears and she could sense we were at flight the moment the plane ascended. She enjoyed the sweets and the glass of sprite they served. She even wanted to check out the toilet, we did that too!

After 40 minutes, we arrived at the Biratnagar Airport and we walked down the steps and on to the Tarmac.

At 2:00 that afternoon,we arrived at the Pruwanchal Blind School and the entire student body lined up and say their Namates and we bowed and greeted every single one! They proceeded to honor us with a PE exercise drill, Nepali singing and dancing, yoga exercise and bird and animal call interpretation! We had a hand off ceremony for the MP3players and Braille paper that the college kids need for their studies and a new TV and DVD for the Girls hostel. They were very excited and thanked us very many many times!!!

Gina Rose