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Bhaktapur Children’s Home began in 2001 when four little boys who needed a home were brought to David Sagar’s church. David took those little ones into his own home and shortly after that he partnered with us to secure financial support for these children. For 3 years, Rick and I supported the children out of our own resources. The children quickly grew to 8, then 12. It was then that I realized that there was a legitimate compassion ministry being birthed in my spirit. We began to ask for sponsors for the children and were overwhelmed by the immediate positive response. We have been able to rescue 14 children from the streets of Nepal. Many of these children come from single-parent homes, with their families being too poor to care for them or provide an education. Some of the children are true orphans with no families to look after them. Some we have found in the trash piles looking for food, some we’ve found on the streets sniffing glue to ward off the hunger pangs. One little girl was rescued from a possible life of prostitution. Her mother became a prostitute in order to support her 4 children when her husband abandoned them. At Bhaktapur Children’s Home not only do they receive material care like food and clothes, they also receive the care and love of a mother and father. They are able to get a quality education and opportunity for a better life. Most of them come from Hindu backgrounds and end up giving their lives to the Lord. For $100 a month a child can be fed, clothed, housed, and educated. The care of a child’s physical needs can be an eighteen year commitment. However, we only ask for one year at time because we know that financial situations can change over time. In return the sponsors receive a quarterly letter from the child and a monthly report from Pastor David on how the child is progressing in school and in his/her daily life. Thank you for partnering with us. - Bev |
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Alisha My Name: Sita B. K. “Alisha” My Birthday: July 20th, 1995 My Story: I was born in the Terai region of Nepal in Chitwan. My father and mother worked in a brick factory when my sister and I were very little. One day, my mother never came home. Father said “Mother has left us” and he began to weep. My sister and I started to cry. I was too young to understand where my mother had gone. Some told me she had died; others said she had runaway with another man. I guess I will never know. My father had no time for us. He had to spend long hours working at the factory. I was five years old when I was brought to the children’s home. Just last year, I went back to visit an aunt of mine. She came to the orphanage and demanded that I go with her. David “Babha” and Sony “Amah” could not say no. She wanted me to stay with her. She really cared for me, but I knew that if I remained, I would have to give up Christianity, and I would not be able to continue my education. These two things were too great to sacrifice for the sake of family, so I came back to the children’s home. I love learning. English is my favorite subject. I have a desire to become a bilingual doctor. I want to study science in university. Culture Note: Folklores and folktales have remained an integral part of Nepalese society, and they reveal different dimensions of social and cultural life of the people. Some tales tell of love and affection, others recount hatred and battles, including some, which describe demons, ghosts and cannibalism. Nepalese folklores and folktales have various regional and ethnic colors, and some of them are variations of such tales of other areas, which have traveled to Nepal, and being retold with changed names and places. Alisha is Sponsored |
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Jonathan My Name: Rajendra B. K. “Jonathan” My Birthday: March 20th, 1999 My Story: Halo!* I am Jonathan. I am ten years old and my favorite thing to do is dance Nepali folk dances. I love going to school. I love to sing really loud. I came to the Children’s Home when I was 6 years old. Seven days after I was born, my father ran away. My mother and I moved to Kathmandu when I was 2 so she could find work to take care of me. She searched and searched but finally went to the rock factory making 16 cents a day. It was really hard for her because I would wander and run away all the time. She soon found work as a housemaid making 90 cents a day. We are from a low caste so it was a miracle my mother was able to find such a good job. She could hardly take care of me. I was not allowed to remain in the home where she was helping. It was very hard for my mother. She either had to send me back to the village, where my grandparents lived, or find a home for me. Though she wanted to keep me close, she knew the only way I would survive was if she let me come here to the Children’s Home. I love my mother so very much and I miss her, but I get to see her often. Before I came to the Children’s home, I was a Hindu. My mother is still a Hindu. She fasted every Tuesday and prayed to Ganesh while I lived with her, but we never received what we asked for. When I found my home here, she gave up that idol. Sony ’Amah’ has talked to my mother about God. Whenever my mother gets a chance to visit, she always comes to church with me. I pray one day soon she will become a Christian. *Nepali for “Hello!”
Jonathan is Sponsored |
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Mary My Name: Manu B.K. “Mary” My Birthday: Nov. 10th, 1992 My Story: I came to the Children’s Home in 2002, when I was eight years old. I am now sixteen. I was four years old when my mother passed away. A year later, my father remarried. When my stepmother began to have her own children, she neglected me. I wanted to go to school and learn but my stepmother made me stay home and do all the housework, laundry and cooking. I had no time for school. Sometimes I felt just like Cinderella. I eventually went to live with my grandparents. They lived in a village near Tatopaani. It is a beautiful village with many trees and a clear river flowing down close to our house. My grandparents worked in the fields and I would go with them, playing while they worked, wandering over the hills and fields. Even though I was happy, my grandparents wanted me to get an education. They were very old and it was hard for them to look after me. My grandfather heard about the Children’s Home. He brought me to David and Sony. It was a long journey. We had to walk down the mountain and then rode all night in a bus. I don’t know where my father is or if my grandparents are still alive, but I pray for them. I was happy to come to the Children’s Home because I could go to school. Something I had always wanted. I did not know how to read or write. When I first started I was able to skip a level. I am now in level eight, and I am second in rank in my class. I am so happy to be able to go to school. I would like to study science and social work when I go to the university. When I came to the Children’s Home I heard about Jesus for the first time. I was surprised and thought it was funny. I was a Hindu, but after hearing about Christ, I asked Him to come into my heart. I am happy to confess Him as my Lord. I have never been back to my village, but I long to go back and visit when I finish my education and share Jesus with them.
Mary is Sponsored |
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Silas My Name: Bharat Babu Muktel “Silas” My Birthday: December 2, 1995 My Story: Jaymasi!* I was 5 when I was first brought to the Children’s Home. When I came my left leg had an infection in the bone. I had to be hospitalized and receive surgery. I was there recovering for 3 weeks. The doctors said if I had not been brought to the hospital that day and received surgery, I would be crippled. My leg would be deformed or gone. I lived in a village near the hillside outside the Kathmandu Valley. I lived with my three sisters and my mother. Some people told me my father had been killed in an accident, but I honestly do not know how he died. My father had been our sole source of income. My mother hired herself out to landowners for fieldwork. She would plant and harvest the land for them. Still, it was very hard to spread the food between the 5 of us. We lived in a village of mostly Brahmans. We were of the lower caste, so finding work was difficult. I am the only son. My mother wanted me to have a brighter future. That is the major reason why mother asked if I could be taken in by the home. My eldest sister was married at a very young age. My other two sisters are very bright. They are trying to work their way through college. They help support my mother. I do not know how they are doing. I have not seen them since I came. When I first arrived at the Children’s Home I was very afraid and upset. I missed my family. I had no knowledge of the Gospel, but growing up in this environment was very good, and now that I can understand the Gospel I have accepted it. I am a Christian. My passion is music. I love the drums. David “Babha” and Philip taught me how to play. I also like to work with computers. I would really like to be a musician when I finish my studies. * a Christian greeting in the Nepali language Silas is Sponsored |
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Sanju My Name: Sanju Koirala My Birthday: Jan. 9th, 1994 My Story: I came to BCH when I was 8 years old. I am currently in the 8th grade. My mother passed away when I was very young. I can’t even remember her face. My Dad became an alcoholic after her death. We were very poor, and most of our money was going to my father’s addiction, so my Auntie brought me to BCH. It was a daylong walk to get the bus and then an 8 hour bus ride. A year and a half later my Dad passed away. Some say it was the alcohol. I guess I will never know. I have four sisters and when my father passed away we were separated. Three of my sisters went to two other children’s homes in Katmandu. I have one brother, but I have no idea where he is. My Auntie visits and calls me when she can. I cried a lot when I first came, but it didn’t take long for me to become happy. I was able to go to school only after coming to the Children’s Home. English is my favorite subject. I hope to be a teacher. I enjoy cooking, singing and dancing. Many of us here at the children’s home help in services. I help on the worship team. I was Hindu and thought Christianity was bad. After hearing the gospel I came to love God. I have had the same classmates for all my secondary school, and still I am persecuted for being a Christian. I am happy to know Jesus and will serve Him the rest of my life. Cultural Note: Nepali is in the Indo-European language family, and so is closely related to Hindi, and distantly related to several European languages such as English and French. It has been spoken in its older forms since around 300 AD. The Sanskrit language is the parent of both Hindi and Nepali. They are all written in Devangari Script. This script was developed by grammarians of ancient India. This alphabet has 67 characters, most of them with only one pronunciation. The language sentence structure is subject-object-verb. Traders carried the number system of this language to the Middle East. Arabic, and even English owes its number system to these traveling tradesmen. Sanju is Sponsored |
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Samuel My Name: Sagar Shrestha “Samuel” My Birthday: Aug. 12th, 1994 My Story: I was 8 when I first came to the children’s home. A neighbor brought me here. I am from the Terai in the eastern Sunsari area. It is a very hot flat plain, where much rice is grown. We were an hour by bus to the Indian border. I lived in a small cottage made from mud walls with a thatch roof. When I left, my sister remained with my mother. I haven't been in touch with either of them. I've seen my mom just once since I moved. When I first came to the children’s home, I was very unhappy. I was so far away from home, and I cried a lot. It took me a month to really be happy here. I knew nothing about Christ, but after being here one month I accepted Him into my heart, and soon my sadness went away. I had never gone to school. So when I came to the Children’s Home, I started lower kindergarten. I am now in the sixth grade. In school, I love to play football. Some of my guy friends in class are Christians and some are Hindu. My favorite subject is science. I hope to study science and music. I'd like to be a musician. I sing in the chorus at church. In our band, I play the rhythm guitar. I helped with writing some of our songs. I really like worship music. I am very contented here with my family.
Samuel is sponsored |
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Paul My Name: Yaga B. K. “Paul” My Birthday: July 13th, 1996 My Story: I lived in the Sanza area of Western Nepal. It is a very undeveloped place. My mother and father did not want children. When they had me there was no celebration, no birthday. They did not care where I went, if I was fed, or if I ever came back. I lived on the streets from a very young age. I was alone and had no friends. I stole food and ate from the garbage. I would ride the busses singing for passengers hoping to get a few coins. I knew a handful of songs. I still remember this one: “In Batali we will get down the bus, and cross the river together.” It is a famous folk song from my region. There was a poor Christian man in my village who had been an orphan and he tried to take care of me. He could not watch over me very well, because of his work. He worked in Kathmandu for a while and when he heard about the Children’s Home he came back to the village and got me. He really cared about my future. I was very happy to go. I did not know there were specific rooms assigned for toilets. That took some time getting used to. David “Babha” was patient with my accidents. I came when I was 6 years old. I am now 13 and in the 6th grade. I would like to be in a band when I grow up. I love to sing. I sing in our church choir. I knew nothing about Jesus till I came to the Children’s Home. Growing up in this home made accepting Him as Lord easy. Cultural Note: Music plays a prominent role in Hindu culture and religion. A Hindu’s most sacred word “Om” is said in harmonious way (in song). The Hindu caste system actually, has an entire caste dedicated to musicians (a subdivision of Shudras). A most revered instrument by the Hindus and Nepalis alike is the basuri (wooden flute). Krishna, one of the incarnations of Vishnu is said to have beautifully played this instrument. In primary and secondary schools, folk dances are always taught with pride. School boards make a point to invite folk singers and dancers to perform for their students. Paul is Sponsored |
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Yehoshu My Name: Tilok Bhandari “Yehoshu” or “Joshua” My Birthday: Aug. 21st, 1997 My Story: I was born in Humla, a village far in the northwestern corner of Nepal, near the Tibetan border. My people were starving. It was very cold, and we were too poor to afford blankets. Rice was very scarce and very expensive. It still is. Humla is a rocky, barren land. I have no wish to return. There were 5 of us in my family: my parents and three boys. I am the middle child. I cannot remember how I was the boy picked to go to the Children’s Home, but I was. I was very fortunate. My uncle came to Kathmandu for work and he brought me with him. When I was 8 years old he left me in a boys’ hostel (a children’s home). One day, he visited that home and he realized I was not getting any schooling. He saw that they were using us as free labor, shepherding goats. He immediately took me out. He could not send me back home. The journey was too long. He understood that the risk was not the dangerous journey home, but my chances of survival after I got there. My uncle knew friends of David “Babha” and they told him about the Children’s Home. My uncle told David “Babha” that even if I were able to eat the leftover food from the other children at the home, it would be more than I would ever get in Humla. I was very sad to leave my uncle. I cried for many nights, but after a week I accepted Christ, and things got better. I am 12 years old now. I am in the 4th grade. I would like to work with computers when I get older. I sing,, and people say they like my voice. I am learning how to play the guitar. I love to have fun and laugh. They call me the group jester. I can do impersonations of everyone here. I love dancing. I really enjoy doing the Nepali folk dances in school and church. My father came to visit me a few years ago. He could not believe how much rice we had. I do not know where my brothers or mother are. I do not know if any of them have passed away. I do not know if they will survive this winter. I do know that I am one lucky boy from Humla. Yehoshu is Sponsored |
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Tabitha My Name: Man Maya Tamang “Tabitha” My Birthday: Nov. 12, 1995 My Story: I am originally from Shindupati in the eastern area of Nepal. My Aunt Ruth is a Christian and goes to David “Babha’s” church. She is the one who helped me come here. My mother died when I was a year and a half old, so my father brought me to my grandmother’s house. She was very poor. My father soon remarried. My stepmother mistreated me and when she began having children she gave all her attention to them. I ate the crumbs the four of them left from their dinners. My father saw how my stepmother treated me, but I did not mean anything to him anymore. He wanted to leave me at a Buddhist monastery. He said it would bring him good blessings in his business. I did not want to go, and my Aunt Ruth asked David if he and Sony would help me. If I went to the Buddhist monastery I would have to accept the religion. I would have no choice but to become a Buddhist nun. I did not want that. God made a way for me to be rescued. I wasn’t really a Buddhist when I came to the Children’s Home. I was 13 and had grown up listening to my Aunt Ruth’s teachings about God and Christ. My grandmother was a Christian and I would sing the praise songs with her. It was these worship songs that spoke to me most about God. It did not take me long to understand the verses to the songs and accept Jesus. I came to the Children’s Home last year. I started Nepali school very late. All of us kids attend an English medium school. I am in the 2nd grade. They do not usually allow 14 year olds in primary classes, but God gave me favor. The school understands my background. I hope to skip more classes with the help of my sisters at home. I would love to be a teacher someday. Cultural Note: Buddhism in Nepal dates from the birth of Siddharta Gautama himself. Legend has it that many bodhisattvas and previous Buddha's also visited the land. Monuments to these Buddha's can still be seen. Early Buddhist history is difficult to document, but we know that Nepal became a great meeting point for Indian and Tibetan Buddhist teachers. Nagarjuna, the great Madhyamika master, and many other great practitioners visited, lived, and taught in Nepal. Stone inscriptions and colophons provide clear evidence that a strong lineage of Mahasanghika Bhiksunis existed in the seventh century. The country became a repository of Buddhist Sanskrit literature and famous for its production of fine Buddhist art. Tabitha is Sponsored |
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Nabin My Name: Nabin K. C. My Birthday: Feb. 15th, 1995 My Story: Jaymasi!* I am Raj’s half brother. My father was an alcoholic beat me. My brother Raj learned where I was living and told me to meet him in the market. From that time I lived in the streets with Raj. I was 5 years old when I left home and joined my brother. I slept on the streets, sniffed glue and smoked cigarettes like the rest of the street boys. I begged for money from tourists and wandered all over the city. We would sneak into parties and weddings and steal food. I was happier on the streets than at home. On the streets I had no father to beat me. David “Babha” had seen me playing at the monkey temple. Then he found us again while looking for 2 boys, who had gone back to the streets. They were actually friends of ours. David Babha asked us if we wanted to go to school. That was enough for me to want to go with him. Raj and I were very excited to go. I was 8 years old. I am now 13 and in the 5th grade. I am ranked 1st in my entire school. I want to be a doctor and study science like my brother. After 4 months at the children’s home I gave my heart to the Lord. I help in the worship band alongside my brother. I love our church. Cultural Note: In Nepal, surnames identify from what caste a person is. The Hindu caste system was established in Nepal in Changu Narayan in the early 300’s. There are four main castes with thousands of subdivisions in each. The four caste divisions are Brahman (priests and scholars), Kshatriya or Chetri (rulers and warriors), Vaisya (or Vaisaya, merchants and traders), and Sudra (farmers, artisans, and laborers). * a Christian greeting in the Nepali language
Nabin is Sponsored |
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Philemon My Name: Narayan Pariyar “Philemon” My Birthday: Nov. 18th, 1997 My Story: I am from the Bhutol area in the Terai region. There the homes are made from mud bricks and thatch roofs. I was 6 years old when I first came to the Children’s Home. I am in the 5th grade and I am 12 years old. I learned about God for the first time after arriving at the Children’s Home and accepted Jesus into my heart. When I grow up I want to study computer science and be a professional computer teacher. My mother was 50 years old when I was born and she passed away during labor. My father was 63 years old at that time. He remarried an elderly, mute woman and neither of them could look after me. Three months ago (June 2009) my father passed away at 75 years of age. I had to travel with an uncle to see him in the hospital. A Hindu son remains with his father till his cremation. It is the son’s duty to start the fire on the funeral pile. I was supposed to stay and have my head shaved and fast for 13 days. I did none of those things. I am not a Hindu. I went against my family’s demands and returned within a few days to the Children’s Home. In the sight of my Hindu relatives I failed my father, but my father was very happy with where I was, so I know he would not be angry. Cultural Note: Pashupatinath is Nepal’s most renowned Hindu cremation site. Wrapped in cloth and placed on a bamboo litter, bodies are delivered by barefoot pallbearers accompanied by male relatives and mourners. At the cremation ghat (river steps), the eldest son performs specific rites to secure the soul of his father a smooth transition into the next world. The body is placed on a long pyre, and the white-clad mourners retreat to a nearby porch to observe the slow destruction of the corpse. Philemon is Sponsored |
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Phillip My Name: Kishor Khadka “Philip” My Birthday: 15 May 5th, 1994 My Story: I grew up in a village called Dolakha, a 6 hour bus ride from Bhaktapur, where the Children’s Home is. I was 2 years old when my Mom died in childbirth, along with my newborn brother. I went to live with my grandmother, and soon my father remarried. When his second wife left him, it was too much for him to bear and he committed suicide. I lived with my aunt for two years after my grandmother passed away. One of my Christian relatives brought me to an orphanage in Patan. I was there only six months because the institution was closed. I was really frightened. I did not know what would become of me. Where to go, what to eat, or what to do? Thank God, the orphanage sent me to B.C.H. (Bhaktapur Children’s Home). I was Hindu before I came. When I first came, I didn’t understand Christianity but as I went to church I learned more and more about God. Soon I understood and accepted Christ. I was very much happy. I am so blessed to have a home. I do not know if my aunt or any other relations are alive. I consider this to be my family and my home. Since I had received only 2 months of education, I was enrolled in kindergarten at 8 years of age. I am now in 7th grade and ranked 11th in my class. I love to play volleyball, and table tennis in school. Most of my classes are in English so I struggle with my Nepali grammar and my Nepali numbers, but I know that the English language is important for future opportunities. Math is one of my favorite subjects. I hope to study computer science in the university, along with music. When we come home from school I enjoy spending time working on our music. I would like to be a worship leader. I started taking guitar lessons 2 months ago. While playing guitar I feel very happy because I am playing for the Lord. It is not for show, it is not an act to me, it is truly only for the Lord. He deserves my worship. My guitar is His. I would love to travel to other churches in Nepal with my music. I have also picked up the madal (long two sided Nepali drum), congas, electric and bass guitar. My brothers and I have a band. Sometimes I sing, sometimes I only play, but we always dance! We write our own lyrics and music. We have written about 6 songs and we hope to record an album. We are often asked by other churches to play. This opportunity is very special to us. Our band also leads worship in the weekly church service. Every morning and evening my brothers and sisters and I have devotions. I help with worship and when feel impressed share from the Bible. We always pray together before we leave for school. It is a very precious time. I see myself always helping the church. I want to help with the new children God sends us. Phillip is Sponsored |
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Sarmala My Name: Sarmila Rai My Birthday: June 19th, 1996 My Story: I came to the children’s home when I was eight. I am now 14. I came from a large, poor family of 6. When my father left my mother, it became very difficult for her to manage all of us. She had a tea business, but that was not enough to keep us all fed and clothed. My mother sent some of my brothers and sisters to live with relatives. I lived in a rented room in Sony’s family house with my mother. We came from a village that is a day’s walk to Sony’s village. Sony saw the condition I was living in and did not want me to grow up in that. I attended a village school, so when I came here I was behind. I did not even know how to read and write. I am now in the 6th level. I am in 2nd rank of 32 students. I was very scared and cried often when I first arrived, but soon I made friends. One friendship I cherish the most is my friendship with Christ. This is my family here at the Children’s Home. This is my home. I was Hindu when I came to the Children’s Home, but my grandparents were Christians. I would praise God with them, not fully understanding what it meant. I really began to understand Christianity when I came to the Children’s Home, and here I accepted Jesus. I wish to be a teacher and go back to my village and share the Gospel. I desire very much to help other children like myself. Sarmala is Sponsored |
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Raj My Name: Raj Kumar K. C. My Birthday: July 16th, 1993 My Story: My father died when I was very young, and when my mother remarried my stepfather beat me. He was an alcoholic. I stayed with my grandmother but she was elderly and could not care for me. When I was 8, I ran away from home. The bus is free for children under a certain age. I took it and got off in Bhaktapur. There I made friends with the street boys. We would sneak into weddings and birthday parties to steal food. When we did have money we bought glue. We would take turns sniffing from the bag. My mother, sister and brother moved to Kathmandu. Sometimes my half brother, Nabin, would come and see me. I always took care of him and included him in everything we did, even the glue sniffing. I did everything most street boys do. I smoked marijuana and cigarettes. We would roam the city all day long. One day, the boys and I were roaming around the city. That was the day that changed my life. David “Babha” found me and asked me if I wanted good food, a place to sleep, and a chance at a good education. I went with him. I was ten years old. Giving up the glue sniffing and drugs were easy, it was giving up my freedom to wander that was hard. Staying inside and not being able to do as I pleased was very difficult. I was a Hindu but had visited Christian churches before. After a week at the home, I became a Christian. When my mother and sister heard I had been offered a home, they moved to Bhaktapur. By then, my stepfather had abandoned them. Soon, they also accepted Christ. I am now 16 years old. I had never been to school, till David “Babha” brought me to the Children’s Home. I am now ranked 3rd in my class. My favorite subjects are mathematics and science. I play the bass guitar, and I sing in our band. I am also a part of the worship team. Living on the streets and seeing the suffering I saw has really impacted me. I want to be doctor and somehow give back to my community. Raj is Sponsored |
